Saddle Feathers??

[Juno's Chicks]

So I don't have a specific chick at this point I need help with... but I do have questions on the saddle feathers.

I've been trying to look up online pictures to figure out what I'm looking at/for.

Also, do all males have saddle feathers and females do not? or is it breed specific?

Can someone please help me out with this??

THANK YOU!!!!!

 

[Chris09]

Juno,
Here is a diagram that might hep you,

And can be found at the Diagrams,poultry parts,charts, sticky in Breeds, Genetics, & Showing.

Saddle feathers,
Saddle feathers are feathers are feathers that extend off the back of the chicken but before the tail of the chicken. A rooster in most cases have long pointed saddle feathers and female have short rounded ones.

Chris

 

[farmerChef]

You won't see pointed feathers until the chick is about 3-4 months old. One of the first signs is usually a red comb.
The chicks in the picture are around the same age, but the first is a pullet and the second is a cockeral. They are around 1 month old in these pics.

 

[Juno's Chicks]

Thank You!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Jay262]

I wouldnt go by the comb at all i have many with light combs that ended up to be roos after. Same with birds that get combs fast turned out being pullets later. One thing you can be sure of when the time comes if it lays eggs its a pullet if it crows its a rooster. But saddle feathers are a great indication aslong as you dont confuse them for something else.

 

[hdowden]

in this one he has his hackles, his saddle feathers were just coming in, and he does have his sickle feathers.

 

[hdowden]

do all males have saddle feathers and females do not? or is it breed specific?

almost all males do have hackle and saddle feathers but there are some breeds that dont such as the seabright bantams, in which case you would have to go by comb and wattle size along with if the chicken is crowing or laying.

 

[Harli50]

do ony roos have sickle feathers??? and theres only usualy 2 right??

 

[farmerChef]

The 2 top feathers on the tail that get longer than the others are the sickles. I don't know if they would still be called sickles on a hen, as they don't get long.

 

[bloom_ss]

Hens have hackle feathers and saddle feathers also, but they are rounded on the ends, not long and pointy like a roo's.

Although a roo's saddle and hackle feathers can be rounded also until they start getting their "big boy" feathers in...usually around 4 months or so I believe.