Sexing young sebbies

[smoothmule]

I bought my Sebbies as goslings from a friend who bought them from a hatchery. They are whites and were a couple of weeks old when I got them so they were not still in down to try to sex them that way. She tried vent sexing a couple then found she could have killed them doing it so I have one that might be female and the other two are a mystery. They were past the initial down when she got them, they were not day olds. I think it's kind of cool that they went from a yellow down to a snow white down as they are feathering.

Is there anyway to sex them by behavior? their sounds? beak color? tail feathering? anything? Of the 3, one seems more independent and will wander off a little distance alone and doesn't seem bothered if it can't see the others. The other 2 are stuck together like glue and fuss if they are separated visually so I just wondered if this was a clue to their sex, 2 males and one female? one male and 2 females? I'll find out eventually but thought it would be fun to ask for opinions or others experiences and see who is correct.

 

[TennesseeTruly]

Males, as they start to get older will walk with their neck outstretched, toward something that's threatening to them whereas the females will lag behind.

But there really isn't any way to tell unless you vent sex them or you wait until they lay an egg.

Laurie

 

[HenPen]

I had the same question....I really hoped I could figure it out before egg laying since that wont be till next year and I want to get more of the opposite sex this year.

 

[smoothmule]

I think I would be happy with them being either sex, even all males. I'm just enjoying seeing them here. I was just outside and counted the canadian geese on the big pond and there were 15 of them. It's just to the back and side of the back yard. I also have a smaller pond in the back yard, maybe 60-75 feet long. The Sebbies go to both but seem to prefer the small pond right now. They have literally acres of grass, in the yard and in the pasture, to graze on and they seem so content. The dogs pay no attention, in fact, my sons huge chocolate lab that he duck hunts with, pays no attention.

I just snapped these a little while ago

I'm just glad they're too big to walk through the fence around the pool, that would be a slick green mess, lol

 

[HenPen]

Beautiful!! I wish I had a pond already...I will be digging one this year.

 

[smoothmule]

I love the way they are feathering out. I knew some of them might have straight feathers but it looks like they will all have the curled feathers. They have a soft white downy type covering over most of the body since the yellow gosling down acme off, I wasn't sure what to make of that. The wing feathers and feathering on the back are coming in fluffy and white and just beautiful. I hadn't seen any photos of a juvenile, only the goslings in baby down and adult photos with the full feathering so I didn't know what to expect.

I need to take a photo of the larger pond too.