Quote:
An old-timer at a feed store schooled me on pubic bone placement. He checked the birds I had with me and was able to tell the sex of each accurately by examining the pubic bone spacing. Under the vent are two little pointy bones. A young pullet will usually only have about a finger width of space between the two bones. At point of lay the space will be closer to two finger widths. A mature hen laying well may have a space as large as three finger widths. He cautioned me to practice finding the pubic bones and measuring the space between by using what I knew for sure was a cockerel and what I knew for sure was a puttet. He explained that the spacing can change if a bird stops laying. He also said larger breeds may have larger spaces, so you have to compare Ameraucanas to Ameraucanas, not Ameraucanas to Jersey Giants. The old-timer told me that the closer to laying the birds are the more accurate the pubic bone spacing is for sexing birds. Maybe somebody else on the BYC has info about this. It might be worth a look.
That is how we used to sex Cockatiels and Parrots. Once you get the hang of it it's pretty accurate. The pubic bones on a male will usually be closed rather tightly while with a female they will have some gap to them. As age increases so does the gap.
So, why didn't you ask when we were over there the other day?????
I promise I would have told you the truth, unlike your first hatch that all had spots on their heads!!
Comb devolopment is a good indication, as long as the birds are all from the same hatch. Older birds will have larger combs then birds hatched just a few days prior. Leg diameter is also another good indicator. Males will have stouter looking legs and they will have a more masculine look overall.
An old-timer at a feed store schooled me on pubic bone placement. He checked the birds I had with me and was able to tell the sex of each accurately by examining the pubic bone spacing. Under the vent are two little pointy bones. A young pullet will usually only have about a finger width of space between the two bones. At point of lay the space will be closer to two finger widths. A mature hen laying well may have a space as large as three finger widths. He cautioned me to practice finding the pubic bones and measuring the space between by using what I knew for sure was a cockerel and what I knew for sure was a puttet. He explained that the spacing can change if a bird stops laying. He also said larger breeds may have larger spaces, so you have to compare Ameraucanas to Ameraucanas, not Ameraucanas to Jersey Giants. The old-timer told me that the closer to laying the birds are the more accurate the pubic bone spacing is for sexing birds. Maybe somebody else on the BYC has info about this. It might be worth a look.
That is how we used to sex Cockatiels and Parrots. Once you get the hang of it it's pretty accurate. The pubic bones on a male will usually be closed rather tightly while with a female they will have some gap to them. As age increases so does the gap.
So, why didn't you ask when we were over there the other day?????
I promise I would have told you the truth, unlike your first hatch that all had spots on their heads!!
Comb devolopment is a good indication, as long as the birds are all from the same hatch. Older birds will have larger combs then birds hatched just a few days prior. Leg diameter is also another good indicator. Males will have stouter looking legs and they will have a more masculine look overall.
