Feather Sexing

[countyroad1330]

I found this online and though it was interesting. Anyone know which chickens are fast or slow feathers, though? *haha*

"Feather sexing became possible in 1969 after several years of genetic research by the Tegels Poultry Breeding Company. This method used to determine the sex of newly hatched chicks is only possible if a female from a slow-feathering breed is crossed with a male from a fast-feathering breed. The sex of the chicks produced from this cross can be determined during the first 48 hours after hatching by looking at the primary and secondary feathers located on the chick's wings. The primary feathers will be noticeably longer than the secondary feathers on a female chick. On a male, the primary and secondary feathers are the same length. "

 

[silkiechicken]

That's a good question.

I would think it goes something like this:

The male being very slow, and the female being fast. If I bred these two, which I won't because they are siblings, I'd have feather sexable birds. They are 4 weeks old.

 

[Wooden_Pony]

There is a feedstore here that I buy most of my chicks from. My first four and all the ones when I was growing up were bought there.

The one guy that has worked there all these years can "sex" most breeds by their size and tails.

The feedstore buy straight run from commercial hatcheries but I have never got a roo out of the ones he picks out for me. I remember him telling me that on most Standard breed chicks you have to pick out the biggest chicks and the ones WITH a tail because those most likely will be pullets. I always thought that was very interesting.

Silkie those are cute chicks! What are they?

 

[silkiechicken]

They are mutts. 3/4 Blue cochin, 1/4 Blue laced Red Wyandotte.... the person I got the eggs from line bred them.

 

[hinkjc]

Hatcheries use this method. In order for you to use it, you have to know if your rooster and hen were fast or slow feathering as chicks. You match up the opposite to get feather sexable chicks. However, since most people get chicks from all over the place, it is generally not reliable in backyard flocks.

Jody