I have an order of 35 Buff Orpingtons coming soon, two of which are roosters. Has anyone had any luck sexing day-old chicks by looking at their wing tip feathers? I saw a photo comparing male and female chick's wing tips and wondered if it's really reliable and that easy to tell? I would like to find my two rooster chicks and mark them in case I decide to divide the batch into two smaller flocks.
According to the photo, the wing tip feathers of day-old females grow significantly faster than the wing tip feathers of day-old males.
Would appreciate your thoughts. I hope it's as easy as it looks!
Anyone had luck sexing day-old chicks via wing-tip feathers?
I think you will need to watch them for a few days. The pullets do grow wing, and maybe more obviously, tail feathers earlier than the roosters. Also pullets' wing feathers come to more of a point than the roosters. Good luck!
Most hatcheries mark the roosters when they are specifically ordered (not straight run). Look for dots on their little heads....
Thanks Catmad and Porkpal! The chicks come next week. I will look for a dot on their heads! ;) Chick day is so much fun with our grandkids.....
:) Glenda
Can we expect pictures?
Sure!! :) They're suppose to arrive sometime this week! Stay tuned!! ;)
As promised, here are my 35 baby chicks - all Buff Orpingtons! It is my favorite breed; I love their look, temperment, and egg production. :)
Are the roosters marked?
Well, McMurray did not mark them. :( So, I looked at the feathers on their wing tips and made a guess as to which two were roosters. I marked them on the head, but it came off somehow. ((sigh)) I guess time will tell...... :-/