Wing Feather Question

[SterlingAcres]

I've never had to sex chicks, I usually just gave them away...

At any rate, when I watched that Hatchery Chick episode of How It's Made last night, they said you can sex day old chicks by their wing feathers. If the little 'sheaths' are straight across it's male, if they aren't it's female...

Has anyone else sexed a chick like that? Or maybe I got it backwards.

 

[coffeemama]

I know you can do that, but I think it's only for certain breeds. The guy at my feed store helpeme wing sex my bantam chicks-the cochin turned out too be a roo and the two sebrights were both hens. I don't know which breeds it does and doesn't work for.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

It only works on certian breeds. The individual breed has that trait bred into them.

 

[JackieK318]

I was able to successfully sex my last hatch with feather sexing. I never count on my feather sexing, but my last hatch I sexed 100%. The hatch was white rocks, RIRs, Barred Rocks, Ameraucanas, and Buff Orpingtons.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Does it work on Silkies and Silver Sebrights?

 

[SterlingAcres]

Quote:
I may have some of these in my hatch this time. Was what I wrote correct? Straight across is male, not straight is female?

 

[JackieK318]

Right. Just always remember the adage that girls mature faster than boys and you'll keep it straight.

 

[silkiechicken]

If you breed fast feathering females with slow feathering males, you can feather sex them. Else it is a guess.