# Survey - Sexing homing pigeons by middle claw length



## shorty2 (Jun 3, 2012)

*link no longer available*

link no longer available


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## pigeon is fun (Sep 6, 2010)

i will try it first thing tomorrow morning.


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## FrequentFlierMiles (May 17, 2012)

I'm pretty sure that rule does not apply bc look at any species are fingers are all different lengths from one another!!

The best way is blood test or just observe see which ones creeww creeww more and drag their tail feathers on the ground 

But most Likly if it's young some people can have a good eye just by looking at the head


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## Quazar (Jul 27, 2010)

Toss a coin, its more accurate as theres only two possibilities (unless you manage to get it to land on its edge lol).


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Quazar said:


> Toss a coin, its more accurate as theres only two possibilities (unless you manage to get it to land on its edge lol).


Quazar is right. If that worked, people would have been doing it that way for a long time now. It's always a guess, although sometimes you can get pretty good indications of what gender they are. But only with DNA testing or the laying of an egg can you be absolutely sure.


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## horseart4u (Jun 16, 2011)

for real, i have had some good luck by just looking at my birds and knowing the sexes, but have been fooled, i have birds i thought where 100% hens or males by their actions and they turn out the opposite...
i have heard head size & shape, if you hold a young bird and the tail goes up it's a hen, if it goes down its a male, then there is the put your finger in the vent area and see if your finger fits, its a hen, well i have had that prove wrong also..


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## rackerman (Jul 29, 2009)

*Be interesting to see, as long as people do it without all the negitivity. All he is asking is to check and post back. Lets keep the post on track for him.*


shorty2 said:


> I was researching the various ways that people try and determine the gender of pigeons and saw one suggested method that said in males, the middle claw is longer than the outer ones and with females usually have claws that are all the same length.
> 
> Was wondering if we could survey our racing pigeons. If you have a chance, could you examine the birds that you are pretty sure of the sex and post your observations?
> 
> Thanks!


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

I think it would be good to have a survey and see what comes up.. personally I have no need to sex birds. they show themselves when they mature.


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## Happy (Dec 19, 2004)

Shortie2, Not the middle as it is always longer, but the two side Toes. This is True in my 50+ yrs. with Racing. I find it abt. 75% correct, but with anything there are exceptions. This is nothing new, been around a long time. I just check it on the birds that are not obvious to me. Happy


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## Matt Bell (May 5, 2010)

What he is saying is if you look at a pigeons foot like when you are banding it, there are 3 toes in front and 1 in the back. If you hold the 3 front toes together, you want to compare the outside 2 not the middle 1. If the outside 2 are of the same length its a hen, if the outside 2 are of different lengths its a cock. This is pretty accurate in my experience as well.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Matt Bell said:


> What he is saying is if you look at a pigeons foot like when you are banding it, there are 3 toes in front and 1 in the back. If you hold the 3 front toes together, you want to compare the outside 2 not the middle 1. If the outside 2 are of the same length its a hen, if the outside 2 are of different lengths its a cock. This is pretty accurate in my experience as well.


so you are saying if the middle front toe is longer it is a cock?


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## Matt Bell (May 5, 2010)

No...I am saying that if the 'side toes' for lack of better wording are of different lengths it is a cock, if the side toes are of equal length it is a hen. The middle toe is always longer no matter if it is a cock or a hen.


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## Josepe (Jan 10, 2011)

The method with holding the bird and weather the tail goes up or down I've used for years and has usually been I'd say 95% accurate.It's also the way we could tell the difference when we were kids catching railroad pigeons.An old flyer in the neighborhood showed us the method.I usually do it between 4-6 months.But to each their own methods and theories I guess.


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