what does a green/blue shine mean

[rita2paul]

can anyone tell me if you have a black chicken with a blue/green shine on feathers in the sunlight does that mean it is a cockerel, or can hens have the same.

 

[chuckachucka]

Hens and roosters can have a greenish shine. It often shows on black feathers regardless of the sex of the bird. The shape of the feathers can indicate male or female after the chicken is around 4 months old.

 

[Hyper_Chicken05]

Many black chickens have that greenish blue shine. Both males and females can have it.

 

[rita2paul]

Hens and roosters can have a greenish shine. It often shows on black feathers regardless of the sex of the bird. The shape of the feathers can indicate male or female after the chicken is around 4 months old.

thank you, i read on a forum that the blue green shine will indicate a cockerel, but i would put my money on mine being a hen, thank you.

 

[Chickassan]

A couple of my known girls have that sheen the speckled sussex and buff brahma have it very strongly on their black parts. So that sheen isn't really a tell. I'd just wait on more indications, time is really the best judge and sometimes even it is wrong.

 

[Gray Farms]

Most all black chickens of any breed will have the green/blue/purple sheen.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

My Black Ameraucana pullets have a beautiful green-blue-purple sheen when the sun hits their feathers.

 

[HeyHeyWW]

Both black hens and roosters can have a green/blue shine, my rooster is white and has some gold-ish feathers on him and he has this ONE long black feather on his tail and it has a green/blue shine. I also had a hen that was black and she had the green/blue shine, so it can be for both genders.