Old English bantem sexing

[sdm1908]

Can someone tell me how to sex old English bantams?
Thanks

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

The little cockerels are pretty easy to pick out after a few weeks. Their combs will suddenly pop up and turn red. That's the quickest way I know to sex them...

 

[sdm1908]

I've heard you can tell by the wings and by the tail feathers. So far, min are 7 days old.

The little cockerels are pretty easy to pick out after a few weeks. Their combs will suddenly pop up and turn red. That's the quickest way I know to sex them...

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

That method is right about 50% of the time

Feather sexing only really works on breeds bred for the trait. I don't believe OEGB are one of those breeds...

 

[sdm1908]

So really the only way to know is through watching for a red comb? Do the females have combs at all? And if so, what color?

That method is right about 50% of the time

Feather sexing only really works on breeds bred for the trait. I don't believe OEGB are one of those breeds...

 

[yardbird88]

I have two that I called the twins the looked exactly the same, the both had combs exactly the same size then after the 1st month one of the twins comb turned red and he started crowing.

This is before it turned red

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

The comb is usually the first giveaway. Followed by other male traits like color and saddle and hackle feathers as they mature.

The females have combs as well, they just usually aren't that big and don't turn red until they close to laying age. There is an OEGB thread in the Breeds, Genetics and Showing section of the forum. If you haven't already looked at it, it would be a good place to start learning about the breed.

 

[sdm1908]

The comb is usually the first giveaway. Followed by other male traits like color and saddle and hackle feathers as they mature.

The females have combs as well, they just usually aren't that big and don't turn red until they close to laying age. There is an OEGB thread in the Breeds, Genetics and Showing section of the forum. If you haven't already looked at it, it would be a good place to start learning about the breed.

Is that a male comb?
It's not quite red but my other oebg chick had a much lighter colored comb and they are the exact same age (14 days)

 

[sdm1908]

 

[jtn42248]

Is that a male comb?
It's not quite red but my other oebg chick had a much lighter colored comb and they are the exact same age (14 days)

It is hard to tell without seeing the other chicks comb to make a comparison. That and 14 days might be a bit early to make a 100% guess. I have Sebrights so, since males and females have the same feathering it is not possible to sex by feathers. What I did notice is that there is a distinct size difference between comb development in the male and female. While the males are developing comb and wattles the females have almost none. If you can get a picture of the other chick for comparison it might be easier to make a guess....if the second picture is the other chick I would not be willing to hazard a guess beyond you might have two males. Watch the comb development and see if one gets noticeably larger than the other. Comb color at 14 days has little to do with gender.