Pullets or Cockerels ?

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 412, 21 July 1928, Page 26

Pullets or Cockerels ?

THE sex question in chickens seexns to be one over which poultry-keepers have little, if any, control. Would that it were possible so to mate that; one could guarantee a 100 per cent. “ pullets ” in chickens.

Pullet Chicks Wanted As things stand one has to put up with matters as they are, and rear 100 or more birds to secure 50 pullets. Time may see brought to light some method of telling the sex of an egg before the latter is incubated, when one will be able to discard the “male" eggs. The many old-time methods of telling the sex of eggs have proved to be but fallacies. I am quite sure, nevertheless, that it is a matter of individualism, as some hens will throw an excess of males, while others will yield a majority of pullet chicks, the latter being preferable in the breeding pens. Only where trap-nesting is adopted, and where the chicks from each hen are Individually marked, can one locate these pullet-breeding hens and matings. Cockerels as a general rule predominate in the early broods and pullets in the later ones, and one lias to hope that 50 per cent, of all chicks hatched out during the season will be females. Distinguishing the Sexes It is far from easy to pick out the female and male chicks at an early age, especially in heavy breeds. It is not so difficult in large-combed varieties like the Leghorn, as the cockerel's comb and wattles are quite large and blood-red not many weeks after hatching. In heavy breeds, too. the comb and wattles of the male become larger than those of the young pullet and redden up sooner. When the chicks are eight weeks old, despite the difficulties, every poultrykeeper should sort out the cockerels. Treat as cockerels any which may seem doubtful, because as they get older, if pullets, they will show up in contrast to the males they are running with. Light breeds or the Leghorn type, as stated, do not present difficulties, the young cockerels soon redden up and develop large blood-red headgear; and they grow their tails far more quickly than pullets. The first to develop tails within two weeks I

of hatching are males, and soon after they have long whippy tails. Which Are Cockerels? Coming to sex-telling, in heavy breeds like the Orpington, Wyandotte or Rhode Island Red. I will deal with my approved methods. Chicks that are slow to feather, and that remain bare on shoulders, back and wings are, invariably, males. It is idle to go by size of headgear in these cases, as such chickens have been checked, and will concentrate on the growth of feather before head-points. The males in heavy breeds, too, are “tall and awkward,” so to speak, with long and stout legs, the body and parts being far from symmetrical. Their beaks are usually curved “vulture”like, and tail feathers are no positive criterion. Contrast these characteristics with those of the pullets. The latter are symmetrical, short in the leg, possess thin rounded shanks and appear both docile and sedate. In the male the legs are very long and the hocks are prominent, whereas in the pullet the hocks are hidden in the fluff, showing the shank only ai»l giving the short-legged appearance. A Study of Wings The shape of the wings has an important say in sex-telling. At any rate there are points of difference a trained eye can locate for guidance. Cockerels in heavy breeds carry their wings at an early age high up on the back instead of along the side, as with pullets. In the cockerels the wings seem to lie flat on the back, loosely and touching. In the pullets, the wings are on the tight side, and between the top edges, along the back and near the tail, the rising saddle shows up prominently. The wing of the pullet, too, seems more symmetrical, broad at the shoulders, and well rounded off top and bottom. The cockerel’s wing is longer and not so shapely, and often finishes off with long, thin, cured stiff feathers, which touch those of the other wing behind the bird. The two wings often meet behind the pullet, but not to the same degree, while as the female gets older

the wing seems to shorten (the body really getting longer), and to fit neatly at the side of the chicken. L-esson in Voices I have always made a very deep study of sex-distinguishing in chickens, and here give my methods of judging by the voices, applied especially to heavy breed youngsters, which give most trouble to th» beginner. In all classes of poultry there is the individual “call” of the male, which differs from that of the female. Do not young ducks "quack” and the drakes “whistle”? Catch a young cockerel, and lightly pat it on the back with the hand, when it will protest in a loud-voiced manner, like a boy being spanked. While held in the hand tap it on back and head, and it will continue to protest vigorously, and at a later stage may hold Its head down as if expecting a good hiding. Contrast this with the pullet, which will utter quite a modest sound on being caught, aiui again when tapped on the head and back. Next stroke the pullet chick under the beak, i.e., down the throat, and she will respond with an amiable “pretty dick.” She will carry her head high up in a proud and knowing fashion, will appear docile and sedate, and will be quite unconcerned with what you are doing. She is quite happy in being handled, and seems, in fact, to enjoy it thoroughly. She may even peck at the button of one’s coat-sleeves or the ring one is wearing. Cockerels for Stock I have given sufficient hints to enable the poultry-keeper to grade out his cockerels at an early age, instead of waiting till they crow; the object being to push along the pullets, and thus ensure proper development and maturity. The system of handling the cockerels will depend very much upon the objects for which. they are intended. Those ear-marked for stock purposes should be separated from those set aside for table. Naturally, the former call for greater attention than the latter and need to be pushed along so that they obtain the greatest possible weight and development likely to make them sound breeders. Special quarters should be set out for these would-be stock cockerels, and on no account must there be overcrowding. They should be fed sensibly on some sound developing food and not be fattened. Coming to the males destined for the table, I should arrange for these three sections: (1). Free range; (2) smaller run, and (3) fattening coops. At first they would enjoy free range in la t e flocks until they were placed in smaller lots in a run. Under section No. 2, I should include a very small wired-in enclosure, wherein would be placed lots of each of a dozen cockerels.