Early tail feathers = pullets????

[urbancountrygal]

How true is this??? I have 4 RIR pullets I bought from a guy who purchased 50 pullets from a hachery. 3 have tail feathers and 1 doesn't. Do you think I have a roo? The rest of my pullets from the feed store have tail feather too.

 

[ggrap]

Apparently some breeds can be feather sexed by people who know what to look for. When the same breed is compared I have heard girls feather out faster. I have had zero luck do this, so I just wait until I can see some secondary sex characteristics. Some times you can see these in birds just a few weeks old, in others it is harder.

Good luck

 

[urbancountrygal]

Thanks

 

[AuntieE]

I've heard that girls feather out faster than the roos, but with my australorps that ones that feathered out the fastest are the ones that look most "roosterish" at 7 weeks with much larger, red combs and wattles. Not sure if it depends on the breed or not?

 

[SourRoses]

Yeah, it's just to early to tell. I was able to distinguish my roo from pullets with my batch of Silkies right from day 1... but our newest batch of mixed bantams.. I have no clue, and I know I wont until some grows a huge comb or they crow, LOL!
I've heard that it does depend on the breed wether the pullets or roos feather out sooner... My silkies, the roo was always behind the girls. I thought it was supposed to be opposite for most other breeds

 

[urbancountrygal]

Quote:
I am hoping I will know before they crow, so I won't upset the neighbors. lol I am thinking out of my 9, 1 or 2 are roos! Oh well.

 

[Doughie]

I can only speak from my experience. So take it with a grain of salt.

We purchased 4 "pullets" from a feed store in march. Three started growing tail feathers between their 2nd and 3rd week...one did not. The one is now a croaking little cockerel that still suffers from male pattern baldness while the three are fully feathered and have nice, fluffy, egg incubating pullet bums.

 

[urbancountrygal]

Quote:
Mmmmm! I hate waiting it out lol