Identifying Chicken's Gender: A Step-by-Step Guide with Illustrations
In the world of poultry farming, a new trend is emerging: auto-sexing chickens. These unique breeds, such as Cream Legbar, Golden Comet, Norwegian Jaerhon, and Bielefelder, are making it easier for farmers to identify the gender of their chicks at an early age.
However, not all breeds are auto-sexing. Some, like Rhode Island Red, Barred Plymouth Rock, and Cream Legbar, can be distinguished by fine color differences at hatching. Yet, for many other breeds, determining the gender of a baby chick remains a challenge.
One might think that hatching out chicks would make the task simpler, but it actually complicates matters. In most cases, gender is not straightforward to determine until the chick starts crowing or laying an egg.
But fear not! There are reliable methods to help you figure out the gender of your chicks. For instance, the shape of the feathers can provide a clue. Cockerels have pointed hackle and saddle feathers, while pullets have rounded ones.
Another indicator is the growth of the comb and wattles. A pullet's comb and wattles grow slower and remain pinkish in colour until she nears laying age, while a cockerel's comb and wattles grow sooner and turn red at an earlier age.
Sex linked hybrids, such as Golden Comet, Cinnamon Queen, ISA Brown, and Black Sex Link, can also be sexed at hatch by the colour of their feathers and/or other specific markings.
It's important to note that many theories and wives' tales out there for determining the sex of a chick are not supported by scientific data. Leg bumps, for example, are not a reliable method of determining gender early on.
If you're buying chicks directly from a hatchery, you have a higher chance of receiving a pullet, as the chances are increased by 90-95%. But if you're not hatching an auto-sexing breed or a sex-linked hybrid, it's nearly impossible to tell the sex at hatch.
Chicken sexers go through a training process before sexing chicks in a hatchery. However, if you're buying chicks from a breeder and they claim they are sexed, it's likely they are not, unless they breed auto-sexing breeds, create sex-linked hybrids, or are trained chicken sexers.
As more and more new and not-so-new chicken owners bring home or hatch out new baby chicks, understanding these methods for determining gender can be invaluable. But remember, patience is key, as the age at which clear signs of gender become visible varies depending on the breed, ranging from five weeks old to four to five months old.
So, whether you're a seasoned farmer or a first-time chicken owner, armed with this knowledge, you're now better equipped to navigate the world of auto-sexing chickens and gender determination. Happy farming!
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