Can you tell if an EE chick will grow a beard / muffs?

[VeggieGoneEggie]

As part of my incoming flock, I would like a green/blue egg-layer, so I'm thinking about including a Privett-hatched Ameraucana, which I understand to actually be an Easter Egger.

But here's the thing -- and a lot of y'all will probably call me crazy -- I don't *actually* think the beards and poofy cheeks are all that cute.

Is there a way, when picking out day(s)-old EE chicks, to identify one that will NOT develop the extra feathery muffs and beard? Do the chicks show poofy cheeks at that young age?

Thanks in advance!

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Yup, they will have poofy cheeks from the start. If you are not set on Privett, none of my EEs from Murray McMurray had muffs.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

As part of my incoming flock, I would like a green/blue egg-layer, so I'm thinking about including a Privett-hatched Ameraucana, which I understand to actually be an Easter Egger.

But here's the thing -- and a lot of y'all will probably call me crazy -- I don't *actually* think the beards and poofy cheeks are all that cute.

Is there a way, when picking out day(s)-old EE chicks, to identify one that will NOT develop the extra feathery muffs and beard? Do the chicks show poofy cheeks at that young age?

Thanks in advance!

Hi, welcome to BYC!

Totally visible from day 1.

Maybe you are a little crazy!

But you have come to the right place.

We all need to do what works for us.

 

[VeggieGoneEggie]

Thank you so much, @SunHwaKwon and @EggSighted4Life !! That's good to hear!

Any chance either of you, with your knowledge and experience, could share a couple of pictures comparing what a muffed EE chick looks like vs. a non-muffed EE chick?

Finally, the rest of my planned brood will be a Barred Rock, Delaware, and Black Sex Link. Will an EE be a good fit and will it typically be about the same size?

THX!!!

I'm learning so much...

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Thank you so much, @SunHwaKwon and @EggSighted4Life !! That's good to hear!

Any chance either of you, with your knowledge and experience, could share a couple of pictures comparing what a muffed EE chick looks like vs. a non-muffed EE chick?

Finally, the rest of my planned brood will be a Barred Rock, Delaware, and Black Sex Link. Will an EE be a good fit and will it typically be about the same size?

THX!!!

I'm learning so much...

Are you picking them up in person and getting the other breeds at the same time? If so, the difference will be quite obvious, when you hold them side by side, trust me! If you put an EE chick next to, for example, a barred rock and can't tell the difference looks wise besides the color/pattern, you have a muffless EE. An EE with muffs will have very cute puffy cheeks.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Thank you so much, @SunHwaKwon and @EggSighted4Life !! That's good to hear!

Any chance either of you, with your knowledge and experience, could share a couple of pictures comparing what a muffed EE chick looks like vs. a non-muffed EE chick?

Finally, the rest of my planned brood will be a Barred Rock, Delaware, and Black Sex Link. Will an EE be a good fit and will it typically be about the same size?

THX!!!

I'm learning so much...

Non muffed should look the same as all the other chicks.

They should work fine together and be close to the same size. I have a very diverse flock and wouldn't have it any other way. It's great to be able to tell your birds apart at first glance. But also I feel like a kid every time I get to collect eggs and find out what colors I got. And it makes it easy to tell if anyone is having issues or not laying regularly. I have all those except the sex links. Fun birds.

The learning never stops here on BYC!

 

[VeggieGoneEggie]

Are you picking them up in person and getting the other breeds at the same time? If so, the difference will be quite obvious, when you hold them side by side, trust me! If you put an EE chick next to, for example, a barred rock and can't tell the difference looks wise besides the color/pattern, you have a muffless EE. An EE with muffs will have very cute puffy cheeks.

Yep - my locally owned feed store will have the chicks (and they order from Privett, hence the hatchery source) so I'll be able to pick them out myself. Thanks for this advice - I'll do the side-by-side in the store with the other chicks!

 

[VeggieGoneEggie]

Non muffed should look the same as all the other chicks.

They should work fine together and be close to the same size. I have a very diverse flock and wouldn't have it any other way. It's great to be able to tell your birds apart at first glance. But also I feel like a kid every time I get to collect eggs and find out what colors I got. And it makes it easy to tell if anyone is having issues or not laying regularly. I have all those except the sex links. Fun birds.

Thank you!! Great! Yes, I'm hoping for a fun blue or green egg. But if I get an EE, it's replacing the RSL I had in my plan, so even if I get a brown egg, I'm not any "worse" off than I would have been.

And never really worse off - I'll consider myself very lucky to bring all my chickies into adulthood and be receiving those eggs at all!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Thank you!! Great! Yes, I'm hoping for a fun blue or green egg. But if I get an EE, it's replacing the RSL I had in my plan, so even if I get a brown egg, I'm not any "worse" off than I would have been.

And never really worse off - I'll consider myself very lucky to bring all my chickies into adulthood and be receiving those eggs at all!

I always worry about the chance of getting a brown egg, but it's never happened yet out of 5 from 3 different sources. And they are a mixed bag of personality... some flighty, inconsistent layers, others calm lap chickens and consistent. (not in that order per say) Vary in laying from as early as 18 weeks to as late as 28 for me so far.

I wanna go pick chicks!

Have fun!