I want to know what the "sexing" secrets from the experts?

[Flowerbh]

ok, so all you experts. What are the secrets to sexing young chickens?.
1. I heard that you can tell by whether or not their wings are all the same lenght. What ages can you do this? I'm not talking about the day old feather sexing. I'm talking about like the 5-6 week old ones. Is this true. Males have longer primary feathers, females have all the same? Do you judge by where the feathers reach the tail area?

2. Obviously, the comb size and color.

3. What about the nostral size? Anything to that?

4. When do the saddle feathers start to grow in? Where should I look for those? Do you part their wings and look at the back near the tail?

5. Is there anything to the "holding it by the neck" theory? Legs up = female, legs down = male?

6. Heard stories about chicks starting to crowing from 3 weeks old to 6 months old. What is the truth? Should they start crowing by 8 weeks old?

7. Any help in this area is really appreciated. I want to learn all about chickens!

 

[ramirezframing]

1. I heard that you can tell by whether or not their wings are all the same lenght. What ages can you do this? I'm not talking about the day old feather sexing. I'm talking about like the 5-6 week old ones. Is this true. Males have longer primary feathers, females have all the same? Do you judge by where the feathers reach the tail area?Aint heard of this

2. Obviously, the comb size and color.

3. What about the nostral size? Anything to that?I have noticed that young male polish tend to have bigger nostrils than the hens, but not by alot

4. When do the saddle feathers start to grow in? 3-4 months Where should I look for those? Do you part their wings and look at the back near the tail?yes

5. Is there anything to the "holding it by the neck" theory? Legs up = female, legs down = male?not that I know of

6. Heard stories about chicks starting to crowing from 3 weeks old to 6 months old. What is the truth? Should they start crowing by 8 weeks old? depends on the bird

7. Any help in this area is really appreciated. I want to learn all about chickens!

 

[crchickens]

I have a question to add. I have noticed that some full grown hens have a red comb and waddles. When is it safe to assume that the red is because they are full grown, and not because they are a roo?

 

[tuesdaylove]

I'm fairly sure that all chickens have red faces when fully grown (unless it's a Silkie or some other breed whose face doesn't turn red). However, roos' faces turn red much sooner. The red starts on the comb, and my two roos started showing their red when they were just about three weeks old. One roo developed much quicker than the other. And the roo that started showing red first is my only one who crows so far, and he started crowing at about two and a half months. He's a booted bantam and it may depend on the breed; I'm not sure since my only other roo is a Cochin bantam.

 

[hdowden]

also a pullet/hen turns red when they start to lay it really has no indication of age

 

[speckledhen]

ok, so all you experts. What are the secrets to sexing young chickens?.
1. I heard that you can tell by whether or not their wings are all the same lenght. What ages can you do this? I'm not talking about the day old feather sexing. I'm talking about like the 5-6 week old ones. Is this true. Males have longer primary feathers, females have all the same? Do you judge by where the feathers reach the tail area? Can't sex by this in any way I know of, never heard of it. Only know of feather sexing of days old and they must be bred for that trait, doesn't work with just any day old.

2. Obviously, the comb size and color. Depends on breed to a degree.

3. What about the nostral size? Anything to that? Not accurate to any degree I'm aware of.

4. When do the saddle feathers start to grow in? Where should I look for those? Do you part their wings and look at the back near the tail? About 9-12 weeks of age, depending on the bird. My 11 week old males has quite a fringe already.

5. Is there anything to the "holding it by the neck" theory? Legs up = female, legs down = male? NO, absolutely not. Old farmers' tale.

6. Heard stories about chicks starting to crowing from 3 weeks old to 6 months old. What is the truth? Should they start crowing by 8 weeks old? Any time at all. I've had them crow as early as 4 DAYS old or as late as 25 weeks old.

7. Any help in this area is really appreciated. I want to learn all about chickens!

Barred Rocks and other barred varieties are easy to sex, none of the above needed. They can be sexed at hatch. This link below is good for Barred Rocks, Cuckoo Marans and Dominiques and has very good photos. Later, males are much lighter than females due to having two barring genes, whereas the females carry one barring gene.
http://www.dominiquechicken.com/Sexing_Dominique_chicks.html