Tail Feathers

[BarredCometLaced]

For barred rocks, do the males or females tail feathers develop earlier?

For any breed?

 

[MuckyPuppy]

I don't know if it is true for all breeds or even if it is just an old wives tale but I've read and heard that females develop tail feathers before males do. I'm personally hoping it's true as it would mean that I have more females than males.

 

[Tiramisu]

Im not sure, but it can will always depend, since birds can feather out/grow differently than the next one.

 

[mallory2013]

My pullets (of different breeds but including a barred rock) started getting tail feathers before they even turned two weeks old, and the rooster is just now getting tail feathers. They are almost 4 weeks old now.

 

[RedDrgn]

I've got five chicks that are all supposed to be hens and all five already have tail feathers coming in....the welsummer and the ameraucana/EE (dunno which yet) most prominently.

 

[BarredCometLaced]

how old are they?

 

[Cadjien_De_Louisiane]

I have guessed on most of mine and my father-inlaws chickens about the tail thing and most of our breads roos tail developed last.

 

[galanie]

Out of 5 orp chicks hatched, 2 got tail feathers really early and 3 did not. And I ended up with 2 hens and 3 roos. BUT... one of the ones that got a tail first turned out to be a roo, and one of the last to get a tail was a hen! On average though, most hens get tails first.