Easter Egger “Pullet”

[HollyParks]

I have a sweet little Easter egger chick (my other chicks are different breeds) and she is almost 5 weeks old. Compared to the other chicks her comb is pretty light and hardly raised, but the tail feathers are looking a little too fancy… I’m suspicious that she is a he.
Second picture is most recent, the others are from a few weeks ago.

 

[JedJackson]

Tail feathers mean nothing at that age. I think it is too early to tell gender, but no signs of it being a male at this point.

 

[BlueTheBrahma]

From my experience, girls develop tail feathers before the boys, and they are usually longer tail feathers too. This isn’t a 100% way to tell, but I’d suggest that chick is a pullet.

 

[HollyParks]

Thank you!

 

[AllKindaOCluckedUp]

Because EEs are mixes, the 'tells' -including how they feather- are more inclined to be breed specific- aren't reliable.

Just like mixing specific breeds gives us chicks that- at hatch- we are able to determine gender (barring vs solid, spot on the head vs no spot) - we also get a wide variety of EEs!

A good rule of thumb is coloring rather than feathering.

Pullets are soft coloring. They won't have hard colors together. Think of them as 'watercolored'.

Cockerels will be a mix of coloring. They WILL have more 'punch' in the color. They are like a bright abstract oil painting! Clear lines.

Both genders can have the pretty beetle black sheen. Both genders can have feathers in hackle that look sharp. AND saddle feathers- for cockerels- can be slow to show

Wattle & comb usually won't help either. This is an afterthought for these chickens, I think

It is WAY too early for this baby. You'll probably be certain on your other babies- if they aren't EEs - before you'll be certain on this one!

Very cute little fluff.

 

[HollyParks]

Because EEs are mixes, the 'tells' -including how they feather- are more inclined to be breed specific- aren't reliable.

Just like mixing specific breeds gives us chicks that- at hatch- we are able to determine gender (barring vs solid, spot on the head vs no spot) - we also get a wide variety of EEs!

A good rule of thumb is coloring rather than feathering.

Pullets are soft coloring. They won't have hard colors together. Think of them as 'watercolored'.

Cockerels will be a mix of coloring. They WILL have more 'punch' in the color. They are like a bright abstract oil painting! Clear lines.

Both genders can have the pretty beetle black sheen. Both genders can have feathers in hackle that look sharp. AND saddle feathers- for cockerels- can be slow to show

Wattle & comb usually won't help either. This is an afterthought for these chickens, I think

It is WAY too early for this baby. You'll probably be certain on your other babies- if they aren't EEs - before you'll be certain on this one!

Very cute little fluff.

“She” is getting some pretty colors in I already have one rooster and he doesn’t isn’t good with my young kids. Idk if I can have more terrorizing my children. I really hope it’s a girl, but yesterday “she” was chirping when she found treats, alerting all of the grown hens and the chicks.

 

[GirlsHuntToo]

Its a rooster!!

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

Male. The best way to prevent human aggression in males is to ignore them. Babying them makes them lose their fear of people. And making an effort to scare them makes them over protective of their hens. Jsyk.

 

[HollyParks]

Male. The best way to prevent human aggression in males is to ignore them. Babying them makes them lose their fear of people. And making an effort to scare them makes them over protective of their hens. Jsyk.

Yeah, I thought my “pullet” was a female from day one. My other rooster is non-aggressive to everyone and everything but my toddlers So he doesn’t free range when they are outside