Easter Egger confirmed to be a roo - 9 week EE/RIR mix - lots of pics

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

I'm usually pretty good at sexing EEs by their coloring, but this one is an EE mixed with RIR and I'm not sure if that changes things. It hatched from a blue/green egg, but was fathered by a RIR rooster.

I think the coloring looks male, but since it is part RIR, maybe that's where all the red splashes are coming from? Also, it feathered out quickly - the other 2 RIR mixes (not part EE) were still not fully feathered by 8 weeks of age and looked like dinosaurs (see very last pic for one of those roos). It seems to have a pea comb, but it is not a 3 row pea comb - could be because it is a mix?


It's comb is bigger than the comb on the 9 week old pullet I got from MPC, but not exceptionally large. If this was someone else's chicks, I'd think it was a cockerel, but since it's mine, I'm hoping I'm wrong. I'd love for it to be a pullet, so I can keep it.


At 6 1/2 weeks old:

At 7 weeks of age:

9 weeks old (taken 2 days ago)

9 weeks old (taken tonight, while roosting in the dark):

This is not the same chick, but had the same RIR father and also came from a blue/green egg. They hatched the same day. This EE/RIR mix is 6 weeks old here and still 1/2 naked:

 

[missred871]

the second looks like it may be a pullet but not positive, the second, well, I believe it is a cockeral...

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

I forgot to say that I don't need help with chick #2. I already took it and the other bald one to the feed store at 8 weeks (2 weeks after that pic), cause they looked like definite roos to me by then. I'm adding its pic just to show the difference in feathering out between the 2 related chicks.


I really need help with number #1. If it's a roo, I need to find it a home, but if there's a chance it's a pullet, then I will keep it till I'm sure.

 

[suzettex5]

I vote possible pullet. Its hard to tell for sure, mixes can be hard to tell. I had a mix I was SURE was a roo by its hackle feathers and tail, but my daughter begged me to keep it till it layed or crowed, and it finally layed an egg!!! I was sooo glad I waited!

I think you should keep it till you can be positive, its really pretty. EE's can have many colors and you cant always go by color or even comb by that age to guess sex.

I would keep it a bit longer till I was sure!

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

Thanks, Suzette and Mis Red --- I hope you two are right - I will keep it till I am sure. It really looks like a roo to me, even stands tall, but today it fluffed its feathers as I pet its back, just like my hens do -- Hopefully it is a pullet.

 

[donrae]

Sorry, I'm gonna say roo

I'm seeing thicker legs and the overall stance says boy to me. I see what you're saying about the mixed color and I agree it makes it difficult, but I'm also seeing darker red on the wings in the roosting shots, I think that's the color difference coming through. Let us know how it turns out!

 

[ChicksterJo]

I would have to say cockerel as well, but if you could wait several more weeks or until it crows then you probably should. I base my guess on the red coming through on the wings and part of the breast. The legs look thick but that may be the angle. I'd say wait if you can.

 

[Jferlisi]

I am saying cockerel. At just over two months its got some red coming in that comb and fast. Also thick legs and the red coming in across the shoulders and base of the tail.

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

I think I'm going to go ahead and rehome him as a roo - he looks even more rooish now at 10 weeks - especially with those dark red splashes getting even brighter.

This is him in the center- the little Easter Egger Bantam roo on the right was obvious to me weeks ago (at about 5 weeks of age, because of his red splashes and bright comb), but I didn't want to believe this one was.

 

[Cowgirl71]

Yep, that's a rooster.