Easter Egger club!

[cabinchicky]

Our EES came from Meyer both orders a year apart. The first years order of 4 only 2 had no beard or muffs but laid big eggs, green. Those 1st hens were a mix of colors, 2 brown, one gray and the last a mix of color. Our 2nd order we ordered 1 roo, 4 pullets, 1 bantam roo and 4 bantam pullets. The second batch have the full beards and we received the exact sexes ordered. The hens are black and white while the bantam hens are gray, black and white. I really like Meyer and have looked at Cackle but I am torn which ti use this year for the breeds I want.

 

[Sylvester017]

I am thinking of buying from Cackle hatchery, has anyone used them before, and if so, can you give me a review?

Go back to posts #7036, 7039, 7040, 7047, 7048, 7049, 7050, and 7052 on this Easter Egger club thread to get different opinions about Cackle Hatchery. Over the years I've followed reviews on them and they've been mostly favorable. They also offer a 3-, 5-, or 10-chick City/Town Pullet Special for people who can't use a large 25-chick minimum order. To be fair other people have used other hatcheries favorably as well. As with all chicks some will grow up beautifully perfect and by the same token many will not. You just never know until a chick grows out whether it will be a show-stopper or just pet quality. With shipped chicks be prepared for some loss but rejoice if they all arrive safe and sound!

 

[LuvEasterEggers]

Thanks for the feedback! do you have any places that you like? and does anyone else have any places they would like to suggest?

 

[mymilliefleur]

Ooh, good to know about Meyer. I've seen some EEs from MMM and they, too, were skimpy in the beard/muff department. Good coloring, though. My only problem with Cackle is I got a he from a group of shes. I'm guessing EEs aren't the easiest to vent sex, but I know nothing about vent sexing other than what it is! Beautiful boy, by the way. Would he be a silver duck wing with... Red leakage? Describing EE coloring must be an art form and a science!

My Meyer EE's are tiny, probably only 3-4 lbs. They are very colorful though. So far one lays a nice pastel blue egg, and another lays a brown egg

. I'm not sure what color eggs the other three are laying yet.
From what I've read EE's are one of the hardest breeds to vent sex as chicks. Even the experts can only sex them with 70-80% accuracy, which is why so many people end up EE cockerels when they order pullets.
That is my former breeding rooster, Party Boy. He was one of the nicest EE roosters I have ever seen. I used him for 2 years, than sold him to a friend because he was too nice to eat. The hen in the bottom picture is his mother. Yes, he does look like a silver duck wing, with red leakage.

EE's sure do come a in a variety of colors. One of the many reasons I like them so much!

 

[LuvEasterEggers]

I am wondering how long the average hen lays. how long do your hens lay, (this question is for anyone to answer)

 

[mymilliefleur]

I am wondering how long the average hen lays. how long do your hens lay, (this question is for anyone to answer)

Depends on the breed. Most heavy production breeds will lay for the first 2 years, and than taper off. Other breeds will not lay for quite so heavily, but will lay for a longer period of time. If your wondering how long a hen lays until she stops laying completely, I have had large fowl hens lay until they were 6-9 and I had a Old english game hen that laid until she was 12.

 

[AJ83]

Believe I got my first Easter Egger egg and it's a soft shell.

It's greenish though!

 

[gander007]

Believe I got my first Easter Egger egg and it's a soft shell.

It's greenish though!

Yep I would say that is your first Easter Egger egg congratulations and may you have many more enjoyable Easter Eggs

 

[bmandy72]

Do EE mature slower than say Bantams or larger chickens like buff orphingtons? My EE Ginger is the same age as most of my other birds, but so far I haven't seen any green tinted eggs, just the tiny white Bantam eggs and the larger brown eggs from my buffs...just wondering. They're all about 7 months old now. This is Ginger...

mine didn't start to lay until they were between 7 &8 months

 

[NDgoatgirlNV]

mine didn't start to lay until they were between 7 &8 months

Mine is just hitting 7 months. Thank you!