Easter Egger Sexing "tips and tricks" *Pictures Included*

[Apow]

12 weeks

 

[kenzier093]

This is a great comparison. Your pullet looks like the female version of the cockerel above. The big differences I see are that she has a small pale comb and the color on her wings is spread very evenly. There are no large patches interrupting the lighter partridge/lacing pattern. It's hard to see from the photo, but I'd be surprised if the reddish-brown on the wings is as red as it appears on a cockerel.

Both birds are pretty. Wish I had one colored like that.

Thanks! I got her this year from Cackle. She is somewhere around 17 weeks old. They sent me the most pretty EE's I have ever had! I am going to hatch some eggs out from these EE's next spring and I can't wait to see what color chicks I will get!

 

[Apow]

Looks like a pullet to me.  How old is it?

 

[Apow]

sorry for the double post. 12 weeks.

 

[FVRM]

^ I have one that kind of looks like that, I hope mine's a she...

I'm curious as to how there are certain signs of coloring that make them for sure roosters when everything I've been reading is that anything goes for EE's because of their mixed backgrounds. Are there ever any exceptions to the rules??

Well in the bird world most of the males will always be more colorful than the females. In the case of EEs males will still show certain colors that are only seen in males like bright red feathers in the chest or wings. so even though they are mixed they still have male/female characteristics.

 

[mama2molly]

Okay, that makes sense! Thanks for the education, sorry if it seems like a dumb question...

 

[Wishing4Wings]

12 weeks

Then I'm sticking with pullet. The comb doesn't show at all in profile (the 3rd pic). It would have to be a really late bloomer to be a cockerel.

 

[mo-diggity]

I'm so happy this thread exists I was sold an "Ameraucana" but I'm sure it's an EE, as it came from a large hatchery and I know that's usually how they try to sell the EEs. I don't mind, I'm happy with the choice!

We ordered 4 chicks (2 RIRs, 1 Plymouth Rock, 1 EE); they are just over 4 weeks old at this point. Their feathers are coming in, and I can pretty easily identify that two are pullets based on their body types. Another I'm fairly certain is a girl, but our EE (Tina Turner) has either really determined that she is the top of the pecking order or has truly started to show roo qualities. I'm going to refer to "her" as a "her" for the sake of explanation.

She's the hardest one to catch and HATES being picked up, and constantly tries to escape my grasp when around the other chicks. She's totally fine if I carry her out of their sight, and then she acts very friendly, mellow, calm and stops trying to escape my grasp. But, she goes ballistic when she gets within eyesight of the other chicks. When I set her down, she runs all over the place and gets in everyone's face, like she wants to make sure they're all ok. (I know not all chickens like beying held, but we've handled ours a lot in the last four weeks to get them accustomed to us and being picked up. Her objection to being held is a recent development.)

None of the other chicks seem to mind her behavior, but I think she plays favorites to one of the RIRs and is always trying to get next to her and get in her business...I can't tell if that's a display of dominance from one pullet to another as they vie for a place in the pecking order or if Tina has selected her "favored hen" (can they even do that at four weeks old?).

Her comb started coming in first, and is barely tinted red. She is larger than the others by quite a bit, but that could be a breed difference as we have three different types across the four birds. Her behavior has definitely escalated in the past week or so, and even though it is in no way violent towards me or the other chickens, I'm observing her a lot more.

Is it possible to sext based on this behavior? Essentially I'm wondering if this is dominant cockerel behavior or a pullet vying (and ultimately claiming) her roll as the queen bee. We are first-time chicken owners and despite my months of research and obsession with chickens, there is nothing like owning chickens to really get a sense of what they're like! I'm pretty certain Tina is a cockerel, but it's just a hunch...

I'll post an update with photos soon. I don't have any recent ones with their closer-to-full-grown feathers right now. Any help based on behaviors, though, is appreciated

 

[Brookshire11]

I'm so happy this thread exists I was sold an "Ameraucana" but I'm sure it's an EE, as it came from a large hatchery and I know that's usually how they try to sell the EEs. I don't mind, I'm happy with the choice!

We ordered 4 chicks (2 RIRs, 1 Plymouth Rock, 1 EE); they are just over 4 weeks old at this point. Their feathers are coming in, and I can pretty easily identify that two are pullets based on their body types. Another I'm fairly certain is a girl, but our EE (Tina Turner) has either really determined that she is the top of the pecking order or has truly started to show roo qualities. I'm going to refer to "her" as a "her" for the sake of explanation.

She's the hardest one to catch and HATES being picked up, and constantly tries to escape my grasp when around the other chicks. She's totally fine if I carry her out of their sight, and then she acts very friendly, mellow, calm and stops trying to escape my grasp. But, she goes ballistic when she gets within eyesight of the other chicks. When I set her down, she runs all over the place and gets in everyone's face, like she wants to make sure they're all ok. (I know not all chickens like beying held, but we've handled ours a lot in the last four weeks to get them accustomed to us and being picked up. Her objection to being held is a recent development.)

None of the other chicks seem to mind her behavior, but I think she plays favorites to one of the RIRs and is always trying to get next to her and get in her business...I can't tell if that's a display of dominance from one pullet to another as they vie for a place in the pecking order or if Tina has selected her "favored hen" (can they even do that at four weeks old?).

Her comb started coming in first, and is barely tinted red. She is larger than the others by quite a bit, but that could be a breed difference as we have three different types across the four birds. Her behavior has definitely escalated in the past week or so, and even though it is in no way violent towards me or the other chickens, I'm observing her a lot more.

Is it possible to sext based on this behavior? Essentially I'm wondering if this is dominant cockerel behavior or a pullet vying (and ultimately claiming) her roll as the queen bee. We are first-time chicken owners and despite my months of research and obsession with chickens, there is nothing like owning chickens to really get a sense of what they're like! I'm pretty certain Tina is a cockerel, but it's just a hunch...

I'll post an update with photos soon. I don't have any recent ones with their closer-to-full-grown feathers right now. Any help based on behaviors, though, is appreciated

It's sooo hard to tell without pictures, but the fact that the comb is pinking up that early..seems rooish.

Here was my EE roo at 4 weeks


Here were his EE "sisters" at the same time

 

[abserbean]

Behavior at four weeks is not a good indicator, girl's will vie for their spot on pecking order, and usually one will come out dominant. I have an ee pullet who freaks out if we hold her, and a roo who is pretty calm and friendly. Although some roos and pullets exhibit classic behavior, it is by no way an indication. Post pics showing a close up of the comb and an overall feather pattern, and I'm sure you will get some great input.