Easter Egger Chicks (or not?)

[Fwoof]

I was considering adding some new additions to the flock, and my local feed store happened to have chicks, so I got some yesterday! A Buff Orpington, a Sicilian Buttercup, and two chicks that appear to be Easter Eggers from an assorted breeds bin. Or are they? Since Easter Egger chicks and Dorking chicks look very similar, I wanted to verify what they are. I'm no breed expert when it comes to chicks!

 

[azygous]

I agree with @speckledhen that the chick that's drinking a lot of water and hanging away from the heat should be taken as a "canary in the coal mine" that the brooder is too warm. Raise the heat lamp. Or if the room is 75F, turn it off all together. Baby chicks need nowhere near the amount of heat that people think they do.

If you were to see my day-old chicks installed in an outdoor brooder in my protected run and how they spend most of a 55F day running around and not glued under the heat source, you would understand how a heat source should work. You aren't baking cookies. Chicks have agency to choose when they need to warm up, and it matters very little how cool the rest of the brooder is.

 

[Fwoof]

Chicks never look identical but im going based on the white legs and the white chest

I think they are Easter Eggers.

Is there a defining difference between what the two breeds look like as chicks?

 

[Poultrybonkers]

Is there a defining difference between what the two breeds look like as chicks?

Usually ees have pea combs those have single though ees can look like anything because its just a mix breed. You will know if they start getting white in them otherwise its a waiting game lol

 

[speckledhen]

With regular chick starter and nothing else, you really don't need grit, but a sprinkle on their floor is fine. They'll pick it up. Some starters may have grit in them-it would be on the ingredient label, though, or should be. I've never given them grit here, personally, though it's fine if you don't do more than a pinch. Mine are usually out on the ground with mom and they naturally pick it up.
As far as the heat, could be it's too warm, yeah. Maybe she is just different though, maybe larger or just more hot natured as the others. If they all have room to get away from the heat as they grow, they'll regulate themselves.
The reddish ones look like Speckled Sussex. They have a single comb. Hard to ID EE chicks this young, really. So many look like other breeds.

 

[speckledhen]

Baby chicks need nowhere near the amount of heat that people think they do.

Absolutely right, I agree.

 

[Fwoof]

With regular chick starter and nothing else, you really don't need grit, but a sprinkle on their floor is fine. They'll pick it up. Some starters may have grit in them-it would be on the ingredient label, though, or should be. I've never given them grit here, personally, though it's fine if you don't do more than a pinch. Mine are usually out on the ground with mom and they naturally pick it up.
As far as the heat, could be it's too warm, yeah. Maybe she is just different though, maybe larger or just more hot natured as the others. If they all have room to get away from the heat as they grow, they'll regulate themselves.
The reddish ones look like Speckled Sussex. They have a single comb. Hard to ID EE chicks this young, really. So many look like other breeds.

I agree with @speckledhen that the chick that's drinking a lot of water and hanging away from the heat should be taken as a "canary in the coal mine" that the brooder is too warm. Raise the heat lamp. Or if the room is 75F, turn it off all together. Baby chicks need nowhere near the amount of heat that people think they do.

If you were to see my day-old chicks installed in an outdoor brooder in my protected run and how they spend most of a 55F day running around and not glued under the heat source, you would understand how a heat source should work. You aren't baking cookies. Chicks have agency to choose when they need to warm up, and it matters very little how cool the rest of the brooder is.

Absolutely right, I agree.

I'll lower the temperature a bit and see how they like it. Sometimes I let them out into the yard to explore for about 10-20 minutes and sometimes they find a tasty bug or two during playtime. I'll offer them grit after their outings.
Thank you for all of this info! I'm really grateful for this helpful community.

 

[Fwoof]

~Update~

My chicks aren't looking like EEs OR Speckled Sussex.
I've never seen this coloring before, does anybody have any ideas about what they are? (The last feathers on both of their wings are pure white.)

 

[FrostRanger]

Easter eggers are basically mutts so they can look like anything, you won't know for sure until you get eggs

 

[ChickaChicka1]

Easter eggers are basically mutts so they can look like anything, you won't know for sure until you get eggs

Agreed! They're going to be gorgeous though if that helps!