# Determining gender of pigeon squeakers



## prophecy (Jul 10, 2008)

How do I determine the gender of my lil squeakers???(between 6-7weeks old)


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## rackerman (Jul 29, 2009)

I don't think there is away, maybe a blood test?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

prophecy said:


> How do I determine the gender of my lil squeakers???(between 6-7weeks old)


Im surprized you did'nt know this answer, you have been around here for 2 years...

the only way to tell the sex 100% is when they mature at 5 to 6 months and start to nest and lay eggs, or get a DNA blood test done.


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## cotdt (Apr 26, 2010)

I read that there is a 70% chance that the first baby that hatches will be a male, and 70% chance that the 2nd baby will be female.


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## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

After time with breeding and raising the birds Most can get a good idea of what sex a young bird may be. Race birds are rather easy to tell at about 3 weeks of age. And like said most are easy to tell after you have been in the hobby long enough. and know your breed type. There are even storys about a few breeders that can tell from the egg size Thats really knowing your birds.


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## Symbro (Oct 28, 2005)

my favorite way to sex pigeon babies is breeding a red hen to a blue cock... all red offspring are cocks and all blue offspring are hens...

*edit*
breeding a red cock to a blue hen... the color of the offspring does not helping in sexing. This only works with blue cock / red hen.
*edit*


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## Matt Bell (May 5, 2010)

Not 100% accurate but its pretty close, take the foot, hold the two outside toes together, if they are the same length its a hen, if the toes are different length then its a cock. Had an old time fancier show me that, and its not 100% accurate but its incredibly close.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Matt Bell said:


> Not 100% accurate but its pretty close, take the foot, hold the two outside toes together, if they are the same length its a hen, if the toes are different length then its a cock. Had an old time fancier show me that, and its not 100% accurate but its incredibly close.


When I first found Mr. Squeaks (he was only about a month old, hence his name), I was referred to Dennis, who had racing homing pigeons. He did the same thing and said I had a cock. Funny thing...I felt he was a male too but had nothing to base it on except my "guts."

I was also shown this method at a pigeon show at our State Fair by one of the judges.

Many thanks, Matt...

Shi and Mr. Squeaks - a male with ATTITUDE!


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## sreeshs (Aug 16, 2009)

Matt Bell said:


> Not 100% accurate but its pretty close, take the foot, hold the two outside toes together, if they are the same length its a hen, if the toes are different length then its a cock. Had an old time fancier show me that, and its not 100% accurate but its incredibly close.


Can someone explain a little more ? The toes in the sense, the two front ones on one single leg ? Or both legs ?


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## Matt Bell (May 5, 2010)

You can use either leg, that part doesn't matter. I always use the leg which I'm not banding as once in a while you may break a toes etc which could give a false reading. You hold the three toes together flat as if you were going to slip a band over them, if the two outside toes are the same length its a hen, if they are different lengths its a cock. Sometimes there is a huge difference and sometimes you have to look very close.


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## doveone52 (Aug 3, 2009)

That is very cool! I'm gonna check my squeakers toes right now!


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

doveone52 said:


> That is very cool! I'm gonna check my squeakers toes right now!


Great! Let us know if the "toes" knows...even tho we have to wait awhile...  

Shi and the gang


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## Matt Bell (May 5, 2010)

When I was first shown this I went out to my breeder loft to see if I could find an exception since I already knew what was what in there, low and behold everyone was shown correct with the toes. Now I did miss a couple in the nest, I would always right down in my records the toe prediction just to see if it was correct.


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## doveone52 (Aug 3, 2009)

Well, the indian fans were kind of hard but the clean leg ones are exactIy what I thought they were! I'm going to go through all my birds and keep a record, as Matt suggested!


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## rfboyer (Jun 18, 2009)

Matt Bell said:


> Not 100% accurate but its pretty close, take the foot, hold the two outside toes together, if they are the same length its a hen, if the toes are different length then its a cock. Had an old time fancier show me that, and its not 100% accurate but its incredibly close.


Does this also work with adult birds (assuming they can be caught and made to hold still for the examination) or only on squeakers? 
Do the feet stay flexible enough to make the comparison as they grow up?


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## Keith C. (Jan 25, 2005)

Most human women have longer index fingers then ring fingers.
Most human males have longer ring fingers then index fingers.


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## Matt Bell (May 5, 2010)

True Keith, but my fiance is an exception to that rule, lol. It does hold true for adult pigeons, thats how I tested it in my loft when told about it. I knew what the adults already were, so I used the toes to see if it was accurate, it is.


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## sreeshs (Aug 16, 2009)

Matt Bell said:


> You can use either leg, that part doesn't matter. I always use the leg which I'm not banding as once in a while you may break a toes etc which could give a false reading. You hold the three toes together flat as if you were going to slip a band over them, if the two outside toes are the same length its a hen, if they are different lengths its a cock. Sometimes there is a huge difference and sometimes you have to look very close.


Ok  one more doubt please: when you say two outside toes, while holding the three toes together flat as in banding, you are referring to the first and third toes combination or the first and second, second and third combination  ?

I didn't get quite success in the method so just wanted to re-check, that's why......


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## 2y4life (Apr 5, 2010)

sreeshs said:


> Ok  one more doubt please: when you say two outside toes, while holding the three toes together flat as in banding, you are referring to the first and third toes combination or the first and second, second and third combination  ?
> 
> I didn't get quite success in the method so just wanted to re-check, that's why......


He's talking about first and third toe combo.

My two cents, after talking to a homer pro, show roller pro, and a roller pro, they all said there is no clear cut, proven method to sexing pigeon until you see their mating behavior. The second best method outside of mating behavior are the bones by the birds vent but that only works with older birds. It's virtually impossible to correctly determine the gender of squeakers but I guess it's always 50-50.


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## smiffycol (Jan 9, 2022)

I have found the foot sexing method very accurate.but you always get an exception to the rule.as with humans it depends on the amount of testosterone in the male or female.so you can get a cocky hen or a heny cock.i also bought a sexing magnet & this works 99% of the time.,,& Used this with the foot method is excellent.


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