6-7 week old Easter Egger chicks- pretty sure i may have mostly cockerels 🤦😅🤷

[LovesteadMama]

I apologize in advance that these pictures are poor quality. I tried to take pictures of each chick and it was harder than expected to do by myself. I will create time to do that later. For the purposes of sexing, I'm looking only at my easter eggers (I've also got some buff orps, brahmas and cuckoo marans which were sexed as pullets). When I wing sexed my EE as chicks, I thought 3 were pullets. Now that they're getting older, I'm thinking only 1 or 2 might be out of 7 total! I do not know the technical breeding names of the colors but I have 2 black, 2 red, one partridge (black and gold), and 2 that are a mix of blonde/grey/brown (one of those I believe with confidence to be a hen and the other has more white and blonde in it). I came into the coop to see if they had roosted up thinking that would make for an easy photo of each but they aren't yet. I at least scared them into a pile for easier comb viewing!

Can anyone tell what sex they are? I thought the grey/salmon one and also the gold/black one were pullets but now I'm thinking that both of the grey/blonde/red are pullets .... Maybe only the salmon/grey one?

Let me know if I picked out a bunch of roosters.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

FEMALE

MALE

MALE

BLACK IS MALE

EE is FEMALE, I THINK THE BUFF IS TOO. I CAN NOT SEE COMB/FACE

I think the others may be repeats, not sure.

 

[LovesteadMama]

Thank you! I was wondering if that red was female! And yay my two favorites are female as I thought! Or at least looking that way. What about the blonde/grey/red/white? I was thinking roo until I read an article about sexing easter eggers.

Also, yes the buff should be female! At least she was sexed as a female by the hatchery. All other chicks are supposed to be pullets but I bought the EE as straight run. Thanks for your opinions! I'm really enjoying learning from this community!

FEMALE
View attachment 2664803

MALE
View attachment 2664804
MALE
View attachment 2664806
BLACK IS MALE
View attachment 2664807

EE is FEMALE, I THINK THE BUFF IS TOO. I CAN NOT SEE COMB/FACE
View attachment 2664810

I think the others may be repeats, not sure.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Thank you! I was wondering if that red was female! And yay my two favorites are female as I thought! Or at least looking that way. What about the blonde/grey/red/white? I was thinking roo until I read an article about sexing easter eggers.

Also, yes the buff should be female! At least she was sexed as a female by the hatchery. All other chicks are supposed to be pullets but I bought the EE as straight run. Thanks for your opinions! I'm really enjoying learning from this community!

You are welcome. Sorry, I could not see the combs/heads on some of them. Not sure which ones you mean but here are a few more I was able to see. Males circled in blue. If I missed a few, please post new clear photos of the birds in question.

 

[LovesteadMama]

The very last photo you circled! Yes, that's the blonde/grey/red/white one! His name is Lougree (pronounced Looj-ree), named by my 3 year old. I had the strong feeling he was a roo. well, don't take me with you to the feed store to help you pick out straight runs unless you want a bunch of roosters. Actually the guy working the chick area at the feed store said that if i held them by their feet, the pullets would hang and the roosters would fight so i tried to pick out 5 pullets and 2 cockerels. Then i came home and read online that it's opposite. The pullets fight and the cockerels hang. Well, maybe I can use my methods on some of these new chicks and see if I can get better at sexing. Thanks for your help! Also, how can you tell the difference? Is it the combs? The feet? Interestingly, my black and gold pullet has bigger feet than any of them. She is also the biggest one and always has been.

You are welcome. Sorry, I could not see the combs/heads on some of them. Not sure which ones you mean but here are a few more I was able to see. Males circled in blue. If I missed a few, please post new clear photos of the birds in question.View attachment 2665159View attachment 2665162

 

[HappyClucker7]

Actually the guy working the chick area at the feed store said that if i held them by their feet, the pullets would hang and the roosters would fight so i tried to pick out 5 pullets and 2 cockerels. Then i came home and read online that it's opposite. The pullets fight and the cockerels hang.

This method does not work at all. It is a complete myth that you can sex chicks that way.

 

[HappyClucker7]

You are welcome. Sorry, I could not see the combs/heads on some of them. Not sure which ones you mean but here are a few more I was able to see. Males circled in blue. If I missed a few, please post new clear photos of the birds in question.View attachment 2665159View attachment 2665162

I agree with this. You didn't circle the black one in the last pic, but I think that's the same one as in the first pic?

 

[LadiesAndJane]

I agree with this. You didn't circle the black one in the last pic, but I think that's the same one as in the first pic?

Did not see that one, but I think you are right, it is the same as the one in the first pic. Always tricky when the same birds appear in several group photos.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

The very last photo you circled! Yes, that's the blonde/grey/red/white one! His name is Lougree (pronounced Looj-ree), named by my 3 year old. I had the strong feeling he was a roo. well, don't take me with you to the feed store to help you pick out straight runs unless you want a bunch of roosters. Actually the guy working the chick area at the feed store said that if i held them by their feet, the pullets would hang and the roosters would fight so i tried to pick out 5 pullets and 2 cockerels. Then i came home and read online that it's opposite. The pullets fight and the cockerels hang. Well, maybe I can use my methods on some of these new chicks and see if I can get better at sexing. Thanks for your help! Also, how can you tell the difference? Is it the combs? The feet? Interestingly, my black and gold pullet has bigger feet than any of them. She is also the biggest one and always has been.

At this age it is mostly the comb that gives it away. Females will not get large, red combs until just before they start to lay. Depends on comb type as well. Most of your birds have single combs, which are the easiest to sex normally. I agree with @HappyClucker7 that the holding the birds upside down thing is a myth. If you try it you have a 50/50 chance of getting it right!

 

[LovesteadMama]

This method does not work at all. It is a complete myth that you can sex chicks that way.

Yeah I figured but it was worth a try! More fun than just picking them out by looks! Of course I narrowed it down by the healthiest ones first.