[Beewyched]

At what age can Double Laced Barnvelder chicks be sexed?

[Beewyched]

OK, then - does anyone know HOW to sex Barn e Velder chicks?  They are now about 5 weeks old.

[little blue]

no... but does this or any of their links help?!
http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGA/Barnev/BRKBarnev.html#BarneChix

[shearling]

Hi B

I know this is an old post but did you ever work it out? I have just gone mad at a poultry sale and got 10 chicks! 

[jaykay]

In most breeds the pullets feather up faster - even in so called non fast feathering breeds.

So at 2-3 days old you can see a difference in wing feathers - pullets have alternately long and short flight feathers, cockerels have shorter, much the same length flights. Then, when they're feathering up (3-6 weeks) the easiest thing to spot is growing their tails - pullets longer and sooner.

When quite a bit older (6-10 weeks, how many weeks depends on breed) you can start to see more significant wattles and combs on the cockerels. And eventually notice that the end of the cape feathers are pointed on the cockerels and rounder on the pullets.

[shearling]

Thanks Kayjay. I was just going to ask about Cookoo Morans, which given my last three post seems that I hvae sexing birds on my mind and nothing else! Again went mad at the poutlry sale and have just bought ten of them 

[jaykay]

Again went mad at the poutlry sale and have just bought ten of them 

It happens  Marans follow the pattern above. I found my copper blue maran chicks were the first I could tell by wattles and combs too, out of the mixed leg bar, Sussex, maran hatch I did last.

[Beewyched]

Hiya Shearling 

Well, out of the 7 - one got taken by something  , 3 are pullets & 3 are cockerals, so pretty even.  We've hatched some of our own Barnie eggs, in the incy, which are now 6 weeks-old, but still not got a clue