Sexing yellow goldens (again).

[ChikaInu]

Hello! New member and first time pheasant keeper.
I have sucessfully hatched out four yellow goldens this year - they are my baby pets, super friendly and I love them to absolute bits!
At nine weeks old I am starting to see a change in colour, but every time I ask people for advice they only see they eye colour while I can see quite dramatic differences in their feathers as they grow in. Turns out most people keep the original reds. Am I right in saying the yellows have light eyes in general that will darken later on with the females?

I have these as examples. This one stands out compared to the other three:

 

[ChikaInu]

This is not as good a photo, but you can still see a big difference in the feathers growing in around and above the eye. They are very mottled and the teardrop is also not as bright... but the eyes still pretty blue!
Any thoughts?
The other two look very much like this one (name is Buttercup .)

 

[007Sean]

This is not as good a photo, but you can still see a big difference in the feathers growing in around and above the eye. They are very mottled and the teardrop is also not as bright... but the eyes still pretty blue!
Any thoughts?
The other two look very much like this one (name is Buttercup .)
View attachment 3893021

Both are males you can tell by the 'tear drop' wattles.

 

[007Sean]

Hello! New member and first time pheasant keeper.
I have sucessfully hatched out four yellow goldens this year - they are my baby pets, super friendly and I love them to absolute bits!
At nine weeks old I am starting to see a change in colour, but every time I ask people for advice they only see they eye colour while I can see quite dramatic differences in their feathers as they grow in. Turns out most people keep the original reds. Am I right in saying the yellows have light eyes in general that will darken later on with the females?

I have these as examples. This one stands out compared to the other three:
View attachment 3893015

No, the hens eyes will always be dark brown.

 

[ChikaInu]

No, the hens eyes will always be dark brown.

Thank you!
I got confused reading som other threads, like this one: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/yellow-golden-pheasant-male-or-female.836093/ where the OG says the bird started out with blue eyes.
Also, all of mine have tear drop, but two of them have barred tails whilst the other two are spotted. One of them is also coming through as a very bright, light yellow while the others are mottled. I change my mind about the sexes every day!

Pardon my face being in it, but here is a good photo to see the tails.
The bird on my head is the brightest yellow but has a barred tail, same as the one to the right. The one on the left has a lovely spotty tail.
Should I disregard the tail pattern? Maybe the two stripey ones are just a bit behind with feathering?

Thank you again!

 

[007Sean]

Thank you!
I got confused reading som other threads, like this one: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/yellow-golden-pheasant-male-or-female.836093/ where the OG says the bird started out with blue eyes.
Also, all of mine have tear drop, but two of them have barred tails whilst the other two are spotted. One of them is also coming through as a very bright, light yellow while the others are mottled. I change my mind about the sexes every day!

Pardon my face being in it, but here is a good photo to see the tails.
The bird on my head is the brightest yellow but has a barred tail, same as the one to the right. The one on the left has a lovely spotty tail.
Should I disregard the tail pattern? Maybe the two stripey ones are just a bit behind with feathering?
View attachment 3899131
Thank you again!

Their next molt, if they are males will have the normal spotted tail feathers.

The one on your right shoulder doesn't have spotted tail feathers, just has a faded barred tail feather.

 

[ChikaInu]

Their next molt, if they are males will have the normal spotted tail feathers.

The one on your right shoulder doesn't have spotted tail feathers, just has a faded barred tail feather.

Cheers! I'll just sit on my hands and wait, pretty happy to have a batchelors pad if that is the case! I'm mostly scared that maybe I have one hen and would have to rehome her.