Feathers

User avatar
Kbr42
Head Chicken
Posts: 1436
Joined: Wed Jan 10, 2018 10:37 am
Answers: 1
x 1857

Feathers

Post by Kbr42 » Fri May 03, 2019 6:54 am

Ok, I've been looking to see if I can find the answer so, I'm asking here.

As you know I have a bunch of chicks that are a week old now, some are getting tail feathers, where as others aren't. Is it safe to guess that the ones without tail feather are going to be cockerals and the tail feathered ones pullets?

What's been your experiences?
0

User avatar
Jaye
Poultry Guru - chick level
Posts: 2954
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2015 9:14 am
Answers: 3
Location: E Ontario
x 2995

Re: Feathers

Post by Jaye » Fri May 03, 2019 8:22 am

Sometimes, but not always. At one week old, I think it may be a little early to tell, since individual chicks may feather out at a slower rate; that's been what I've observed with the chicks I've raised anyway. It also depends on the breed to some extent as well.
1
RIP Scooby, AKA Awesome Dog. Too well loved to ever be forgotten. "Sometime in June", 2005 - January 24, 2017.
"Until one has loved an animal, part of one's soul remains unawakened" - Anatole France

User avatar
Kbr42
Head Chicken
Posts: 1436
Joined: Wed Jan 10, 2018 10:37 am
Answers: 1
x 1857

Re: Feathers

Post by Kbr42 » Fri May 03, 2019 9:06 am

That's what i was afraid of...lol looks like im keeping all 15 for a few weeks :laugh:
0

Blizblaz
On the Roost
Posts: 134
Joined: Sat Jan 19, 2019 8:19 am
Location: Markstay
x 206

Re: Feathers

Post by Blizblaz » Fri May 03, 2019 9:36 am

I’ve been watching for the same thing! I just heard about that method of sexing, and it’ll be interesting to see how it turns out.
Also their little tiny tails are so cute!
1

User avatar
kenya
Henny Penny
Posts: 4446
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2015 5:14 pm
Answers: 1
Location: Stratford,ontario
x 4319

Re: Feathers

Post by kenya » Fri May 03, 2019 10:00 am

Doesn't seem to matter with chicks I've had, maybe I don't keep a close enough eye. I will say mine have usually turned out to be male but not always. With the silkies I have been fooled right up to the day they crowed.
0

User avatar
Kbr42
Head Chicken
Posts: 1436
Joined: Wed Jan 10, 2018 10:37 am
Answers: 1
x 1857

Re: Feathers

Post by Kbr42 » Fri May 03, 2019 11:39 am

kenya wrote:
Fri May 03, 2019 10:00 am
Doesn't seem to matter with chicks I've had, maybe I don't keep a close enough eye. I will say mine have usually turned out to be male but not always. With the silkies I have been fooled right up to the day they crowed.
Is that with or without tail feathers?
Silkies keep you guessing right up until they crow. I did wing sex my current little one and since I only have it I'll see if I was right or not :stars: ...it just sooooo, darn loooong to know if you wre right...I forgotten what my initial guess wss :wave:
0

User avatar
kenya
Henny Penny
Posts: 4446
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2015 5:14 pm
Answers: 1
Location: Stratford,ontario
x 4319

Re: Feathers

Post by kenya » Fri May 03, 2019 3:11 pm

Ha!Ha! Yes I too often forget but PTO is a great reminder if you put pictures saying guess the sex, you can always go back and see what you guessed. Funny how sometimes you know for sure and are right and other times you are dead wrong!
0

User avatar
Happy
Poultry Guru - pullet level
Posts: 3883
Joined: Wed Oct 05, 2016 8:46 am
Location: Wasaga Beach
x 10914

Re: Feathers

Post by Happy » Sat May 04, 2019 9:45 am

Here's one of my experiences with chicks feathering in! I haven't really found that I could tell sex by feathering patterns.
Happy @ For WWW...What am I?
0

User avatar
Kbr42
Head Chicken
Posts: 1436
Joined: Wed Jan 10, 2018 10:37 am
Answers: 1
x 1857

Re: Feathers

Post by Kbr42 » Sun May 05, 2019 8:42 am

Thanks @Happy, based on that thread, I would have gotten rid of my blue Cochin chick! L
I'm keeping all of them until I know for sure.

Outside!
20190504_160000.mp4
(15.61 MiB) Downloaded 12 times
1

User avatar
kenya
Henny Penny
Posts: 4446
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2015 5:14 pm
Answers: 1
Location: Stratford,ontario
x 4319

Re: Feathers

Post by kenya » Sun May 05, 2019 6:14 pm

Oh they look so nice outside!
My last silkie slow to get tail feathers turned out to be male, I was sure he was a she right up till he crowed. He didn't get any comb till he was older either. Just slow to mature I guess.
2

Post Reply

Return to “Breed Specific Discussion”