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How to Identify Male and Female Chicks by Wing Feathers
#1
A simple, non-invasive way to guess chick sex early. Works mainly on fast-feathering breeds (like layers, broilers and some hybrids).

A. Female Chicks (Pullets):
The primary feathers (longer ones at the edge) grow out faster than the covert feathers (shorter ones covering them).

   

This creates a “two-step” pattern — long feathers + short feathers.

B. Male Chicks (Cockerels):
Primaries and coverts grow at about the same rate.

The wing looks smooth and even, forming a single curve.

C. When It Works Best:
Most reliable in the first 1–3 days after hatching.

After that, the differences become harder to see.

D. Accuracy:
Can be 80–90% accurate when done by skilled hands.

Not reliable for all chicken breeds (especially slow-feathering ones).

Hatcheries often use it alongside vent sexing or simply wait until chicks mature.

E. Why It’s Useful:
Quick, cheap, and doesn’t harm the chick.

Handy for backyard farmers and small breeders.

Feather sexing is a smart trick, but it only works on some breeds and very early in life.
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#2
Accuracy depends on breed: broilers (85–90%), layers (80–85%), local birds (40–50%). So manage your expectations.

Reminder: primaries = long feathers at the edge, coverts = short feathers on top. If long > short, it’s pullet. If equal, it’s cockerel.
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#3
Wow, I never knew feather growth could tell the difference that early. ? I usually just wait until the comb and wattles show before I separate them, but that takes weeks. I’ll definitely try this the next time I buy chicks.
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#4
Some hatcheries in Asia combine feather sexing with AI cameras now. They can do thousands per hour with high accuracy. Here is what I got:

"Xiashu Technology (Asia) offers AI-powered feather sexing machines that determine chick gender with 99% accuracy, processing up to 3,000 chicks per hour .

These systems are easy to operate and effective across broilers, layers, and even turkeys, demonstrating practical reliability in commercial hatchery settings .

TARGAN’s WingScan system is another major innovation using AI-based imaging to identify chick sex from feathers.

Accuracy: Over 97–98%, depending on configuration .

Speed: Processes 100,000 to 160,000 chicks per hour .

Numerous hatcheries have adopted it globally, including a Canadian hatchery using WingScan to replace labor-intensive manual sorting .

A Spanish facility now uses WingScan to sex up to 1.25 million chicks per week .

Other AI systems in Europe and Southeast Asia also employ high-speed AI feather imaging to sex chicks at high accuracy (~98%) and up to tens of thousands per hour."
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#5
Yes, feather sexing is very good, but it doesn’t work on all breeds. I’ve tried it on slow-feathering types like some local chickens and it gave me mixed results. Good for layers like Isa Brown or broilers, less than 3 days old.
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#6
Hmm, I’ve heard of this method but I thought it was just guesswork. So it's true.
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#7
This is a lifesaver for small farmers. Vent sexing is almost impossible without training, and waiting till 6–8 weeks to know is too long. Even if it’s 80–90% accurate, it’s better than feeding males when you want only egg layers.
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#8
For people doing small hatches at home, even 70% accuracy is still helpful. Imagine not wasting feed on extra males.
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#9
If it’s only 80% accurate, doesn’t that mean 20 out of 100 chicks will still be wrong? That’s risky for large farms.
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#10
Another quick trick I use is to watch their behavior - pullets tend to be calmer while cockerels are more restless and bold. Not 100% reliable, but when combined with feather sexing, the accuracy improves.
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#11
I know about this. Take a few chicks side by side and compare. The difference shows better when you look at 2–3 at once.
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#12
Nice share. Feather sexing was actually developed by hatcheries in the 1930s. Faaar back. Works great on fast-feathering breeds, but useless on slow-feathering genetics.
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#13
My chicks move too much. By the time I spread their wings, they flap and I can’t see a thing. Maybe I need 3 hands ?.
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#14
I tried it today on day-old Isa Browns. Clear as daylight! The girls had that “step” in the wing feathers. Amazing.
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#15
(09-01-2025, 11:52 PM)Farmqueen Wrote: Some hatcheries in Asia combine feather sexing with AI cameras now. They can do thousands per hour with high accuracy. Here is what I got:

"Xiashu Technology (Asia) offers AI-powered feather sexing machines that determine chick gender with 99% accuracy, processing up to 3,000 chicks per hour .

These systems are easy to operate and effective across broilers, layers, and even turkeys, demonstrating practical reliability in commercial hatchery settings .

TARGAN’s WingScan system is another major innovation using AI-based imaging to identify chick sex from feathers.

Accuracy: Over 97–98%, depending on configuration .

Speed: Processes 100,000 to 160,000 chicks per hour .

Numerous hatcheries have adopted it globally, including a Canadian hatchery using WingScan to replace labor-intensive manual sorting .

A Spanish facility now uses WingScan to sex up to 1.25 million chicks per week .

Other AI systems in Europe and Southeast Asia also employ high-speed AI feather imaging to sex chicks at high accuracy (~98%) and up to tens of thousands per hour."

The world is really advancing
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#16
(09-02-2025, 01:37 AM)John@ Wrote: If it’s only 80% accurate, doesn’t that mean 20 out of 100 chicks will still be wrong? That’s risky for large farms.

Large farms don't rely on it alone.  They combine it with vent sexing
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#17
(09-02-2025, 01:37 AM)Suarus Wrote: For people doing small hatches at home, even 70% accuracy is still helpful. Imagine not wasting feed on extra males.

Or in case of broilers, you can use it to select males.
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#18
(09-02-2025, 01:07 AM)Locus Wrote: Hmm, I’ve heard of this method but I thought it was just guesswork. So it's true.

It is true. Try it
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