6 week old EEs - 6 birds total, I'm thinking most boys?

[heksa]

What do you think?

1. This one is feathering out so nicely, very strong pattern and bright colors ... and I have a feeling he is a boy.

His comb is very bright and definitelly three distinct rows.

two more shots of the same bird

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2. This one is my favorite (on the left), because it's feathering out a little different then the others, not barred or laced, more blotchy. "He"' is a late bloomer - no tail feathers yet, and "his" comb barely visible. I just have this gut feeling he is a boy too.

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3. The third one is no brainer, I think. It's my husband's favorite. He may not have much of a comb yet ... but his tail is sticking up like that all the time.

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4. Fourth candidate on a rooster, I think. Not much of a tail, but very red comb. I think this one was one of the late bloomers as well.

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5. Now, I do think I have a few hens. How about this one ?

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6. and this one (I have two brown ones like that, although one has a much bigger comb than the other)

 

[OrpingtonManor]

I agree that the first one is a roo, and also bird #4. If they get any redness to the comb at that age, and those three rows are distinct, it's a roo. However, the tail isn't really an indicator. A pullet can have a fairly upright tail, especially if they have any silver ameraucana in the mix somewhere. The tail can be very gamebird-like.

A better indicator is the saddle feathers, which are probably not really coming in yet at 6 weeks of age. In a few weeks, you will be able to part their wings a big and look at the new feathers coming in at the lower back. Wait until enough of the feather is showing to really judge it. Pullets have rounded saddle feathers. Cockerels have very pointed saddle feathers that eventually get long and drape down over either side of the back and tail. Many of your birds look like pullets to me, just based on the comb, but maybe I'm not seeing the pink that you are. Pics can be deceiving about color.

 

[heksa]

Thank you very much, OrpingtonManor. Your theory on silver ameraucanas is giving me some hope on our favorite birds. It would be great if they turned out hens.

As for the combs I'm seeing more yellow/orange then pink on most of my birds. That's also reassuring.

 

[slackwater]

I only saw definite roos in #s 1 and 4. The rest *may* be pullets.

 

[Alabama ee]

I agree with everyone else. I suspect 1 and 4. However, with EE's at 6 weeks it is very hard to tell. Many of them develop at different rates. Out of everthing, early redness of comb helped identify our roo . Also,I had one like 3, which turned out to be a pullet. She looked very boyish at 6 weeks. The coloring makes her feathers have that roo pointed look. (However, she did not have a red comb.) Her tail feathers even had a curve to it. However, as time went on, she looked more like a hen. She was also the first to lay an egg.

If any of them get shiney tail feathers, then they are a roo. That usually happens 10-12 weeks. Our did not get the hackle feathers until much, much later. Ours did not fully get his in until 5 months. He is so pretty .

 

[heksa]

Thanks guys. It's great to hear there is more hope for hens. I'll be watching those combs more closely and look forward to saddle feathers.

 

[Morgan7782]

1, 2 and 4 are for sure boys they yell rooster to me. Especially with those tree trunk legs 2 has! Can't believe nobody else saw them lol. The rest's tails look rooish as well, so I would expect 3-4 roosters at least. Maybe last one looks like sorta pulletish..

I go by tail posture mostly. Easter Egger pullets seem to have wide fanned out tails until about 8-10 weeks old, THEN their tails go upright and narrow. At least that's how mine were. The one rooster in my group had narrow, upright tail feathers at 5-6 weeks old. I have had luck with that, on the other hand, the combs threw me somewhat.

This is my EE cockerel compared to my pullet

BOY

GIRL

Difference in tail feathers

Girl in front, boy in back

 

[mburpo]

1. Boy
2. Girl
3. Girl by Comb, Boy by Tail
4. Boy
5. Girl
6. ???

Just my opinion, don't quote as 100% on that.

Edited because I forgot one.

 

[mburpo]

I have a splash Ameraucana pullet that has a roo-esque tail, but she carries it down instead of up at a 45* angle, most of the time. I have seen it raised a bit, but nowhere near as high as my boys.

 

[jeslewmazer]

Quote:
I agree. Sometimes you will have late bloomers, but most the time those bright red three rowed comb give them away. Granted I have only raised 50 EE chicks, but only one out of the 50 was a late bloomer compared to the rest. That has just been my experience. Nice looking chicks.