how to sex mottled houdans?

[alaskanhenhouse]

they don't have combs to help you so how do you know without waiting for a crow or looking in the hole?

 

[NYREDS]

Males will show larger size fairly early. Also males will have pointed saddle, hackle & crest feathers where females will be rounded.
They do in fact have combs-it's a V comb and as in other breeds the male's comb will be larger.

 

[alaskanhenhouse]

? V comb? is it hidden in the crest? mine are 7 weeks old and i don't see any type of comb.

 

[alaskanhenhouse]

ok, i see on the feather site the v combs on the houdans. but mine show nothing.

any idea how long it will be before i see any sign of combs on them?

these came in a surprise box from a hatchery and i don't plan to keep them. but no body wants them unless we can figure out if they are female. there is only two and they are the same size.

 

[NYREDS]

Sorry, it's been years since I last raised any Houdans & I don't recall how long it takes for comb development.
At 7 weeks you should be able to sex with the hackle feathers-look at the feathers close to the head & see if they are pointed or rounded.
Houdans are beautiful birds-you should just keep them

 

[alaskanhenhouse]

i went out and looked closer to their heads and tucked into their feathers are the buds of teeny little fleshy 'horns'.

one is redder than the other so maybe i have one of each!
Thanks for your help.
I would like to keep them but mine free range and the lack of ability to see the bald eagles and such over head isn't good.

 

[salt and pepper]

From what I've read, the houdans do quite well in free range environment. They are considered a maintenance free breed, just like OEGs. I would check the feathers on their lower back where the tails starts. Rounded=hen pointed= rooster