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!
(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!