Sexing Easter Eggers

[ElizH]

I've never had frizzled birds (some look sort of frizzled) and all of my EEs have always had single combs. So I'm not the best judge. Just browsed through the photos quickly and I do see some that seem like pullets but EEs are so hard! Have to make breakfast for my husband since kids will destroy kitchen if i let them go at it alone but I'll try to come back later and look at each one individually. Hopefully this comment will bump your thread back up and others will way in!

Thank you!! I think I’ve got a mix of both and I do want to keep a cockrel... I just only need to keep one

 

[ElizH]

Started a thread about one of my easter eggers - not sure if it is an EE - and I’m curious about sexing it, if it is. I’d love anyone in this thread’s input, as you guys seem like the EE brain trust.

 

[Bongoline]

How do we feel about Pepper? 12 week old EE. Last pic is size comparison to a 12 week old BO. Thanks!

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agreed, this looks like a pullet to me although they have some roo like characteristics. I think her comb would be brighter if she was a rooster and she would have glassier neck feathers and pointy saddle feathers. Also Maybe some iridescence in the tail. The thing that makes me really think hen in the shape of the tail feathers and the pattern on her back. What is her behavior like? I think it’s likely you have a hen.

 

[Bongoline]

Hi all! This is my first time with Easter Eggers so I'd love some help with sexing. These two are 6 weeks old and supposed to be pullets. One has a flatter comb than the other, but both combs are more tan/orange than pink/red. I heard you can tell sex by patterning? Any thoughts?

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To me these both look like pullets, tan is a good color for a hen that age and both combs appear to be single row pea combs. Neither is showing red patches on the shoulder and have fairly consistent even patterns on the back. You’ll have more clarity in the next few weeks but I think those are pullets

 

[atm21]

I have another Easter egger crested cross that I’m curious about it’s also 6 weeks. I’m pretty sure it’s a rooster at least that’s what my gut tells me more based on attitude, but was curious if anyone still could tell. Maybe I’m jumping the gun but it’s my favorite one of course and don’t those typically become roosters lol

 

[Painted Calls]

Hello! New member here, I have some 6 week old Easter Eggers, I know it can be hard to tell, but any guesses on if I have hens or roos? They were supposed the be sexed female from Hoover's hatchery, but I know that's not perfect. I am thinking #1 is maybe a roo from the coloring, but not sure!

All appear to be pullets.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Help me out w this one! She is very timid/afraid & will not sit on our lap or get petted. About 10 weeks.
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Are you asking gender? If so, she is an EE pullet.

 

[Painted Calls]

Are you asking gender? If so, she is an EE pullet.

Agreed.

 

[Offshoreorca]

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If one was to speculate gender. …2 weeks

Too young yet - and a photo of the comb would be helpful. Post again in a couple weeks and we might be able to guess

 

[G Alice]

Vent sexing is the only thing you can do to sex when they're very young. 5 weeks is usually the minimum for sexing pea-combed breeds. Some claim to do it earlier by the width of the peas (3 rows--cockerel, 1 row--pullet), but I find this doesn't work for EEs. Many birds will make you wait until they're 8 weeks to be really clear on sex. Obviously nothing is 100% until they crow or lay, but we can generally get to be 99% sure by 8-12 weeks.

Easter Eggers tend to have specific color patterns that are different in males and females. Generally, there is what I have taken to calling: partridge and black and white (there are many variations on these, but they are the basics).

Pullet patterns often flow evenly down the body. Cockerel patterns are broken up with splotches of color, especially dark red patches (like the partridge cockerel in the photo). Pullets tend to have the same color on their heads and necks, whereas cockerels tend to develop a separate head color and neck color.

The below photo is what I try to use to explain this:



The bird in the very top of the photo is a partridge cockerel.
Then a partridge pullet.
Then a black and white cockerel.
Then a black and white pullet.

Here are some of the same birds in individual photos:

Partridge cockerel (notice the red splotches across the shoulders, the orange head with gold hackles):


Partridge pullet (even color pattern, no red splotches, orange head and orange hackles, salmon breast--this one is always a pullet trait):

Black and white cockerels (very splotchy coloring, head is white and hackles are black):


Black and white pullet (head is white and hackles are white, color pattern is the same all over the body):


These are all just guidelines, and there are definitely exceptions. We follow up these guidelines with analysis of comb (red early is a cockerel, as usual) and behavior (friendly and brave is a cockerel, as usual). If everything adds up to one sex or the other, it is fairly likely (80-90%). If only a few things add up, then we may have to wait a few more weeks.

This kind of sexing tends to work best with hatchery EEs; the home grown variety are better sexed by comb and other typical methods, rather than color.

Hope that answered some of you questions.

ETA: Extra photos.

This was so helpful , my EEs are close to age you pictured . I thought I had 2 roosters now I’m pretty sure I have 2 hens . I have a partridge and a black and white but black being dominate . Both have very symmetrical all over body patterns and head matches hackles . They are 6 weeks old and heads match hackles. Neither has any signs of crowns.