Author Topic: Help sexing my sussex chickens (Read 3290 times)

Farmernick · « **on:** October 01, 2017, 03:04:05 pm »

Hi I've got 3 light sussex chickens, well ones actually a sussex hybrid or something else as she's brown, although they came from the same batch of eggs.

Anyway, I'll post some photos and if someone could help me identify which sex each one is that would be great. It's my first time keeping this breed and at first I thought all 3 were hens but one has more of a comb etc so he may be a boy. I'll link photos as I can't seem to upload here.

Thanks
Nick

Chicken 1: https://ibb.co/gdtVAb
Chicken 2: https://ibb.co/bTaSqb
Chicken 3: https://ibb.co/mDAAAb

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #1 on:** October 01, 2017, 03:54:03 pm »

What age are they? I would guess the middle photo is a cockerel and, looking at comb development and colour, would've expected him to start crowing very soon. Fist one may be a hen, last one doesn't appear to have any Sussex - more likely a Warren type.

Farmernick · « **Reply #2 on:** October 01, 2017, 04:08:52 pm »

Thanks for the reply. Yes the brown one doesn't seem to be a sussex. Must have got the eggs mixed up before incubation!

Yes it's the middle one I believe to be a cockerel. They are around 22 weeks.

landroverroy · « **Reply #3 on:** October 01, 2017, 09:58:28 pm »

On just glancing at the photos I would also say the second one is a male. However at that age you should be able to see pointed sickle feathers at either side of the tail, whereas these feathers on a female are rounded.
The photo isn't clear enough to see if these feathers are pointed or not.

madchickenlady · « **Reply #4 on:** October 04, 2017, 08:48:35 am »

Shame you're so far away, I have a hen and no cock so we could have put them together for a while.
I got my hen from Anglia water fowl in Suffolk. I don't know if they send out hatching eggs but it may be worth trying, if not, if you find out how much they are and want some I could collect them (they are local to me) and send them on.