8-week Easter Egger "pullet" - is it actually? *Updated 10-week pics pg 3 - Boy or girl?*

[speckledhen]

speckledhen - when do EE cockerels get wattles? Mine doesn't have any at all and it's yellow where they will be.

Most EEs don't get wattles if they have a pea comb. Ameraucanas do not have wattles, period.

I hope it's a pullet. Some of the pea combed birds can certainly trick you, but I would guess that was male if it was in my chicken yard. It may even get some reddish coloring showing up in hackles or wing bows or tail later on.

I'll be happy to be wrong, I promise! Post new pics in a couple of weeks for us, okay? Male of female, it's a nice looking Easter Egger.

 

[nakstk]

I am going to say yours is a male his comb is really red and his legs are so thick.

This is my EE she will be 13 week tomorrow. Her comb is still pale it hasn't turned red yet.

 

[wordgirl]

Thanks, everyone, for the help. I will post pictures again in a couple of weeks and see what you think. He/she doesn't have any red/color on the shoulders or saddle yet, so I'm hoping that means girl, but so many other things point to cockerel. I guess we'll have to wait and see. That tail looks soooo boyish. I don't really see how it can turn into a hen-tail, but maybe!

speckledhen - the comb does look rather red, looking at it again when I went out to bring them inside. It does not seem very large, though - still sits pretty close to the head. I don't know if that makes a difference - this is my first time with non-single combed birds. Thanks for your help!

 

[Panth]

I vote pullet also....that color pattern is really smooth to be a male.

 

[speckledhen]

Yes, please do post pictures in a couple of weeks for us! I'd really like to see what this one turns out to be. The comb is not as raised as most cockerels by this age though it's quite red, however, I have had some Ameraucana cockerels back when I used to breed them that would have this type comb at even older than yours is. Suddenly, it would just pop up at about 13 weeks old and then it would be obvious I had a cockerel.

 

[philbfarm]

I sweating it out with one of my EE's, Iris. I really wasn't sure about her until she was about 13-14 weeks. She also had a very pink pea comb, but never developed the larger three rows. I would guess pullet, but would love to see pictures in a few weeks. Beautiful bird, I'll keep my fingers crossed!

 

[rebel-rousing-at-night]

I think boy.

 

[spikennipper]

I'm leaning more towards a boy at this stage too, though I have never kept this breed, the redness in the comb at 8 weeks is slightly worrying and the body stance with the thickish legs look rooster like, I do hope I'm wrong!

 

[wordgirl]

Alright, two week update!

This chicken is hilarious. We're thinking about calling him/her Sneaky. He/she will HIDE under the other chickens so we can't catch him/her or take a picture. Two or three times he/she bolted out of my arms while we were taking close-ups and raced back to the pen. And when we tried to corner him/her in the pen to get some full-body shots, he/she would run INTO my hand blocking the way, even when I pushed him/her back several times, just to get away. It was amusing to try to get pictures, to say the least.

Here is our little no-paparazzi Easter Egger! What do you think now? Boy or girl?

Comb




8-week to 10-week Comb Comparison:





Side view of comb and head




Back

Tail Close-up



Some body shots

 

[wordgirl]

What do you all think?