BABY CHICK: AUTO SEXING
There are various traditional sexing methods to assist to identify male/ female chickens. Different methods are used based on breed, age, and comb types. Traditional sexing methods vary in percent of accuracy. While auto-sexing offers a high rate of being able to sex, it is offers 95% accuracy which leaves a 5% chance of a rooster. Traditional sexing methods keep families searching for clues in the sexing mystery until crow or egg gifting. Investing in DNA sexing is the only truly accurate method.
Breeds that use this sexing method: 55 Flowery Hens, Bielefelder, Cream Legbar
Thanks to the geneticist Reginald Punnett, who during the First World War mastered the technique of cross-breeding chickens carrying the barred gene (B) with others to produce sex-linked chicks with plumage differences that could easily be distinguished. Sex link breeding only works for the first generation of chicks. The value of an auto-sexing breed is that the visual distinction between male and female is persevered generation after generation.
While DNA sexing is the only truly accurate sexing method. These breeds offer the highest sexing accuracy of around 95%. Auto sexing breeds assist with determining day-old males by feather color. Males are lighter in color and have a white spot on their heads. Females are darker in color.