Sexing by tail feather fanning out?

[MountainMomma359]

Although I am newer to chickens I have heard a lot about old wives tales and sexing chicks. But this one is new to me and definitely not one that you see over and over like other methods- if you hold a chicken facing you and tip it forward if it's feathers fan out (kind of like turkey strut) then you have a female, if the feathers don't spread out its a male. Has anyone heard this before? Is it reliable or is it just an old wives tale?

 

[nuthatched]

Old wives tale, I believe. Best way to tell sex is the comb and waddle development. ;]

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

In mathematics, all that is needed is one exception to prove a theorem wrong. Here is a Brahma I owned. His tail fanned naturally but alas, he was a cockerel.

Tenting in tails is a desired trait in show birds and is not indicative of gender, just proper breeding