Sexing question

[Jsto]

I was just watching cute chick videos on youtube and came across this, from the discovery channel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2yVYRpZhnk

In that video, I heard something I'd never known before. (Remember I'm pretty new to all this, so it could be completely well-known LOL) They're sexing the chicks by looking at the two rows of feathers. If the rows are different lengths, it's a female. Same length, male. How accurate is that?

I'm just very intrigued by this because I hadn't heard it before. I know some people are able to just 'look' at a chick and know, but I thought that was more down to experience and trial/error in the past.

 

[Pelican49]

OMG they're rough with those babies.

 

[LoneCowboy]

I don't know, but what an awful way to handle chicks. No wonder they are stressed out.

 

[coloradochick]

Wow, amazing any of them come out alive. Poor things.

 

[BantyChickMom]

To feathersex, you have to cross a fast feathering hen with a slow feathering rooster.
But I don't know which breeds they are.

 

[Nichole77]

I got 5 pullet chicks and one turned out to be a roo. I don't think those are the best odds. But it's better than straight run.

 

[RockinCircleC]

One of my favorite episodes of Dirty Jobs:

 

[schroader]

I did that last year a rural king and brought home ( I think, cant remember) 67 pullets and 6 roosters.

 

[Jsto]

They are pretty rough with them, yes. It's a bit hard to see. No wonder they're so pooped out by the time they get to us.

Thanks for the answers. I know it's never really foolproof, I ended up with a roo last year. I suppose if doing it at home it's a better chance than doing nothing