10 week old EE. Pullet or Cockrell? Confusing tail arch

[Katakornchicks]

Update:
The tail arch continued to grow, but sickle feathers or saddle feathers never grew well past the 12 week mark. Eventually, the curved "rooster tail" just fell off entirely and she's a hen! Very odd.
My theory is that the arched pointed tail feathers were her her first baby tail feathers that she grew. As she got larger, her feathers got larger, and the little baby tail feathers looked skinny and pointy in comparison to the new big feathers. I think they started to arch more because they were slowly being pushed out by new growth. An interesting experience! Hope this helps someone.

 

[Saveria]

You are giving me hope. I have some EEs with combs that red at that age. Maybe they are pullets after all.

 

[chickenE]

Good thread, thanks for update! I love those big muffs!!

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

Update:
The tail arch continued to grow, but sickle feathers or saddle feathers never grew well past the 12 week mark. Eventually, the curved "rooster tail" just fell off entirely and she's a hen! Very odd.
My theory is that the arched pointed tail feathers were her her first baby tail feathers that she grew. As she got larger, her feathers got larger, and the little baby tail feathers looked skinny and pointy in comparison to the new big feathers. I think they started to arch more because they were slowly being pushed out by new growth. An interesting experience! Hope this helps someone.

That is exactly what I was trying to tell you in my reply. Easter Egger pullets seem to commonly get this more often than any other breed, but it can happen in any. The downward-curving tail feathers that look like sickles are her first tail feathers she grew; but keep in mind that a female can never have sickles, so those are not sickles!

 

[Katakornchicks]

You are giving me hope. I have some EEs with combs that red at that age. Maybe they are pullets after all.

Post some pics of them here and we can evaluate!

 

[Saveria]

Post some pics of them here and we can evaluate!

The one that I am pretty sure was a roo hid under the coop one night with the one I knew was a pullet without my husband noticing. A fox found them. The last one I am still wondering about, but I was just going to wait till twelve weeks (2 weeks from now) to see any saddle feathers appear. Maybe I will get to throw up a photo, I have just been crazy busy.

 

[Katakornchicks]

The one that I am pretty sure was a roo hid under the coop one night with the one I knew was a pullet without my husband noticing. A fox found them. The last one I am still wondering about, but I was just going to wait till twelve weeks (2 weeks from now) to see any saddle feathers appear. Maybe I will get to throw up a photo, I have just been crazy busy.

Aw sorry about your babies . But yeah throw up a pic if you get a chance