# cock or hen



## Lovelace (Jan 10, 2008)

how can you tell a cock from a hen when they are young? 2 months of age


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## philodice (Sep 30, 2007)

I can tell a cock from a hen about %50 of the time.


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## Lovelace (Jan 10, 2008)

how do you do it?


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## zimmzimm3 (Aug 17, 2007)

That is the Golden Question!! It is very difficult to tell a hen from a cock. I have difficulty telling them when they are grown lol but i am not very experienced


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

philodice said:


> I can tell a cock from a hen about %50 of the time.


Well, I got it.  Apparently they didn't.


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Lovelace said:


> how do you do it?


This is an age old question and no one knows the answer. Short of having a sex linked mating, you just have to wait until they grow up and either lay an egg or don't. People will tell you they can look at a pigeon and tell you. They can't and all they are doing is guessing and like Philodice said, they have a 50/50 chance of getting it right.


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## Snowbird Sue (Dec 31, 2007)

That is the best one I have heard yet!  That is the reason I use "unisex names"!!! I sure wouldn't want "Tom" to end up being a hen!!!


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## DEEJAY7950 (Dec 13, 2006)

Behavior is the best way, but at two months it's really too early to tell, (but there are always exceptions) when they reach sexual maturity around 6 months on average you will notice very obvious behavior especially in the males when their hormones take over, as in life, males fighting, trying to get attention from the females by strutting their stuff and so on! That's why we have a young bird section of the loft, once they are identified, then they go to either hen side or cock side of loft!


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## Matt D. (May 12, 2007)

Well if you are right there when they are born you can tell. If you look at the eggs there is one longer skinnier one and there is one shorter plumper one. The long oval shape egg has a male inside, and the more circular one is the hen. But for this to work you have to someway mark the hen or cock bird so when you band them you can put it now in the registry. Hope that answered your question. It works just about 100% of the time.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

I think it might be best to wait a bit longer before you try to figure it out. I would keep watching them though to see how they act. If you can remember them in the nest, _most of the time_ the one that jumps up and acts all tough when you stick your hand near them, will end up being the male.
Coloration can be a hint too. Like for example, I have a red grizzle cock mated to a blue bar hen. So far, every clutch there has been a pied yellow check baby and a indigo check baby (blue with redish markings). The girl babies will get most of their traits from their dad, and the boys from their mom. Sooooo, all the yellow babies have turned out to be hens, and blue boys. It doesn't always work out like that, but luckily it will (makes it a lot easier). I also have a blue bar hen with a blue check cock. The girl looks like the dad and the boy looks like the mom.

Also in the nest, the bigger baby in general is usually the boy. There's always a chance you will end up with a clutch of the same sex, but so far that hasn't happened with mine. 

Of course you can't always be sure it is a boy or girl until it lays an egg


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## whitesnmore (Sep 9, 2004)

*The shape of the eye*

Your cock bird will have a human shaped eye and a hen will have a round eye without the "tear duct" shape. Check out this against known birds. I have never missexed a bird using this method.
Ken


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## Grim (Jul 28, 2007)

Can you get us a picture example of the eye differences?


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## ohiogsp (Feb 24, 2006)

You will know when a egg comes out of the back end of the bird. That is about it.


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## k-will (Dec 15, 2007)

ohio,thats true,thats the only proof positive.i was surprised no-one mentioned the different bone structure a bird has "down-there" that makes a obvious difference between the 2.i have used this to some degree along with traits and characteristics to sex birds.all used together....still only about 90 percent.i have had cocks lay at my loft.  or so i thought.


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## whitesnmore (Sep 9, 2004)

*eye pics*



Grim said:


> Can you get us a picture example of the eye differences?


Let me know if the pictures upload The perfectly round eye is the hen and the other eye that comes to a point on one side is the cock.
Ken


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

whitesnmore said:


> Let me know if the pictures upload The perfectly round eye is the hen and the other eye that comes to a point on one side is the cock.
> Ken


The pictures loaded fine. Now I'll have to be out looking at eyes all day tomorrow to test this out!  

Terry


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## whitesnmore (Sep 9, 2004)

*eyes*

Terry, Like You werent going to gaze in their eyes anyway  !!


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

That "eye" shows true with Mr. Squeaks... Interesting...

Shi


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## aarongreen123 (Jan 26, 2005)

*what age*

this is cool, everyone must have headed out to their loft and checked this out, whats the verdict? at what age are these eye shapes in place? i have some chicks that i would like to sex if its really this easy!


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## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

whitesnmore said:


> Let me know if the pictures upload The perfectly round eye is the hen and the other eye that comes to a point on one side is the cock.
> Ken



Ken Ole Buddy !

Now, I know you are one of those guys who sees all kinds of things in eyes !... But, the pictures you show are certainly no YB's.....all their eyes look brown to me at four weeks of age, and that is when it would be helpful. At any rate, I am sure your method works at least 50% of the time, which isn't too bad.


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## whitesnmore (Sep 9, 2004)

*Fast Maturing????????*

Warren, I did not send pics of eyes of 4 weeks old. (Would be great if I could get them to mature that fast!!!!) These are old birds eyes but it still works on the same principal. You know me any excuse to gaze into their eyes  
Ken


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## EgypSwiftLady (Jan 14, 2008)

whitesnmore said:


> Let me know if the pictures upload The perfectly round eye is the hen and the other eye that comes to a point on one side is the cock.
> Ken


 Very interesting, I'm going out to check my pair.
Thanks Ken.


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## NetRider (May 6, 2007)

Ok I tried to test on some of my birds, but couldn't see the method working, so here are 4 of my pigeons, which ones are cocks, and which are hens ?






































Of course only one of these are a homer, but it should work on all pigeons shouldn't it ?


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

NetRider said:


> Ok I tried to test on some of my birds, but couldn't see the method working, so here are 4 of my pigeons, which ones are cocks, and which are hens ?
> 
> 
> 
> Of course only one of these are a homer, but it should work on all pigeons shouldn't it ?


Just curious,........do you already know the sexes of these 4 birds? I personally think that if you could simply look at the shape of a pigeons eye and know it's sex, we wouldn't have so many conversations about "is it a cock or hen"......... 
Just seems a little simple for there to be so many pigeons fanciers who can't tell the sexes of their birds.


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## jojo67 (Jul 14, 2007)

I don't think it's the pigeons eyes you have to look at to tell the sex. I think it's the fanciers eyes


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## NetRider (May 6, 2007)

yes Renee, I already know the sex of these 4 birds.

If it matters... the first two are pakistani high fliers, the third one is a tumbler, and the last one is a homer.


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## zimmzimm3 (Aug 17, 2007)

I am not one that claims to be able to tell by the eyes (or even says that it works) but based on the pictures on the first page it looks to me like 1st and 4th ones are cocks and the 2nd and 3rd ones are hens. Am i right?


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## NetRider (May 6, 2007)

if I was to follow those pics on the first page, I would say they are all hens, but before I reveal the answer, lets see if someone else wants to make a guess.

whitesnmore said it never failed for him, so I would love to hear his opinion too


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

I'm just making a wild guess here.........nothing else to do!!  
I say pictures 1, 3 and 4 are hens and picture 2 is a cock. What's the prize for the winner???


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## NetRider (May 6, 2007)

You get to see if the method actually works


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

NetRider said:


> You get to see if the method actually works


Gee........thanks.......


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## zimmzimm3 (Aug 17, 2007)

I am looking forward to the answers


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## ace in the hole (Nov 27, 2007)

I would have to guess the first two to be cocks and the last two to be hens?

Waiting for the answer.  

ACE


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Where is that whitenmore anyway?? We could grow old waiting to find out..........or should I say (for SOME of us)......grow OLDER!!


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## NetRider (May 6, 2007)

Yeah I wonder where he is...

anyhow.. no one got it right so far..


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## zimmzimm3 (Aug 17, 2007)

onsidering none of us can tell you have proven your point. You should PM me the answers lol I am dying to know


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## Grim (Jul 28, 2007)

I see a:

Cock

Cock

Hen

Cock


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## Matt D. (May 12, 2007)

I agree with Grim 3/4 times:

Judging by the eyes I would have to say:

Cock

Hen

Hen

Cock


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## zimmzimm3 (Aug 17, 2007)

Matt D. said:


> I agree with Grim 3/4 times:
> 
> Judging by the eyes I would have to say:
> 
> ...


that's what I said to


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## Matt D. (May 12, 2007)

zimmzimm3 said:


> that's what I said to


Well then you're right in my book!


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## zimmzimm3 (Aug 17, 2007)

Lol to bad we aren't actually right (After I posted my guess Netrider said none so far had been right). Oh well


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## whitesnmore (Sep 9, 2004)

Netrider, The only pictured eye that is clear is no 3 and it is a hen. Send better pics of the others. I see the others eyes but cant tell if there is a tear drop corner or not. Not sure if this works on all pigeons as I have not looked at any other than racers. 
Ken


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## k-will (Dec 15, 2007)

this is old otto meyer stuff here yous are discussing.and even otto himself said it was not 100 percent foolproof.but it was 95 or so. 

me...i have no idea if it works all the time or not.


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## NetRider (May 6, 2007)

I guess you have waited long enough 


Ready for the answer?

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All the 4 birds are cocks  And..... none of them have the tear drop corner, not even the homer.


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