I took a photo of the emerging saddle feathers. I could see these feathers developing as pinfeathers two full weeks ago-- so, I knew for sure (in case the crowing didn't give it away) that my chick was a cockerel by the time that he was 8 weeks old simply based on these feathers.
To look for them on your chick, you'll need a hands-on approach. These feathers don't grow out through to be visible from the outside for quite some time, but they are there if you don't mind investigating.
The saddle feathers grow in two tracts; one on each side of the spine, from the middle of the back down over the pelvis of the bird. They grow from much higher than they appear once the rooster is fully feathered! Don't look near the rump or tail, look much higher up on the back. To look for them, spread the feathers that run down the middle of the spine and the back of the wing feathers/side feathers so that you can find this tract. It will not be growing on very young chicks, but once they start to feather out good you should be able to find them! Once you locate the pin feathers, pay close attention to the feather itself starting to peek out of the tip of each pin feather. On boys, it is very pointed, and the feather barbs are not webby or connected. You can slide a finger or even a little piece of paper under the feather to get a peek at the shape.
I tried to take a photo of this. The feathers are really starting to develop, in this photo, but you can tell the shape of the feather even before it is this developed.
You can click this for a bigger version so you can see the shape of the tips better.
In this photo, my finger on the right side is holding back the feather tract that runs down the spine. My fingers on the left are holding back the wing and the side "pocket" feathers on the chick. These saddle feathers are not visible unless I spread his other feathers out!
If you look at the "youngest" pin feather, you can see that the feather emerging from it is very fine tipped, like a very fine artist's paint brush. The larger feathers have the obvious shape to them and the loose barbs at the ends (and iridescence on the black).
I hope that this helps someone!
To look for them on your chick, you'll need a hands-on approach. These feathers don't grow out through to be visible from the outside for quite some time, but they are there if you don't mind investigating.
The saddle feathers grow in two tracts; one on each side of the spine, from the middle of the back down over the pelvis of the bird. They grow from much higher than they appear once the rooster is fully feathered! Don't look near the rump or tail, look much higher up on the back. To look for them, spread the feathers that run down the middle of the spine and the back of the wing feathers/side feathers so that you can find this tract. It will not be growing on very young chicks, but once they start to feather out good you should be able to find them! Once you locate the pin feathers, pay close attention to the feather itself starting to peek out of the tip of each pin feather. On boys, it is very pointed, and the feather barbs are not webby or connected. You can slide a finger or even a little piece of paper under the feather to get a peek at the shape.
I tried to take a photo of this. The feathers are really starting to develop, in this photo, but you can tell the shape of the feather even before it is this developed.
You can click this for a bigger version so you can see the shape of the tips better.
In this photo, my finger on the right side is holding back the feather tract that runs down the spine. My fingers on the left are holding back the wing and the side "pocket" feathers on the chick. These saddle feathers are not visible unless I spread his other feathers out!
If you look at the "youngest" pin feather, you can see that the feather emerging from it is very fine tipped, like a very fine artist's paint brush. The larger feathers have the obvious shape to them and the loose barbs at the ends (and iridescence on the black).
I hope that this helps someone!
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Ones I was certain were pullets are now the ones that have me guessing. Any thoughts are appreciated!
