So.. are these roosters?

Please explain about pointed saddle feathers as I was told one had from a friend. Got to looking at the rest and all seem to have more pointed feathers towards the tail. Was expecting a bigger comb like on my Black Astralorp roo to determine sex.

I ordered 4 EE's, wanted the colored eggs. I have one pretty sure female. But these three have me concerned. I had to order 15 birds and got 17. Expected 16 with one being a rooster of some kind. With an order of 14 females and one male I did not think the additional roo would upset the apple cart. Seems I was sent 2 hens did not order. Another cucko maran and I think a black star. If these are roosters I have 4 males to 13 hens and need to get rid of some. First time chicken owner so not comfortable putting anything in the freezer at this time, and honestly not happy about the situation.

I am a bit ticked to be sent roosters in the one breed I ordered more of and really wanted hens in. Do I have a recourse with a hatchery? They can not be this far off when sexing. I could accept 1 of the 4 a roo.. but not 75%.










Pretty sure this is female.. ane yes. her toes on that one leg are messed up but she does fine.

The first picture is pullets

The second one is a cockerel

The third one is probably a cockerel

The fourth one is a cockerel

enola said:

The first picture is pullets

The second one is a cockerel

The third one is probably a cockerel

The fourth one is a cockerel

Click to expand...

What is the difference? How can you tell?

They are Easter Eggers. I can tell by the coloration of their feathers. Someone else can post some pictures to explain saddle feathers.

(One of the pullets is a barred rock)

enola said:

The first picture is pullets

The second one is a cockerel

The third one is probably a cockerel

The fourth one is a cockerel

Click to expand...

I agree. Not an expert but only the 1st one looks like a pullet to me. Similar to my two EE hens. That's kind of the usual color for females...

I know they are easter eggers. I want to know if they are male or female. The one behind should be a Cuckoo Maran. My Barred Rock looks different.

You are right the one I thought was a BR definitely doesn't have yellow legs. I was more concerned that you would think I was calling her an EE.

EE usually have male and female image respectively. That is how I tell.

Someone else will have to explain it more technically, I am not good at that.

Where are you Michael & Donrea?????

I agree, the first bird is a pretty EE pullet. The rest are cockerels.

At this age, there's not really hackle and saddle feathers to go on, it's color, comb and legs IMO. Color is something you just have to develop an eye for. I've looked at literally thousands of birds over the years (yep, way too much time on byc ) and you get to where you can spot the males.

First, these boys have larger, plumper combs, and they're probably a nice triple row of peas on the comb. Your pullet has a basically non-existent comb at this point, it's fleshy colored with usually a single row of peas down the center.

Legs and stance. Look at the pictures you posted. The three males have longer, leggier builds and their legs are thicker. The pullet is still growing, of course, but she is still more rounded and feminine looking, not gawky like the males.

Color. This one gets tricky at times. The black and white bird, on Easter eggers, that's basically a male coloration, with the Colombian type markings (Colombian being black collar and tail). A black and white female will have more black or grey over her entire body, not just concentrated on those areas.
The red birds have darker red shading on the wings. I call this the Kiss of Death--it means male. As they grow and develop, those patches will deepen and become more pronounced, giving you a very eye-catching, flashy, patchy colored bird. In chickens, males are bright and attention getting. Females are softer colored, more drab, their colors blend easily into each other. They're designed for camouflage on a nest, not "Look at Me" like the males.

I would be contacting the hatchery. Honestly, all most of them do is refund you the price of a pullet vs a cockerel. so it's a couple of dollars. Not what you have into them, or the hassle of trying to sell them, or process them for the table.

Is it typical for them to not have a tail like that last one.. the black and brown? Odd coloring on a bird. And I have brown egg laying birds. Black Astralorp, BO, cuckoo marans, SLW, a barred rock.. what happens if I raise a cross from the EE as father x to a brown egg hen. I do have a black astralorp roo as well so I guess it will get interesting before too log with that many?

What you get when you breed an EE rooster to a brown egg layer depends on what genes your rooster has. If he has two blue genes for egg shell color, the pullets would lay a green egg. If he only has one blue gene, then statistically 25% of the resulting chicks would lay a green egg, 75% would lay a brown egg. (I think, someone correct me if I am wrong)