# Determining Sex



## pigeonsrock (Dec 10, 2006)

I have researched and researched and I've not been able to find out how to tell a male from female. The guy who I got my pigeons from, looks at their eyes to tell if they are a male or female. How is this done? I know I can watch for behaviors but I would like a more instant way.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

If you type in "determining sex" in our search forum you will come up with alot of threads and possibly the eye sign information.


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## warriec (Feb 2, 2007)

Some people at a glance can tell male and female but i usually found that it is not so easy, best to wait till the birds are over 7months and watch for the males courting rituals (cooing) its a sure sign. younger than this its difficult because females also coo a little bit.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Well, Pigeonsrock, when I first found Squeaks, I knew nothing about caring for pigeons.

I took him to a man who had racing homing pigeons. Dennis checked his wing and said, yes, the wing was broken. He also said that I had a "squeaker," hence his name. He compared the length of this legs - at least that's what it looked to me, and said I had a male. I thought the same thing but my "feeling" was only a "gut" reaction (nothing scientific at all!)

Sure enough...a DEFINITE male I had! 

There are other "theories" to tell a male from a female, BUT I've never heard of a male laying an egg! Only hens do that!


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## homer II (Mar 10, 2007)

*sexes*

I cannot tell males from females until they start cooing. Laugh at me but this worked on my birds. I was told to tie a piece of string 8 or 10 inches long to a small piece of weight. A small washer will work. Hold the bird rump up and place the washer on the rump, slowly bring it up until it is about a inch abouve the rump. The washer will begin to go back and forth or in a circle, If it goes in a circle it is a hen if it goes in a straight line it is a male. 

This may be a myth but it worked on 13 of the 14 birds i have. It was wrong on one! 

Let me know if it works for you! Try it on birds that you know the sex of first. This is not guarenteed so don't get mad at me if it doesn't work!


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

homer II said:


> I cannot tell males from females until they start cooing. Laugh at me but this worked on my birds. I was told to tie a piece of string 8 or 10 inches long to a small piece of weight. A small washer will work. Hold the bird rump up and place the washer on the rump, slowly bring it up until it is about a inch abouve the rump. The washer will begin to go back and forth or in a circle, If it goes in a circle it is a hen if it goes in a straight line it is a male.
> 
> This may be a myth but it worked on 13 of the 14 birds i have. It was wrong on one!
> 
> Let me know if it works for you! Try it on birds that you know the sex of first. This is not guarenteed so don't get mad at me if it doesn't work!


I would LOVE to know how many run out for some string and a small washer! Stranger things....

For those who DO try this...PLEASE let us know...

Yes, but Homer, some cooing can fool ya! We've had members who SWORE they had a male...until HE laid an egg!! LOL


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## Hamza (Dec 28, 2006)

*Coo's are the key!*

Here, breeders tell teh gender by coos..
They put 2 pijies together (unmated) , if there's a male, it'll coo if the other is a male/female.. If both coo, both are males..

If none of the 2 coo, they are 2 females, and are tested by placing them with an already known male..


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## warriec (Feb 2, 2007)

I purchased a overly exited male homer who is paired up. When i want to check the sexes i just take him and the new bird and place together and watch his reactions


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## george simon (Feb 28, 2006)

homer II said:


> I cannot tell males from females until they start cooing. Laugh at me but this worked on my birds. I was told to tie a piece of string 8 or 10 inches long to a small piece of weight. A small washer will work. Hold the bird rump up and place the washer on the rump, slowly bring it up until it is about a inch abouve the rump. The washer will begin to go back and forth or in a circle, If it goes in a circle it is a hen if it goes in a straight line it is a male.
> 
> This may be a myth but it worked on 13 of the 14 birds i have. It was wrong on one!
> 
> Let me know if it works for you! Try it on birds that you know the sex of first. This is not guarenteed so don't get mad at me if it doesn't work!


 All you need is a piece of string and regular sewing needle. When I was a youngester some 60years ago that is what we used and does work very well in fact some guy has been sell this thing to many people for about $15 GEORGE


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## piney_creek (Jun 5, 2006)

Use a string and a magnet....................guaranteed to work..........

PINEY


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## warriec (Feb 2, 2007)

Hi Piney,

Is there any logic in how the string and magnet works in determining sex of the pigeons


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

piney_creek said:


> Use a string and a magnet....................*guaranteed* to work..........
> 
> PINEY


That's a pretty strong word............. 
If that's the case, there is no need for ANYONE to ever wonder again what sex thier pigeon is..............
Having said that, I've never tried this method, so don't know if it works or not. 
Where would you buy a magnet anyway? At what age are you suppose to use this thing? I might have to test it out, just to see what kind of results I get.............


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## warriec (Feb 2, 2007)

Hi Renee,

This dont make sense, but i am going to try this out now and i will keep you posted.

only once i saw something like this and this was not done at a pigeon but at a psychics house. they were looking for some spirit.


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## alvin (May 10, 2006)

A skirt and high heels. If the bird is wearing them, it's a sure sign it's a hen....or maybe Anne Coulter.


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## warriec (Feb 2, 2007)

Hey Alvin, we also have some birds who are confused so the skirt and heel wont be accurate (joking) we may have some cross dressers to deal with.


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## alvin (May 10, 2006)

Hey Waric, check out the only way to confirm the gender of a Pijie


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## piney_creek (Jun 5, 2006)

*Sexing with a magnet*

The ol' dude that I got my pigeons from showed me how to sex a bird with a magnet. He had a small round nickel sized magnet glued to a piece of fishing twine, he held the pigeon very still and held the magnet on the string over its head. If the magnet swung in a straight line it was a cock, if it was a hen it swung in a circular motion. The guy has at least 500 pigeons and been in the business for 50 years! He swears by this method. It will work if you try on a humans head also.......try it before you knock it! LOL!

PINEY


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## warriec (Feb 2, 2007)

I am still to try this, will get back.


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

alvin said:


> Hey Waric, check out the only way to confirm the gender of a Pijie


I had forgotten your hilarious post.
I will give it a try when in doubt about the gender of a pidgie.

Reti


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## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

*Most accurate methods...*



pigeonsrock said:


> I have researched and researched and I've not been able to find out how to tell a male from female. The guy who I got my pigeons from, looks at their eyes to tell if they are a male or female. How is this done? I know I can watch for behaviors but I would like a more instant way.


Hello Pigeons Rock, 

Just about every sex selection system is going to be correct at least 50% of the time when used over a large number of test subjects. In some of my pairings, I am able to auto sex my birds by color which will be close to 100% accurate, I am 100% accurate when I base my sex selection on whether they lay eggs or not, egg layers are always female.....


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## warriec (Feb 2, 2007)

Hi Warren,

Your method is the same way i do, only when they lay eggs i confirm the sexes. note that the egg sitting time is also not accurate. I have seen the same bird sitting thru out the day and night.


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## homer II (Mar 10, 2007)

*String thing*

Just try the string thing! I did by using a piece of fishing line tied to a washer. I also tried it on myself and my wife by holding over our palms. I was glad that she is a hen!!!!!


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