What Are Different Ways To Sex Baby Chicks

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I have mutts - but know enough to be aware that feather sexing is only for certain birds with the appropriate sex linked traits. Just as sexing by color/patters (as with RSL, or BSL birds).

First reliable indicators in my flock are leg thickness (less reliable with my birds having Brahma backgrounds, the feathers are deceptive), and feather shape at hackles and saddle. I use the saddle, which becomes evident later, to confirm the hackles and leg thickness "working theory".

I wish you all the best, and encourage you to avoid magical thinking and exercises in ritual (as the various "string" methods offer, among others). Particularly if you plan to make any decisions whatsoever based on gender.
 
U_Stormcrow said:
I have mutts - but know enough to be aware that feather sexing is only for certain birds with the appropriate sex linked traits. Just as sexing by color/patters (as with RSL, or BSL birds).

First reliable indicators in my flock are leg thickness (less reliable with my birds having Brahma backgrounds, the feathers are deceptive), and feather shape at hackles and saddle. I use the saddle, which becomes evident later, to confirm the hackles and leg thickness "working theory".

I wish you all the best, and encourage you to avoid magical thinking and exercises in ritual (as the various "string" methods offer, among others). Particularly if you plan to make any decisions whatsoever based on gender.
Click to expand...
I don't care what gender they actually are, I just want to experiment with the 'magic' ways. :)
 
I tried a bunch on 16 chicks. 4 of those chicks are Silkies, so gender is unknown so far.
I tried 8 different tests.
Out of those 8, half were 50% chance of getting the gender right.
Out of those 4 remaining 3 had a 65% chance of getting it wrong. And one had a 65% chance of getting it right.... Did that make sense?
The one that worked the best was how long their combs were.
 
-Flash- said:
Which ones haven't you tried?
Click to expand...

I don't know why I never saw this, but the ones I haven't used yet are in the Methods section under the spoiler labeled 'New methods as of 2022' or something like that. One of them is for incubating (something about how centered the air cell is on the egg determining the sex of the chick that will hatch from it), and then there are a couple other silly ones for any chicks. :p Been a bit since I poked in there, but I think there are three total that I haven't used.


-Flash- said:
I tried a bunch on 16 chicks. 4 of those chicks are Silkies, so gender is unknown so far.
I tried 8 different tests.
Out of those 8, half were 50% chance of getting the gender right.
Out of those 4 remaining 3 had a 65% chance of getting it wrong. And one had a 65% chance of getting it right.... Did that make sense?
The one that worked the best was how long their combs were.
Click to expand...

Your percentages are from my article, correct? I think I get what you're saying if so.


Do you have your numbers handy to post? I'd be interested in knowing which tests you used and how many were correct per test. :pop
 

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