Show Spots on Young Chicks Help Separate Sexes Because some want to raise broilers and others want wanta a laying flock there Is a need for fora a practical way for the aver average gc to determine sex of baby chicks says Byron Alder extension of the Utah State Agricultural college The Japanese sexing method is accurate but only a trained person can make the determination At the National Agricultural Research Center Md Dr C. C W. W Knox and J J. J P. P Quinn geneticists of of- the U U. U S. S Department Department Department Depart Depart- ment of Agriculture Ag Bureau of Animal Industry have found that such externs external 1 characteristics as down color down striping back and shank color are good indicators ors of sex with some breeds and crossbreeds When Rhode Island Red males were crossed with Barred Plymouth Plymouth Plymouth Ply Ply- mouth Rock hens the bureau workers work work- ers observed that chicks with a white spot on the head were males Those without white spots on on n the head proved to be bc females This method proved almost 99 per cent correct in determining sex A study of purebred Barred Plymouth Plymouth Plymouth Ply Ply- mouth Rocks showed that female chicks have an intense black down and shank and a 0 white spot on the head The males have a larger white spot on the head grayish-black grayish down and yellow shanks Based on these characteristics characteristics character character- sexing was per cent correct The bureau scientists also have been successful in sexing Rhode Island Red chicks finding that per cent of the striped and spotted chicks were female and per cent of the chicks were males The same general characteristics hold true for the New Hampshire Reds Studies have been made of White Plymouth Rocks Jersey Black Giants and Jersey White Giants So far the scientists have not found a reliable sex indicator for these breeds |