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Apparently this means every breed that Murray McMurray hatchery sells??!??
There are two different ways to feather sex chicks.
The first(more common) is to look at the length of the primary feathers on the chicks wing between "elbow" and tip. if the feathers are short and stubby it is a cockerel, if they are a good 1/2-1 centimeter longer it is a pullet.
The second(less commonly practiced) is to look at these same primary feathers only for pullet you are looking for two layers of primary feathers, cockerels only have one layer(they don't need the extra layer, as they don't set on eggs)
We feather sex for all our chicks, and every time it has been accurate.
Another way is to observe their behaviors. When you move a paper towel tube over the cage, at a moderate speed, the pullets will cower as the cockerels will raise their heads high to keep an eye on this potential danger to his "harem". also, males will be the first to come to your hand entering the brooder.
No, some are vent sexed by the hatcheries, some are wing (feather) sexed, some are sex links and judged by color. Three different ways the hatcheries sex em, but for the average joe (that didn't order breeds that can be wing sexed or are sex links) waiting until they are four to six weeks old is what usually happens.
I am not trying to argue here, however...
My, kind of statement/question... was to point out that you erred in saying that wing sexing only works on breeds bred to be wing sexed(something that I have never before heard of). The reason why I can say that you erred is this: We have been able to accurately wing sex every chick we have had throughout the years, and they are not bred for wing/feather sexing. I also realize that there are the sex links that are bred for easier determination, and I was not negating or commenting on this fact... or the fact that hatcheries also vent sex chicks.
Apparently this means every breed that Murray McMurray hatchery sells??!??
There are two different ways to feather sex chicks.
The first(more common) is to look at the length of the primary feathers on the chicks wing between "elbow" and tip. if the feathers are short and stubby it is a cockerel, if they are a good 1/2-1 centimeter longer it is a pullet.
The second(less commonly practiced) is to look at these same primary feathers only for pullet you are looking for two layers of primary feathers, cockerels only have one layer(they don't need the extra layer, as they don't set on eggs)
Another way is to observe their behaviors. When you move a paper towel tube over the cage, at a moderate speed, the pullets will cower as the cockerels will raise their heads high to keep an eye on this potential danger to his "harem". also, males will be the first to come to your hand entering the brooder.
No, some are vent sexed by the hatcheries, some are wing (feather) sexed, some are sex links and judged by color. Three different ways the hatcheries sex em, but for the average joe (that didn't order breeds that can be wing sexed or are sex links) waiting until they are four to six weeks old is what usually happens.
I am not trying to argue here, however...
My, kind of statement/question... was to point out that you erred in saying that wing sexing only works on breeds bred to be wing sexed(something that I have never before heard of). The reason why I can say that you erred is this: We have been able to accurately wing sex every chick we have had throughout the years, and they are not bred for wing/feather sexing. I also realize that there are the sex links that are bred for easier determination, and I was not negating or commenting on this fact... or the fact that hatcheries also vent sex chicks.
