Ally Mac
6 posts
Oct 04, 2004
4:55 AM
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I am in the process of building a kit and aquiring new stock for breeding. Can I please have some pointers on how to tell a cock from a hen. I have been told to one way is hang a needle from a 10" thread just above the birds head, if it goes round and round its a hen, if it goes backwards and forwards its a cock, Reminds me of when the wife was expecting LOL.
The other method is to hold the birds toes together, the 2 outsides ones if it is a cock are the same length, a hens are slightly different in length. This sounds more reliable.
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Ally Mac
7 posts
Oct 05, 2004
12:30 AM
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Many thanks Brian, I shall have a look tonight.
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Thor
33 posts
Oct 05, 2004
9:25 AM
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The easiest way I have found to tell a cock from a hen on young birds is the flecking check. The BLACK flecking check is good on birds of Ash Red based birds (Ash Red Check, Ash Red Bar, Lavender and White Tick). Pick up a young bird of the above colors and spread out their wings or tails. If you see some BLACK Fleckings or INK marks as some call it on their flights/tail feathers, then you got yourself a Cock bird (with one exception, double factor Ash Red Cock)... if not, you got yourself a Hen (with the one exception of the double factor Ash Red Cock). A double factor Ash Red Cock is bred out of two Ash Red birds (both parents being of Ash Red)... in this case, the cocks produce will of Double doze Ash Red and ultimately show no black fleckings. All the Black Fleckings represent is that it is carrying Blue. As genetic goes, Ash Red x Ash Red = Ash Red carrying Ash Red.
Another way to pick out your cocks from your hens is check their head size. Cock's usually have a larger more dominate head then hens. Of course their are always exceptions... like the dural purpose breeder's birds or the Henry Cock type bird, etc.
If all else fails, go back to the basics... if it lay eggs, then it's a hen. Remember, hens will mate with hens (in that case, you will see four eggs in the nest) if given the chance and cocks will mate with cocks ( in this case, you will see no eggs in the nest) if given the chance... so just because they are paired up, doesn't mean they are a true pair of opposite sex.
Good luck on pairing up your birds, altho if you ask me, it is more of a challenge to pick the most compatible mate then sexing them. Click Pairs!
Thor
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JUrbon
12 posts
Oct 09, 2004
7:37 PM
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Ally, there arent many sure proof ways to sex birds due to the many different characteristics of the different families of rollers. As for Thors reply with the ash reds that is not always true. A dominant lavender or double factor, will not have ticking and I have hens that are ticked, however if you look closely the ticking is more brownish in color. As you get more experienced you will notice that some pairs you will be able to tell in the nest due to what they call sex linked pairings. I dont fool around much with sex linked pairings because frankly I just dont care until they start showing in the air what sex they are. I have also had cocks that were well over a year old and still I would have bet $ they were hens and in my opinion those are the ones that you want. The best thing to do is just be patient. Joe Urbon
Last Edited by JUrbon on Oct 09, 2004 7:39 PM
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nicksiders
82 posts
Oct 10, 2004
3:50 AM
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The vent on the cock is "smiling" and the hen is "frowning".
I look for it; don't always see it; and have been wrong more than once.
Or you can just wait until maturity kicks in on the bird and observe the action................the hen always lays the eggs(LOL)
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Ally Mac
8 posts
Oct 12, 2004
12:57 PM
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Thanks chaps, sounds like patience is the key word (again).
Cheers, Al.
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