Colored Egg Mix Sexing & Breed

[BrittanyM]

These are our 7 week old chicks from Hoover Hatchery. They're the "colored egg layer" mix, so mostly Easter Eggers and I think the black ones are Cuckoo Marans? We ordered 10, lost 2 the first day and one we culled at 3 weeks due to bad cross beak forming. I'm hoping to have some input on sexing. I have never had EEs before (we already have a flock of Buff Orpingtons, BR & RIR) so #1 is confusing me a bit as the coloring is so different than the others and the comb seems redder? Does this look like a roo to you all? Also the 2 Cuckoos are crazy different sizes, #3 has always been the smallest of the batch but seems to be developing wattles and a comb quicker than #2 which has always been the biggest chick of the batch and thinks it runs the coop. I am guessing #3 is a roo though it's #2 that acts like one. We've been slowly integrating them into our other flock and #2 will run up to challenge the adult hens which is entertaining to watch lol. Also #4 what is the poof on its head called? My kids love that one. Any ideas on breeds within the EE's would be helpful as well, but I've read it's sort of impossible to figure that out. We don't currently have any roos so we're good with at least one but I'd love not to end up with 2 if possible.

 

[fluffycrow]

The cuckoo marans could both be cockerels. 3 I'd say is more likely. The EEs look like pullets

 

[SchwartzLakeFarmNC]

The cuckoo marans could both be cockerels. 3 I'd say is more likely. The EEs look like pullets

I agree, but I'm more concerned about #1 the EE, I'm saying Pullet now but it does give me pause, some the feather is unusual, but nothing says Cockerel yet, but I could be wrong. I'm sure there are more experienced on here that will weigh in soon but this is my best guess at the moment.

 

[JedJackson]

The Easter eggers are all definite pullets. The other two are single barred, so they cannot be cuckoo Marans cockerels. They could be cuckoo Marans pullets that are just developing quickly, or they could be black sex link cockerels.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Also #4 what is the poof on its head called?

It's called a crest.. like the crested cream Legbar. I think the pattern indicates cross not pure.. but I'm not an expert.

All look like pullets to me, including #1 which feather color is pullet specific! But I would be watching #3 for sudden red development of comb/wattles over the next week or so.. #2 just looks like a beefy pullet to me.

Marans, in my experience were very rambunctious and boisterous youngsters.. I was worried they'd be jerks.. but matured into some of the most well rounded flock mates (roosters were some of my faves). Also they usually show their gender early enough (5-6 weeks).. If you do get and keep a CM rooster, all his offspring will be cuckoo as well. Comb and wattle size and color are the biggest clues at this point.. Temperature flushing doesn't look the same as hormone red/plumpness.. and can be heavily influenced by lighting and reflections.

The bearded EE probably have some Ameraucana in the mix. Many hatcheries claim to have Araucana in the mix.. Hoover's just states that up to 15% of them will lay brown or cream colored eggs due to the mix. Both mine are non bearded.. one lays blue the other cream and glitchy.

 

[BrittanyM]

That is all so helpful, thank you! I'm especially glad to hear the EE isn't. She is very pretty, just the longer hackle feathers compared to our others made me nervous.

I'm also glad to hear that about the Marans! We had Black Copper Marans years ago and I loved them, though they were never super friendly. Here is an older photo of the Cuckoo Marans if it is of interest. This was when they were 3 weeks. #2 is on the left, #3 on the right.

 

[fluffycrow]

The Easter eggers are all definite pullets. The other two are single barred, so they cannot be cuckoo Marans cockerels. They could be cuckoo Marans pullets that are just developing quickly, or they could be black sex link cockerels.

Aha. Will do more research on the barring gene. For now I'll take a step back from sexing them and only sex birds I'm good at

 

[JedJackson]

Aha. Will do more research on the barring gene. For now I'll take a step back from sexing them and only sex birds I'm good at

Don't do that. You do a great job. We're all making our best educated guesses on here. No one is right all the time. All of us are learning as we go.

 

[fluffycrow]

Don't do that. You do a great job. We're all making our best educated guesses on here. No one is right all the time. All of us are learning as we go.

Thank you so much for that. It means a lot. Unfortunately with the barred gene I've made two mistakes too many. I will so some research in the next few days and hopefully I'll be able to help with those as well

 

[Iluveggers]

Was olive egger or some type of green layer a possibility? If so, your barred birds might be green layers. Often Cuckoo Marans are used in that configuration.