6 week EE's

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

Quote:
In the top photo, the one in question (Pippin) is standing up at the back of the photo. You can see how the other two EEs have dark, speckled bodies with lighter necks, while Pippin is more solid and even colored.

What you can't see in the photos: Pippin had a 3 row pea comb (which I'd been told was a male EE trait), while the other two had a single row pea comb. Her comb turned pink before the others. Pippin was always the largest and acted more rooish - she was
always flying to my shoulder, while the other two were content to be on the ground. As she grew older, her tail was also quite different. It went straight out, while the other two EE's had tails that stood upright like my other pullets' tails. I know this is not a determinite of sex, but her legs were even a different color - she has green legs, while the other two have slate legs.

Sometime between 15 & 19 weeks of age, she changed her coloring and ended up being almost a twin of one of the others (Cleopatra), except that she still has a different type of comb and is still a lot bigger and heavier.

I don't want to fill up this thread with my photos, but if you want, you can see some of the above differences and what they look like now on my BYC page:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=19548-from-chicks-to-pullets-to-hens

 

[Bluemoon420]

Our merlin doesn't have any type of a comb yet. It's yellow in color. He/she definitly looks very similar to yours. They are beautiful either way.
I won't mind if he is a she. I have 3 other EE's and RIR's only week old. I'm sure one of them is a roo lol

 

[sherrydeanne]

Well today, chick 3's comb is much redder. I think I have 4 freaking roo's. Seriously, how is that possible? ARGH

No wonder they all have the same body shape and legs.

Ok, so just to double check -- pink comb at 5 weeks = roo, right? They're not flesh colored or yellow, they range from bubblegum pink to rose colored.

I guess I need to order some chicks

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

Quote:
Yesterday, your chicks were 5 weeks and 5 days, so today they're only 1 day shy of being 6 weeks old. My 7 week old EE chicks had pink combs, not yellow (see pic). I don't know about #1 or #2, but I still think #3 is a pullet.

This chick is a pullet - she's now laying eggs for us.

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

Quote:
Your Merlin is quite similar to our Sparrow. Here's two more photos that are not on my BYC page.

You can see the difference in coloring better here - Sparrow has the typical coloring of a female EE, while Pippin does not (Pippin also had rooish looking legs):

Pippin always had her tail straight back instead of up, like our other girls.

 

[sherrydeanne]

I would have thought Pippin was a cockeral too, especially with that coloring. I'm going to try to get some better comb shots of number 3.

 

[Bluemoon420]

Ahhh, That's how our merlin holds his/her tail. That picture is very helpful! My DH thinks it's V shaped, but I noticed more feathers coming in. He/she does not hold her tail up. The combs look same too.

Very laid back personality. Doesn't mind being held, falls asleep in your lap. Our buff orps are the trouble makers.


Bluemoon

 

[sherrydeanne]

I can't believe how much #3 looks like #1 today.

Okay, left to right, 1, 2, the sex-link, 3 (quite the coincidence)

#3. Color is very true on my monitor:

I really, really want her to be a pullet but her coloring is exactly the same as #1. I may just have to wait a week, eh?

 

[Bluemoon420]

Yep, I think it's best to wait. That's the only true way to find out

Keep me posted, and Ill do same. I'm curious how they both will turn out.


Bluemoon

 

[sherrydeanne]

For other people in my same boat who go looking through threads, here's an update

Number 3 is a pullet. As of today, 6.5 weeks, she still has the single row comb (it's a pea, but not all 3 are raised) and the other two have sprouted much thicker legs. So, for me, whether the comb was 1 row or 3-rows was a much better indicator than color.

I still have a 5 week old that I'm not sure of, I'll check him/her next week. I'll also post some more pictures of everyone so you can compare yours to mine.