Which heavy breeds can be sexed as day olds?

[jingles]

Hi all,
I have posted elsewhere on this site but thought I'd put this here too as the breed experts seem to be here .

I have a broody that I want to give chicks to raise. The last time I did this we ended up with a rooster, so I don't really want any more boys (I only have 3 hens at the moment). I may be able to rehome a couple of Roos, but ideally would like to sex them as day olds (no one sells sexed chicks here) myself before I buy so I can get some girls. My question is which heavy breeds (I like big girls ) can be sexed with some confidence by the relatively inexperienced. I have Sussex and australorp at the moment but would love:

Wyandotes
RIR
Barred rock
Orpingtons
Any big breed that can be sexed.
Could go medium size (eg wellsummer) if could sex with confidence.

I know how to sex the barred chickens, but can any of the others be sexed? I read on this site about a stripe on RIR heads indicating female but not sure if this is true...

Any help is much appreciated.

Cheers,

Julia

 

[junebuggena]

Welsummers are a large breed, and can be sexable at hatch, but only if the chicks are from a good breeder that has been careful about breeding for the autosexing traits.
Black sexlinks and red sexlinks can be by color.
For most other breeds, you will have to wait at least a few weeks to even guess at gender.

 

[Michael OShay]

Welsummers are a large breed, and can be sexable at hatch, but only if the chicks are from a good breeder that has been careful about breeding for the autosexing traits.
Black sexlinks and red sexlinks can be by color.
For most other breeds, you will have to wait at least a few weeks to even guess at gender.

X2 on junebuggena's post.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

x3 on Junebuggena's post

To be certain at hatch, you need an autosexing breed or hybrid sex links.

I second a good quality Welsummer. Although one I had was somewhat noisy, overall mine have been large hens and good layers of darker eggs (depending on line). As chicks, the girls have heavy eyeliner and clear crisp head triangle with the stripe going all the way down the head, down the neck, all the way to the tail without any break. Males have very faint eyeliner, blotchy head, and the stripe breaks at the neck.

Another thought is Rhodebar. With this autosexing breed, the girl chicks are chipmunk and the boys are more brownish overall with a white dot on the head at hatch. Do not purchase a yellow gold chick...those are "wheaten" throwbacks and can be either male or female as the head dot is too hard to see against the gold. My Rhodebars are a very pleasing size and good layers of large tan eggs. Many lines have RIR infused to make for better layers. You would have to buy Rhodebars from a reputable breeder.

Some Barnevelder lines are almost auto-sexing if the breeder has been very careful. There is a difference in the chest color...I think the boys are white while the girls cream (or I may have that reversed)...but Barnevelder is not reliably auto-sexing in general. Barnevelders are a really nice size bird, very sweet tempered, and good layers of darker, red eggs.

Then it would be the sex link hybrids...Red Stars/Red Sexlinks/Cinnamon Queens/Red Stars/Gold Stars/ISA Browns....there are a lot of different names. The female chicks are fox red, or gold with fox red blush on head and backs, while the boys are pale yellow. My RSL's are my best production layers of beautiful terra cotta eggs. RSL's can vary between medium and large. As hens they have a lovely red with white lacing at hackles and often tail.

The black version is the Black Sexlinks. As chicks the girls are solid black and the boys black with white head dot. I really have enjoyed my BSL's. They are a medium to medium-large size bird, very sweet, curious, personable, and great layers of brown eggs. As hens, they will be black with red highlights varying at neck and chest.

LofMc

 

[jingles]

Thanks for all the amazing info all. I am a bit limited by what I can get around here but I will talk to the breeder and see what we can do.

If only there was some way to geld (or castrate) unwanted cockerels so they could live as part of a flock without all the aggression issues that goes with having too many. Then I'd just breed my own and be self sufficient. Maybe the god of chickens will smile on me this town and help me pick girls

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Thanks for all the amazing info all. I am a bit limited by what I can get around here but I will talk to the breeder and see what we can do.

If only there was some way to geld (or castrate) unwanted cockerels so they could live as part of a flock without all the aggression issues that goes with having too many. Then I'd just breed my own and be self sufficient. Maybe the god of chickens will smile on me this town and help me pick girls

There actually is a way to "geld" roosters...it is called caponization. Not for the feint of heart, but it does gentle out the boys. They still crow, but they are a lot less rooster-ish.

You can search caponization on BYC. It's not easy to do. I've read most lose a few birds as they get the knack for it.

Or, if you are of the mindset, young roosters make excellent chicken and dumplings. Just sayin.

LofMc

 

[drumstick diva]

x 4 on Junebuggena's post

 

[junebuggena]

There actually is a way to "geld" roosters...it is called caponization. Not for the feint of heart, but it does gentle out the boys. They still crow, but they are a lot less rooster-ish.

You can search caponization on BYC. It's not easy to do. I've read most lose a few birds as they get the knack for it.

Or, if you are of the mindset, young roosters make excellent chicken and dumplings. Just sayin.

LofMc

Just a note on caponizing, it is legal in the U.S., but illegal in many parts of Europe.

 

[Michael OShay]

Thanks for all the amazing info all. I am a bit limited by what I can get around here but I will talk to the breeder and see what we can do.

You're welcome.

 

[showinbirds]

It's difficult if they aren't auto sexed