Sexing Appenzeller Spitzhauben!?

[Linkoso]

Ok... My appenzellers are now about 7 weeks old... And... I CANT SEX THEM!

I usually can see what it is in about 4-8 weeks... Sometimes already 2 weeks! But this breed...

Can someone help me, please?

I have heard that the pullets often gets a more fluffier "hätta" (bonnet? or what's it called in english?

) then the roos, is that true?

Here is some pictures...

I think these could be pullets?

And this um... Pullet?

Or... I dont knoooow! They're all looking the same!

No red in the comb or so either... I can't have just pullets?

No, i dont want to have just pullets! xD Say that someone is a roo, please! I need a roooooo!

 

[Spitzboyz]

Hello, I breed Appenzeller Spitzhaubens. I would like to help you. You can also refer to our member page, Appenzeller Spitzhauben Club of America which is on Facebook.

Sometimes, yes they are to sex than other breeds, you can tell by the color and/or "design" of the bonnet. The bonnet is the crest. A good way of telling in mine, Silver Spangled, like yours is that the roosters typically have a whiter and lighter feathered bonnet than the pullets which have darker and fluffy bonnets. We have to remember that the Spitz originated from a bird more closer to a game bird than a typical chicken. Their disposition is almost Pigeon like. There a some good pictures in the breed descriptions here on BYC which show "good" and "bad" Spitz examples. Anything dark and Polish like in a Spitz rooster with white dark long dark "roots" or root feathers is what I call them is often undesirable.Most hatchery birds often develop darker longer "roots" in their bonnets. At about 4 weeks and often at 6 weeks you can start to see the whiter rooster bonnet feathers develop out of the roots.

Enough babble. Here is what I think. Little guy in the back with his head up, eating feed. Wonderful girls in the rest of the pics and in the front row of the last. She has her head down. It's an opinion and who knows, I could be wrong?

Good luck, they look nice!


Little 4 week"okay" Roo.



"Roots" and white feathers.

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

Anything with a crest is hard to sex. Especially because it's harder to see a comb and combs develop before wattles. I'd find it hard to believe you don't have at least ONE male in there. Those little buggers always manage to wind up in the mix.

Regardless of whether or not we want them. And if for some reason you DID wind up with no boys, well, I'd envy you the luck.

 

[Milkhouse]

Not sure if this chick is a pullet or roo. She was 4 weeks in this pic. She's 7 weeks now and no crowing or wattles yet, so may be a good sign. She was the only one of 7 silver spangled appenzeller spitzenhauben fertile eggs to hatch and only managed to pip before getting stuck, so we helped her hatch. She's flying solo so tends to follow us everywhere. She started running and now that's her mode of transportation. Bird runs everywhere...

 

[Milkhouse]

Hopefully one of these shows everything.
Thanks so much for responding...

 

[SueT]

Are any of you still around on BYC? I went to Cackle hatchery on Monday and picked up 5 Appenzeller Spitzhauben chicks. I have raised 3 batches of various other breeds, and what I am impressed with these Spitz chicks is how highly intelligent they are. Head and shoulders above all the 9 other breeds of chicks I had. They are also extremely friendly and curious, laid back. My last batch was br. leghorns and they were not trusting and not calm.
These youngsters are not sexed, so I am looking forward to the time when I'll know who's what. If any of you are still around, I'll post pics here in a few weeks.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Sue

 

[B&E]

We have some Spitz in our incubator. Can't wait to see how they turn out!

 

[B&E]

Ours will hatch around the 28th. The first time hatching an egg for us

 

[SueT]

Ours will hatch around the 28th. The first time hatching an egg for us

Can't wait, be sure to update.... Good luck! My chicks are now 17 days old...

 

[SueT]

It may just be the light.

The light is definitely not correct. I have a fluorescent light in there, and the entire photo looked way too magenta, so I adjusted the tint and temp to get the feathers looking white. Their legs are kind of gray. But they are hatchery birds, from Cackle.