sexing cresteds question & general differences in feathering question

[ccshambhala]

I have a 5 wk Appenzeller Spitzhauben that I am wondering when I will be able to tell its gender. I know cresteds are more difficult.... I also have 7 3 week old chicks - 2 lf barred cochins that are supposed to be pullets but are feathering out very differently (one is nearly completely feathered while the other has much more fuzz); 2 creme brabanters that are supposed to be pullets - one has a big black crest the other just has some brown fuzz on its head; and 3 straight run mottled houdans that I am afraid are all roosters lol

. I know they are still young yet but......


5 wk old Appenzeller :

5 wk old Appenzeller, 2 3 wk old creme brabanters (their heads look sooo different (note the flash reflected oddly in ones eye - in person it is fine

!) & a houdan

thanx

 

[banjoejoe4783]

when i was razing spittzz the hens creest was slicked back will the roos were going all over the place "wild like " and like in other breeds you can sex theem by the feathering-- hens feather faster-- roos will start to grow pointed sadles at about 3+ mounths -- by 4+ mounths there should be no doutb

 

[ccshambhala]

does it mean anything that one brabanter has a black crest and the other just has brown fuzz? A friend got 3 brabanter "pullets" from this batch and she mentioned that she has at least one that has brown fuzz and at least one with a black crest as well....
when I look on feathersite there are brabanters with both color crests - and it does not appear to be sex specific. The Spitzhauben Roosters on feathersite seem to have crests with more white than the hens - but my chicks crest has developed more white ....

 

[dsowens15]

The crest color isn't an indication of sex unless your dealing with sex linked, however the shape is. See in the first picture you posted his crest is kinda everywhere. I would say thats a rooster.

 

[ccshambhala]

thanx dsowens & banjoejoe

I just do not understand why they would feather out so differently - or develop crests so differently (in the brabanters)

any guesses on the houdans?

 

[ccshambhala]

anyone?

 

[dsowens15]

Any crested breed sex the same as of the crest except silkies. The silkie roosters will get streamers or longer feathers out the back of the crest.

 

[ccshambhala]

but you cannot seem to see their combs at all at this age - houdans esp - even at maturity you can barely see the comb lol - are there no tricks of the trade for the cresteds?

 

[ccshambhala]

at 6 wks old i usually have a fairly good idea of sex based on comb - but cannot see my spitzhaubens comb at all! and at 4 weeks - no visible comb on houdans either. Also at 4 weeks old one brabanter has nearly no crest at all - while the other has a prominent (a good inch long) black crest on a brown head..... ???

 

[ccshambhala]

no one has any insight on this?