Pullet or Roo

[WyandotteH]

Hi I have hatched Sussex chicks around 3-4 weeks old now and two distinctly different features with longer tails and stumped tails in the hatch. Can anyone please let me know what the longer tails mean longer tails in pic 1 and stumpy tails pic 2 ??
Thanks

 

[Offshoreorca]

I’ve never raised Sussex, but do know that it’s often hard to tell without knowing the lines these birds come from. Sometimes you can have lines where males are slow feathering and females are fast feathering, which would result in differences like this at a young age. However, without knowing where the slow feathering and fast feathering genes are coming from, you’ll have to wait a number of weeks more before you can say anything definitive!

 

[The Happster]

None look male yet, but often - not always - the pullets get tails in sooner than the cockerels.

Are they Buff Sussex? Don't see those very often.

 

[Folly's place]

If you've specifically bred this group to show females being fast feathering, tail and wing feather development early will matter. Otherwise, it's random, and seeing how their combs develop is your first clue.
Mary

 

[WyandotteH]

I’ve never raised Sussex, but do know that it’s often hard to tell without knowing the lines these birds come from. Sometimes you can have lines where males are slow feathering and females are fast feathering, which would result in differences like this at a young age. However, without knowing where the slow feathering and fast feathering genes are coming from, you’ll have to wait a number of weeks more before you can say anything definitive!

Thanks for your reply

 

[WyandotteH]

None look male yet, but often - not always - the pullets get tails in sooner than the cockerels.

Are they Buff Sussex? Don't see those very often.

None look male yet, but often - not always - the pullets get tails in sooner than the cockerels.

Are they Buff Sussex? Don't see those very often.

Hi yes I have buff and speckled from this hatch

 

[Frem16]

At this age Long wings and tails heading down is a female indicator,
Pic1while short wings heading up to the back and a short tail is a roo indicatorpiv2