Tail growth in chicks as a sign of gender?

[Ketaped]

I know that unless a chick is sex linked, or otherwise bred for fuzzy-butt aged sexing, it's pretty hard to sex a chick before 6 weeks. I've also read that chicks where the tail feathers grow upright tend to be roos, while pullets have tails that grow horizontally. This second tidbit has me more than a little concerned that my EE pullet may not be - she's antisocial, a bully to the other chicks, screams like a banshee if you even try to get near her and now her tail feathers are coming in, they're nearly vertical, while all the others are horizontal. She's only 2.5 weeks old, so I'm hoping that this is just a phase (or a sign of a chick with attitude), and she really is a she, but I'm posting some pictures just in case someone can make an educated guess without all her juvenile feathers in. Any thoughts, or am I just worrying before I have any real data to worry on?

(She's the one in the back of this picture - the RIR and Speckled Sussex in the foreground are the same age - note the RIR's horizontal tail)

Thanks!

 

[smedly9921]

That look pretty convincing for roo. Is there any sign of a comb or wattle.

 

[Ketaped]

There's a tiny comb, but (s)he's had it since we got her as a day old chick, no wattles yet. I'm really hoping it's a she, but yeah, that tail has me worried.

They're all still peeping, so no further information on that front, but if that tail growth does signify roo, then at 2.5 weeks, this chickie hasn't read the expected growth manual!

 

[khoe]

My ee's tail grew in pretty vertical, but I am still thinking pulley. It has come more horizontal as the weeks have gone on.

 

[Ringgoldvol]

I tried something new this year to sex some chicks and it worked to a "T". I have heard off and on for a while that if you hold a chick gently between your fingers and let the chick relax, a hen will relax its legs out straight down and a roo will pull its legs up when it starts to relax. I tried it and went 6 for 6. I also as a cross checked it and felt down its breastbone and as it comes to a point and the ribs separate a hen will have a wider separation and a roo will have a narrow separation. I'm not sue this is science but its the first time i got it all right.

 

[farmer boy]

tail growth is not always right because its different in breeds i have a chick now and everyone i know thinks its a pullet and same as me her comb is small and no wattles yet but her tail is straight but she is a polish x mottled houdan and her younger sister same cross the same way with the tail

 

[rookiefarmers]

My ee pullet always holds her tail VERY upright.

 

[Ketaped]

Okay, so it's really sounding like I'm still going with the 50/50 guess based on the tail at this age - that's a bit of a relief. We can have roos here, but we don't really want one in our first batch of chickens! The hatchery sexed her as female, so until proven otherwise, I guess, I'll ignore her personality and tail as gender identifiers and just wait for full feathering or crowing to be sure.

Thank you everyone.

 

[rookiefarmers]

I would just wait it out. the coloring looks good for a pullet so, hang in there! Our bossiest chicken (dominant over even our roo) is a big fat fluffy butt light Brahma girl.

 

[khoe]

I would just wait it out. the coloring looks good for a pullet so, hang in there! Our bossiest chicken (dominant over even our roo) is a big fat fluffy butt light Brahma girl.

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