What breeds are easy to sex at birth?

[theawesomechick]

As the title implies, my question is, What breeds are easy to sex at birth? I'm looking to add three more chicks to my tiny backyard flock, and this is our second time purchasing chicks. There was an accidental rooster in my first batch of four chickens, and I live in a place where roosters are illegal, so the boy had to be given away. I don't want to end up with another roo, so I'm looking to get a breed that is easy to sex. Any help for a newbie?

 

[MidnightGyps]

I have heard that Wyandotte's are quite easy to sex at a young age and is mostly always correct when you know what you're doing. Which I don't, so I have no idea.

 

[joelharris]

Cream crested legbars are an autosexing bird, they lay blue eggs, and at birth the female chicks have dark stripes down their back like a chipmunk, whereas the males have a dark spot on the back of their head.

 

[enola]

Crested cream legbars pullets have the chipmunk stripes down their backs. The cockerels have a LIGHT colored spot on their heads.

Barred breeds, cuckoo colored breeds - pullets have dark down on their heads - cockerels have a white or cream spot on their head.

 

[theawesomechick]

Thanks... Is it common for a leghorn to be sexed incorrectly?

(edited because I do know the difference between a greater than sign and a question mark)

 

[joelharris]

Crested cream legbars pullets have the chipmunk stripes down their backs. The cockerels have a LIGHT colored spot on their heads.

Barred breeds, cuckoo colored breeds - pullets have dark down on their heads - cockerels have a white or cream spot on their head.

Sorry I just new it was a spot I didn't know if it was light or dark. I have some cream crested leg bar eggs due to hatch for the first time on the 12th of December

 

[joelharris]

Thanks... Is it common for a leghorn to be sexed incorrectly?

(edited because I do know the difference between a greater than sign and a question mark)

Do you mean legbar or leghorn?

 

[theawesomechick]

I mean leghorn. I'd gladly buy any chicken that's cuddly, but the rest of the family wants eggs.

 

[enola]

Congratulations on hatching 12/12. I get my eggs 12/15. So excited

 

[donrae]

Crested cream legbars pullets have the chipmunk stripes down their backs. The cockerels have a LIGHT colored spot on their heads.

Barred breeds, cuckoo colored breeds - pullets have dark down on their heads - cockerels have a white or cream spot on their head.

This is incorrect. Barred and cuckoo chicks both genders have a white head spot. Males are larger, messier spots while females are smaller, neater, tighter spots. Takes a practiced eye but there are some good threads on sexing barred chicks.


Sex links. Seriously, the sex is linked to the color. As long as you get the right color chick, you've got the right gender, it's basic genetics. They're also great layers of large brown eggs, fairly docile and don't eat a ton. Red sex links--you want the gold/reddish chick. Don't get a white or silver looking one because it's different--it's different cause it's male. Black sex links--chicks with solid black heads. Don't get one with a spot on it's head--those are male black sex links.