Easter Egger - Pullet or Roo?

[Happy Chooks]

Definitely a roo!

 

[AndreaGS]

Y'know, I want to keep the hope alive and everything, but the more I look at the chick, the more I think she is not a she at all. Behaviorally, this chick is more aggressive than the other one, its comb is definitely turning red at almost-but-not-quite six weeks of age, and its legs are massive.

We really wanted four laying hens. We have two seven-month-olds. I'm certain the australorp is a pullet, especially when compared to this one, so we're short one. Is there a good place to find an older chick? Or would it be easier to integrate a fully grown chicken with our other two? I'd prefer to raise them myself, especially since we'd have more of a choice of breeds. Maybe I'll call the feed store and see if they have anything...

 

[goldnchocolate]

Looks like my EE roo when he was younger. He was the only white one--the others were different shades of brown. He was supposed to be a pullet

Your chick will look something like this when it's grown:

 

[Luke13:34]

Quote:

WAAIITT! Wait! wait! .....other threads about pullet v. roo have said that the roo is the more developmentally DELAYED chick in the bunch. We need to get this sorted out folks.. cause I got me one fast-growing, thick-legged chick and one Runt.. and I was told that it was my Runt that was more likely to turn out to be the roo. I'm so confused.

(sorry to hijack)

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Only advice I can give is wait a few weeks. EEs are difficult to tell. The one I though was a roo is now most likely a pullet and just happens to be the biggest pullet and is on top of the pecking order. Your 'roo', though looking very rooish, could stop developing and slow down growing. That's what happened with mine. She was easily two inches taller than her sisters with a comb that (if she had continued at the pace she was at) was going to be huge. Then it was just like she hit the pause button. The other two caught up a bit in size, both in the comb and in height.

Seriously, I am leaning roo just because of the coloring of the comb but with different lineages and mixes going on with EEs...

Wait and see and research replacement options JIC. There are hatcheries that will overnight started pullets. Not sure which ones though and definantly better if you can find some locally. Craigslist is always a possibility and you could post with your state and 'need to add a pullet'. Maybe someone on the forum lives near enough and is having problems with their 'chicken math'.

Good luck.

 

[Kittymomma]

Luke13:34 :

Quote:

WAAIITT! Wait! wait! .....other threads about pullet v. roo have said that the roo is the more developmentally DELAYED chick in the bunch. We need to get this sorted out folks.. cause I got me one fast-growing, thick-legged chick and one Runt.. and I was told that it was my Runt that was more likely to turn out to be the roo. I'm so confused.

(sorry to hijack)

The roos often start to feather out later then the pullets and may even grow a bit slower at first. However, after 4-6 weeks or so you're looking more at leg size, comb development and/or redness. The roos tend to be more developed in these areas though they may still be lagging behind in feathers. It's all still guessing of course and you'll still get a lot of "geeze, I was sure this one was a......" but the more chicks you see grow up (particularly of the same breed) the more accurate you'll get.​

 

[kcaywood]

Hi, I have the same problem - my supposedly female EE has started trying to crow at dawn - pictured below. The BYC folks mostly voted "Roo." If I find a nice home for him, assuming he's a him, I will let you know. However, I'll let him join the Fair Oaks chickens before I'll let him end up soup!

 

[pips&peeps]

Its a cockerel and the one pictured above this post is also.

They both carry the silver gene and it is displayed in different color patterns on male or female. Your birds have the male pattern.

 

[Luke13:34]

Quote:
OK... what's "Fair Oaks?" Letting your rooster out into the wild to fend for himself?

 

[heksa]

pips&peeps :

Its a cockerel and the one pictured above this post is also.

They both carry the silver gene and it is displayed in different color patterns on male or female. Your birds have the male pattern.

How would the female pattern look? And what's make this one male?

I have two silver EEs and was hoping for girls.​