Sexing Day-Old Pheasants by Sex-Linked Down Color

Pheasant propagation and management programs in different areas may emphasize one sex more than the other, so that to distinguish sex at an early age is advantageous. A method of determining the sex of day-old pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) chicks by utilizing the sex-linked mutation di and its wild...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of wildlife management 1967-10, Vol.31 (4), p.741-745
Main Authors: Wentworth, Bernard C., Pollack, E. Michael, Smyth, J. Robert
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:Pheasant propagation and management programs in different areas may emphasize one sex more than the other, so that to distinguish sex at an early age is advantageous. A method of determining the sex of day-old pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) chicks by utilizing the sex-linked mutation di and its wild-type allele,$Di^{+}$is described. The cross of dilute cocks with wild-type hens produced blonde female and wild-type male chicks. All wild-type male chicks developed a normal wild-type juvenile and adult plumage. The blonde female chicks developed straw-colored juvenile and adult plumage. Progeny of pure dilute × dilute matings can also be sexed by differences in back down coloration, the males having a definite faint stripe in contrast to the even coloration of the female back down.
ISSN:0022-541X
1937-2817
DOI:10.2307/3797977