Color genetics and sexing of double laced Barnevelders

[JedJackson]

I'm wondering whether double laced Barnevelders can be sexed early on the same way partridge varieties are sexed, by the presence in males of all black feathers at the breast and, conversely, laced feathers at the breast of females. Or will this not work because of different genetics? Thanks for any help!

 

[Silexian]

I'm wondering whether double laced Barnevelders can be sexed early on the same way partridge varieties are sexed, by the presence in males of all black feathers at the breast and, conversely, laced feathers at the breast of females. Or will this not work because of different genetics? Thanks for any help!

In my experience, the adolescent feathers look pretty similar. For both male and female. I usually just wait for comb development to tell them apart.

 

[clickchicks]

Bumping this up because I'm still curious about this. My two Barnevelder chicks definitely have a different feather coloring developing on the chest and tail.

Chick 1:

vs chick 2:

These pics are a couple of days old, they have almost completely feathered in the chest. The top one has more of the laced feathers, and the 2nd is entirely black. Maybe not significant but the tail feathers are also different, the top chick has the normal laced feathers coming in and the 2nd chick's tail feathers are almost entirely black with a bit of red in the center of the feather.

 

[TheCopperCoop]

Bumping this up because I'm still curious about this. My two Barnevelder chicks definitely have a different feather coloring developing on the chest and tail.

Chick 1:
View attachment 2631926

vs chick 2:
View attachment 2631927

These pics are a couple of days old, they have almost completely feathered in the chest. The top one has more of the laced feathers, and the 2nd is entirely black. Maybe not significant but the tail feathers are also different, the top chick has the normal laced feathers coming in and the 2nd chick's tail feathers are almost entirely black with a bit of red in the center of the feather.

I'm wondering if your chicks turned out to be the sex you expected based on the chest feathers? I have a similar looking pair of Barnevelders, almost 5 weeks old. Though interestingly, the laced chest chick has a slightly bigger comb than the black-chested chick, though both their combs are pretty small. I already have a 4mo old Barnevelder rooster and was hoping for two pullets but the black chest feathers have me thinking I have one of each.

 

[clickchicks]

I'm wondering if your chicks turned out to be the sex you expected based on the chest feathers? I have a similar looking pair of Barnevelders, almost 5 weeks old. Though interestingly, the laced chest chick has a slightly bigger comb than the black-chested chick, though both their combs are pretty small. I already have a 4mo old Barnevelder rooster and was hoping for two pullets but the black chest feathers have me thinking I have one of each.

Actually no! They both ended up being female. The black chest feathers eventually fell out and now they are all laced, so I guess it was just a fluke.

 

[TheCopperCoop]

Oh awesome, that gives me hope!

 

[24Elsinore]

I have 15 chicks that are about a week old. I purchased 3 roos and 12 pullets. So far there is not much I can see to tell them apart. Pretty much all of them have their primaries and secondaries which are all brown and black. A few are getting their tail feathers in and those are all similar looking as well.

 

[Lawgirlyjo]

Actually no! They both ended up being female. The black chest feathers eventually fell out and now they are all laced, so I guess it was just a fluke.

Do you have current pics of them now and age? I recall seeing lighter and darker colored ones and curious myself the difference as took chance with darker one myself on week 3 waiting for more signs.

 

[TheCopperCoop]

Do you have current pics of them now and age? I recall seeing lighter and darker colored ones and curious myself the difference as took chance with darker one myself on week 3 waiting for more signs.

I know you're asking @clickchicks but wanted to share some of my own photos (I know I always like to see more photos and I'm feeling highly motivated this morning). I do have one mature Barnevelder already who turned out to be a rooster (he had black chest feathers as a chick) and my current Barnevelders are 5 weeks old and showing pretty different feather patterns from each other. The first set of photos is my for sure rooster Trout. The second set are my two current chicks at 3 and 5 weeks.

Trout, my current rooster

Now this is Nutmeg and Clover from 3 and 5 weeks old. Nutmeg has a darker and splotchier pattern, like Trout, though neither have quite the comb Trout did at the same ages.




Ultimately, my suspicion based on my first round with Trout is that I have another cockerel and only one pullet but I'd be curious to know from @clickchicks around what age did the black-chested chick get her laced feathering in.

 

[clickchicks]

@Lawgirlyjo @TheCopperCoop

Sure, here's some updated pictures from this morning. They are right at 3 months old.

"Tango" the one that had the black chest:

Next to her sister (Tango on the left, Mambo on the right)