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

[ItsAZOO32]

oohhh boy.. I have to jump in here too ONLY because I have week old babies

The two EE's that I have are really cute and interesting. This is my first hatch and they are all "mutts" so I'm not sure what they are mixed with etc.

Anyway, I am totally new at the comb thing and someone saw the pic here of my white EE and said that (at 6 days old) it was a roo because it had a comb coming in. BUT.. girls can have combs too right? I mean, then we would always know boys from girls early.

Ideas?

They both also have 5 toes

The white one seems to be a bit of cochin too.

 

[Cadeau]

Feathered legs/feet and 5 toes (and black skin) should be Silkie in the mix somewhere!

 

[ItsAZOO32]

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OH BOY.. I'm excited!! The lady I got the eggs from was really wanting these two but I told her they were the only ones I wanted from the hatch. Hoping they are girls. They were very unique babies from the 25 that hatched.

 

[Delmar]

At what age should I start posting photos, for the purpose of sexing my EEs?

 

[ItsAZOO32]

Oh my gosh! I forgot that I had posted here SOOO long ago

These two little babies are 8 weeks old now.

Meet Guinness

and Speck

I have a post with my birds from this hatch to figure out gender.. They are EE's and other "mutts".. I started posting pics at 3 weeks and they are 8 weeks old now if anyone wants to check out the progression

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=6395704#p6395704


OR take a guess on gender

 

[LoupGarou]

So by the rule of orange, would this EE be a roo or a pullet?

I can get better pics of the bird's comb tomorrow, now that I have a helper here. S/he is about 8 weeks old in those photos, I think, except for the last one. The last one was taken much earlier, maybe when it was 5 weeks old?

 

[ItsAZOO32]

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oohhh pretty

I like him/her.. by that last pic I would say HER but I can't really see the face in the more recent pictures

Try to post large more close up pics of the face .. Not that I am an expert but it's fun to guess LOL

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

LoupGarou -- It's not the color orange that determines the sex, but more the patterns and colors together. I think yours looks like a pullet, but a closer look at the comb would help.



See the splashes or brown on this 10 week old EE roo - typically (but not always), a pullet would not have those splashes - at 10 weeks, this roo still had rounded saddle feathers

The male splashes of coloring that give clues to an EE roo are on the wings, as pictured on this chick, but are more pronounced than on this pullet. Hers are light - a cockerl will many times have darker and larger splashes in that area, like the male chick belonging to the OP.

Sometimes you can't go by coloring - when they get a little older, you can look at their saddle feathers and combs

This is a roo about 10 weeks of age - note the larger, more pronounced comb and the pointed saddle feathers (near his tail) He matured early - many roos don't get pointed saddle feathers till 12-13 weeks of age

A pullet - small comb and rounded feathers.

These next 3 pics are of typical EE pullet type feather patterning - it's the pattern of the colors, not the color itself

The two in the back are very common EE pullet colors - the one in front is also a pullet, but doesn't have the typical female type coloring.

 

[ItsAZOO32]

Wow!! Thank you so much! Those pictures are very helpful!

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[speckledhen]

Can I join in here and say something about pea combed birds, generally? Most EEs, as well as all Ameraucanas, are pea combed. It's another clue besides coloring for you to add to the pot. Though both end up with three rows of "peas", males tend to get them much, much earlier and they tend to raise off the head a bit. The comb tends to be broader as well. Here is a good illustration for you of some six week old Ameraucanas I used to have. Not all are as clear as these, however, but you get the idea:

Blue pullet:

Blue Cockerel:

Black Cockerel--though his comb is not yet pink, you see the wider base and the three rows showing:

Blue Cockerel: