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

[junebuggena]

Neither one has a three row comb. A rooster will always develop a three row comb. Therefore, they are girls.
Boy comb.

Girl comb.

These two EEs are about 6,7 weeks in these pics. I'm pretty sure the white one is a cockerel but I'm not sold on whether the darker grey one is a pullet or a cockerel. I put a close up of the head of the grey one in so you can see his comb. What do you think?

 

[magdelaine]

Neither one has a three row comb. A rooster will always develop a three row comb. Therefore, they are girls.
Boy comb.

Girl comb.

Dang, I hope you are right! I had folks in another group tell me both were cockerels.

 

[junebuggena]

Pea combs are really easy to tell girls from boys. A cockerel pea comb will always develop 3 rows of 'peas'. Always. A pullet might have a slightly pink comb, but if she only has a single 'ridge,' there is no doubt it's a girl.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

These two EEs are about 6,7 weeks in these pics. I'm pretty sure the white one is a cockerel but I'm not sold on whether the darker grey one is a pullet or a cockerel. I put a close up of the head of the grey one in so you can see his comb. What do you think?

I think you need to wait a bit longer for the first one. I agree with junebuggena about the combs, but some combs will develop more slowly than others, and some EEs will have modified pea combs due to mixing breeds, so they can surprise you. The first one also has a lot of white on the wings and thick looking legs, however there's no cockerel red on the wings. I would like to see a pic when this bird is 8+ wks old. My initial thought was cockerel, but now I'm on the fence.

The gray one looks more like a pullet both in comb and color pattern. Are there any more of those salmon feathers coming in on the wings? I can see one.

 

[magdelaine]

Pea combs are really easy to tell girls from boys. A cockerel pea comb will always develop 3 rows of 'peas'. Always. A pullet might have a slightly pink comb, but if she only has a single 'ridge,' there is no doubt it's a girl.

Because I'm learning, I took another couple of pics of them...now at nine weeks. I also took a body shot of the dark grey in case feather pattern will help make things clearer. I realized that while their combs are pink, their combs are still very flat and underdeveloped compared to other pics I've seen, so maybe there ARE pullets. I really hope so. It's a good thing I didn't sell them or give them away quite yet!

 

[junebuggena]

Because I'm learning, I took another couple of pics of them...now at nine weeks. I also took a body shot of the dark grey in case feather pattern will help make things clearer. I realized that while their combs are pink, their combs are still very flat and underdeveloped compared to other pics I've seen, so maybe there ARE pullets. I really hope so. It's a good thing I didn't sell them or give them away quite yet!

 

[magdelaine]

Yay! Well, that's a relief. I have 8 splash/white split Ameraucana chicks that are three weeks old that I will be trying to determine sex on soon. I was thinking they were all cockerels after the "guidance" I got on those two elsewhere. Thanks!

 

[lamanfarms]

When can I expect my chickens to be full grown? they are about 10 weeks old now.

 

[junebuggena]

They reach their adult size by 16 to 20 weeks.

 

[magdelaine]

I think you need to wait a bit longer for the first one. I agree with junebuggena about the combs, but some combs will develop more slowly than others, and some EEs will have modified pea combs due to mixing breeds, so they can surprise you. The first one also has a lot of white on the wings and thick looking legs, however there's no cockerel red on the wings. I would like to see a pic when this bird is 8+ wks old. My initial thought was cockerel, but now I'm on the fence.

The gray one looks more like a pullet both in comb and color pattern. Are there any more of those salmon feathers coming in on the wings? I can see one.

Somehow I missed this post. I did post pics taken today, they turned 8 weeks on Saturday. Other than that one salmon feather, I haven't seen any others popping up. Mothers of both are sex links with the sire being an EE, so I totally understand what you mean by mixed breeds causing surprises with the combs. We will wait and see. When should I see the comb growing if either are boys?