8 wk old EE Pic's theres a Bunch please help Sex. I read that Huge EE thread, still not sure.

[mama24]

Illia is always right when she says it's a boy with certainty. lol. I would say it is the big red comb, but also the patchiness of the patterning on the feathers. Girls usually look like they have nice even lacing, and his isn't quite as even. I am seeing that now that she pointed that out. I had one last year that looked just like him, actually. Mine developed the deep brick red on his shoulders, but it took a while, maybe 3 mos old? I don't really remember, but I thought he was a girl for a while until he sprouted those red shoulders!

 

[Joe.G]

Is there a certain age that you would know for sure? or do I have to wait for a crow or a egg to know?

I don't notice a real uneven pattern on # 6 it's different then the other white ones. I am trying to spot the differences.

 

[moodlymoo]

You will know when they crow. I stressed my first batch of chicks but all you can really do is wait. I took the advice of a person known for great sexing advice and rehomed 2 EE "cocks" who turned out to be pullets and I will never again listen to anyone about sexing. Just wait and you will know when you know. Enjoy your babies, they grow up fast.

 

[Illia]

Honestly? Two unfortunate rehomings and you're now just going to wait for a crow? I don't mean to get fluttered about this, but, there are in fact other earlier traits to look for that pullets absolutely do not have. I'm sorry for the pullet mishap you went through, but one can indeed sex young birds accurately before crowing happens.

#6 has a very prominent comb compared to the others, and has a coloration so far indicative of a columbian restricted silver or golden duckwing male. I'm not absolutely sure on this but pretty confident.

Definite age would be just a couple more weeks when males develop feathers on the back and wings which are different in color, glossy, toothy edged, and triangular in shape. They will be, once noticed, very obvious and are a 100% sign of a male, unless of course you have a gynandromorph which are very rare.

 

[aoxa]

Honestly? Two unfortunate rehomings and you're now just going to wait for a crow? I don't mean to get fluttered about this, but, there are in fact other earlier traits to look for that pullets absolutely do not have. I'm sorry for the pullet mishap you went through, but one can indeed sex young birds accurately before crowing happens. #6 has a very prominent comb compared to the others, and has a coloration so far indicative of a columbian restricted silver or golden duckwing male. I'm not absolutely sure on this but pretty confident. Definite age would be just a couple more weeks when males develop feathers on the back and wings which are different in color, glossy, toothy edged, and triangular in shape. They will be, once noticed, very obvious and are a 100% sign of a male, unless of course you have a gynandromorph which are very rare.

Illa, you are very helpful! I have learned a lot from reading your sexing tips on EE's. I was able to sex my EE's at 2 weeks old. I am very lucky to have 4 pullets and one roo. At least only one has red in it's wings and only one has a raised pea comb.

@ 5 weeks

Girls @ 7.5 weeks - thanks to your posts I have realized this is a classic pullet colouring

Two of my white EE's - I don't have great pictures of them, but their combs are very small. Pure white. I don't know why, but at 8 weeks old they are squatting for me.. :/ Kids these days grow up very fast! lol (the one in the back is not an EE)

 

[moodlymoo]

Honestly? Two unfortunate rehomings and you're now just going to wait for a crow? I don't mean to get fluttered about this, but, there are in fact other earlier traits to look for that pullets absolutely do not have. I'm sorry for the pullet mishap you went through, but one can indeed sex young birds accurately before crowing happens.

#6 has a very prominent comb compared to the others, and has a coloration so far indicative of a columbian restricted silver or golden duckwing male. I'm not absolutely sure on this but pretty confident.

Definite age would be just a couple more weeks when males develop feathers on the back and wings which are different in color, glossy, toothy edged, and triangular in shape. They will be, once noticed, very obvious and are a 100% sign of a male, unless of course you have a gynandromorph which are very rare.

Even with tons of pics they looked like pullets to me but kept being told they were roos so as a new to chickens owner I took the advice of another. If I am on the fence about a bird...yes, I will wait for a crow

 

[aoxa]

Even with tons of pics they looked like pullets to me but kept being told they were roos so as a new to chickens owner I took the advice of another. If I am on the fence about a bird...yes, I will wait for a crow

You just have to watch who it is who tells you it's a boy or a girl. If they have a reputation like Illa does for being right about these things - I would trust their advice.

 

[ChicKat]

Good luck with your chooks----

they are certainly colorful and beautiful. EEs are a mixture, so it will always be hard to tell IMO. The way I first noticed that a friends "pullet" WASN'T--- was by the prominent curving tail feathering. That became evident long before he crowed.

 

[Pele]

As a general rule, I trust more in Illia than I trust in the earth's rotation . She's an angel for sharing her knowledge with the rest of us.

It's a little bit easier to simplify gender related color down to the basics. Females will have very uniform and distinct zones of coloration. Let's call zone 1 the head: It will normally be a completely different color than the body and has ONE pattern on it. (lacing, solid, polka dots, whatever).

Now, take that distinct head, and stick it on zone 2: the body. On females, the body will generally be a different color with ONE pattern on it. It is distinctly defined and different than the head pattern. usually night and day different. No bleeding, no crossover from the head allowed (chest excluded). Just one pattern.

And to finish things up, stick them on zone 3: the tail. The tail can do whatever the heck it wants, colorwise. Most times it will be a solid color, but it can bleed pattern in from the body to it's feathery heart's content without compromising 'femininity'.

So, the reason that Illia is saying #6 is definitely male is that the zone 1 (head) color is AAAALL sorts of violating zone 2 (body), and leaking all over the pattern. How rude! Teenaged boys tend to be that way.

 

[naturespace]

my EE are 8 weeks old and it's really obvious what ones are boys. they are much bigger and their combs are big and bright red.

I've been having a hard time telling what my Orpingtons are and i think it's because they are all females. Could be the same for you. They look like females to me.