4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[rachel m]

sorry for all the questions.

 

got a new light sussex from SIL at weekend, which she has reared from chicks and are now about 14w. compared to the other definate male chicks, she looked like she would be a girl. she has a small but formed comb and wattles, similar to nigella's when we got her from omlet.

 

but on closer inspection i am wondering if she may be developing spurs, they are tiny dots, but slightly more prominent than on our other girls (but then she is bigger than them already and has bigger legs.) i assume the marks on the legs of female hens are just a evolutionary left-over, bit like nipples on human males?!?

 

we let her out in the garden with the others for a few mins after wing clipping, and she was the one who tried to peck delia's neck

 

my questions are:

 

at what age do chickens/light sussexes develop their spurs?

 

at what age does the cheap-cheap turn into a bok-bok?

 

thanks for your help

Edited June 25, 2008 by Guest

[rachel m]

Here are some pictures to help you decide if this is a boy or girl !!!

 

 

 

Edited June 26, 2008 by Guest

[ChrisP]

My little sussex x hen started bok-boking when she was about 26-28 weeks old, and her comb was smaller than the definate males were

 

Hope this is of some help, it's all i can offer i'm afraid

[Lovemychooks]

Hmmmm, I think it could be a boy because of the comb. If you said that the chicken is 14 weeks old and already has a prominent comb then I would say it was a boy

[Egluntyne]

I thinking boy because of the sturdy legs and comb.

 

Any chance of a clearer picture of the hackle feathers?

[superjules]

Not that I know much about sussex's, but that looks like a boy to me.

 

Whichever it is, it's got a rather wonky-looking toe!!

[rachel m]

Have taken a few extra pictures to help in the "Sex the chicken" competition!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Hope we have the size of the pictures correct this time! Thanks for looking and giving your comments!

[Egluntyne]

Still inclining towards boy.

 

Wouldn't stake my life on it though.

[JamesH]

I think it's a girl.

[StephanieSB]

I think it's a girl.

 

Now, I don't know girl chickens too well (don't even get mine until Saturday), but lived for a long while in a US neighbourhood where a neighbour kept cocks (for fighting; don't ask; eventually fined by police; but anyway...): this one doesn't look like any of the cocks I've lived around, so I'll vote for girl... probably wrong, but thems me two pence

[BeckyBoo]

Looks like a girl to me too, in fact he / she looks just like our Matilda, not much to choose between them. Are you able to take a "whole hen" photo, the tails are often very different

 

Mrs B

[chelsea]

I think boy. The comb looks rather big and back over the head for it to be a girl.

 

I like Eglutine though couldnt 100% stake my life on it though!

[HENthusiastic]

Goodness me; I had no idea it was so complicated. Can't you just have a peek between the legs and see if theres girl bits or boy bits???

[Egluntyne]

If only.

 

Apparrently there are over 70 variations on the theme and vent sexers take years to train.

 

Quicker to see which it does first, crow or lay an egg.

[HENthusiastic]

"vent sexers" thats fantastic. I would love to be able to say at social gatherings "oh yes.. I'm a vent sexer; what do you do" Fantastic.

[Egluntyne]

[moomin]

I was creased up laughing at this.

 

Imagine a job where you have to look at chook-bottoms - ALL DAY LONG!!

 

But I'd love to be able to call myeslf a 'vent-sexer' (Egluntine are you sure your not having us on??!!).

[Egluntyne]

Moi?

 

From 'tinterweb.

 

Vent sexing baby chicks is a method popularized in the 1930s by a Japanese professor, Kiyoshi Masui. Individuals well trained at chick sexing schools can consistently and easily attain greater than 95% accuracy. This method involves holding the day old chick upside down in one hand and while visually examining the vent area for the presence or absence of a rudimentary male sex organ.

 

This method sounds much easier than it really is. After being taught the basics of this technique from non-professionals, most people would be doing well to obtain 60-70% accuracy at best. However, if interested, additional written information on this technique can be obtained from the Center of Excellence for Poultry Science at the University of Arkansas. Most commercial hatcheries that offer chicks for sale as either pullets or cockerels utilize this method.

[HENthusiastic]

Eglutine; I think you should train. Where on earth did you find that info?

[Egluntyne]

I googled it...but I have a fascinating book on the subject called "Sexing all fowl, baby chicks, game birds, cage birds" by an individual who rejoices in the name of Loyl Strombert.

 

Fascinating reading.

[Karen Pimlott]

neck feathers resemble that of a female .... so at this moment in time i'd say girl.

 

is it large fowl?