Having just returned from a show in Leipzig, Germany where feathered stock of all sorts changed hands, geese, chickens, ducks, pigeons, canaries, parrots and lots more varieties, I was asked to pen these few notes on how to make a sex indicator as I have given hundreds away over the years and have had the enjoyment of making them in my workshop as I repair watches for a profession.
I first saw one of these sex indicators made from a dime coin in the USA some 20 or more years ago and started making them to give to friends and other fanciers as a useful tool in the sexing of young birds. Most of these fanciers swear by them especially when buying in new birds or when they are looking to sell hens or cocks as requested and want to be sure they are selling the correct sex.
The start of your adventure with this invaluable tool starts here. We all have old coins about the house and that is all you need, I have indeed several in my breeding section but my favourite and the one that gets used the most is a 1942 Irish 3d. I enclose a photo of same so that you can see how it looks and how it is put together.
I prefer the smaller coins like the dime, farthing, one pence, five pence or the five cents coin. All you need to do is drill a small hole just inside the outer edge of the coin so that you can pass a thread through it and tie a knot securing the coin at one end as the photo shows. I normally put a loop at the other end but I have seen them with a piece of card, plastic or even wooden lollipop sticks so that you can wrap the thread around when not in use. You do not need the thread any longer than 20cm/8inches as you will see.
The piece of thread that is used to sew seed and grain bags is ideal and a never-ending supply is there for all to use. So you can make loads with all the old coins and give them to your friends and just stand back to see the look of amazement on their faces as they sex their own young birds.
Now to how it all works . . .
