cochin fether sexing?

georgialee

Songster
10 Years
Apr 9, 2009
2,399
14
191
Knoxville, TN
I know that for most chicks the ones that have the tail/back feathers first usually tend to grow up to be pullets and the slow feathering chicks are usually roos. Does this work for cochins?

I have 7 mf chicks - 6 feathered out quickly, 1 slow

9 LF partridge chicks - 7 feathering out slow, 2 fast

lavender chicks - only a few feathering out quickly and the others slowly (though ALL of them are feathering out slowly compared to the others)
 
It didn't work on my Bantam Cochins - I tried on a batch of 8 that I hatched this spring.

Of the 8, I had 6 feather in fast and 2 feather in slow. The three that feathered out the fastest all ended up being cockerels, and one of the slow feathering ones ended up being a pullet - so, in total I ended up with 4 boys and 4 girls.

So, I wouldn't say that feather sexing is very reliable in Cochins.
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That actually makes me feel better, lol! I would like a good mix of pullets and cockerels so I have a a variety to pick from. I would hate to have just one cockerel and be forced to use him for breeding vs. have 2 or 3 (or more) to choose from. Thanks for the info!
 
I have a white pair that have done this but for the most part it isn't always 100%. I don't watch for anything but good feather development and usually don't care if it is a boy or girl but this time with having only 2 whites I have really been able to watch them and the girl is definitely more feathered while the boy is kinda nekked.
In my other Cochin projects I am not getting it as much but I am crossing colors and bloodlines.
 

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