If you are going to breed chickens, then you know that you need to maintain the correct sex ratio. For one cockerel in a hen house there can be about 8 -12 chickens, but not more. That is why it is extremely important to diagnose the sex of the bird from the first days after hatching. But what is the right way to do this, because the chickens are all the same?
It is necessary
bright lamp
Instructions
Step 1
Pay attention to the appearance of the birds. Sexual dimorphism is very well manifested in chickens. Males differ from females in greater weight and size, as well as pronounced secondary sexual characteristics. Roosters have a large, well-developed crest, long curved and more colorful tail feathers, and distinct waxes and earrings. Roosters of some breeds have large spurs on their legs. But all this manifests itself already at puberty. If you want to determine the sex of your bird at a very young age, please be patient and train your observation.
Step 2
Take a closer look at the plumage of your chickens. If you breed colored chickens, they can be distinguished by sex within 24 hours after hatching. Rhode Island and New Hampshire females have black stripes on the head or dark spots at the base. If the chicken is not endowed with any spots or stripes, this is a future cockerel. Also notice the coloration of the wing fan. In females, it is red with a white tip. But males have a white spot in the middle of the wing. Look at the speed of feathering: you can see some difference between males and females. The cockerels fledge a little slower.
Step 3
Try to see the genital tubercle in babies. If the chickens you got are not colored, or you are not very good at diagnosing spots in shape and color, there is another way to determine the sex of birds at an early age. Within 15 hours after hatching, sex can be determined by detecting the genital tubercle. Take the chicken in your hands and carefully examine the area of the cloaca. Males have a characteristic genital tubercle in this place, while females do not have a fold of the cloaca without bulges.
