Welsummer sexing

[Godiva]

I caught a hint that you can sex them by the colouring? Can you tell me more? I have 5 from my hatch a week or so ago (incubator trouble so only 5 of 16 made it !)

I had noticed there were some differences in the colouring and some of them are a lot bigger than the others... tell me more I am dying to go and see how many pullets and roos I have! Oh PLEASE let there be at least 3 pullets!!

 

[jeaucamom]

This is more accurate with day olds, but the more distinct V on the head is the girl and the fuzzy V on the head is the boy. As they get older, the boys get much darker on the chests. Good luck!!

 

[flyingmonkeypoop]

We do it by breast feathers when they get them. The males will have mostly black breasts with some red, the females will have a browish red breast.

 

[SeaChick]

Here is a photo of Welsummer chicks for comaprison (from another board -yahoo group-, hope it is OK to do this!)

You can clearly see the V on the pullet's head.

That said, at least one person i know of has had what looked like a pullet (re: the V) turn out to be a roo. When the breast feathers start coming in, the boys will be very dark and the girls a ginger or light brown penciled color.

If you search WElsummer in "What breed or gender" you'll find lots of pics.

Stacey

 

[mothergoose]

I can honestly say that I have not attempted this color theory very much. But thought I would see if it held true or not this year since so many ask me about it.
I can say that so far it is not holding 100% true.
I have had several very defined V chicks that I held back, and some have turned out to be cockerels, so I am going to stick with the best answer is to wait it out.

Christie

 

[EweSheep]

I, too, have learned not to tell the sex too early by the Vs on their heads...best bet is to wait and see their breast feathers or body feathers which the males are more vivid in color while the girls are more brownish wheaton in color.

 

[Godiva]

OK, back to the waiting game I guess! I do have two that seem to me to be more roo material, they are just over a week old and seem a lot bigger than the others and they also have a fuzzier head shading. I see they also have combs starting and are more obvious than the others... I still can hardly believe that I only got 5 chicks out of 16 beautiful eggs. I may have to order from Mothergoose again now that my incubator is functioning properly....