Easter egger, roo or hen?

[tuesdaylove]

Hey y'all!

My young EE is starting to look suspicious. I thought she was a pullet and I'm leaning towards that, but there are a few characteristics that concern me.

I don't know the bird's exact age; I was given an estimated hatch date in May.

If it helps you to age the bird, here it is when I brought it home on July 14th. It was still peeping like a chick at this age.

Below are some photos from today, one month and two days after the first photo. EE is about a month younger than its flockmates, and used to be smaller, but is now nearly as big.

In the above group photo, EE is around a month younger than the others. The blue is a cockerel and the reds are pullets.

The entire flock has been fighting lately, even the pullets. I guess teenager hormones? I was wondering if you can tell anything from the EE's hackles in this photo.

Thank you all!!!

 

[pennyJo1960]

Cockerel look at the tail feathers

 

[Hobbits Mommie]

My novice eye thinks it's a roo. They're all fighting? Is your coop and run large enough? Can you post pictures?

 

[tuesdaylove]

Can we get some pics in better light? I think I'm seeing some red wing bar feathers but I'm not sure.

Until I can get more photos, I brightened this one. Can you tell anything from that?

 

[2 many chickens]

Fighting is common. Doesn't mean only roos fight, pullets will fight each other too. It's how they earn their place in the pecking order.

You have a pullet.

 

[rascal66]

Wow I hatch EEs from my EE x Brahma that look just like that!

A little tough to say, usually you can see the saddle feathers begin to taper and get all pointy. If its still very rounded feathers, that would tell me a pullet. Maybe give it another week or so and update with another pic? Especially a close up of their saddle feathers.

The fighting I'd say normal. Just chicks beginning to establish their pecking order. Just make sure no one is bleeding

 

[tuesdaylove]

Hello y'all! Just wanted to stop in and give an update. Y'all were right. I'm 99.99% sure he's a cockerel. I've not heard any crowing yet, but he had a big growth spurt and has grown in more red feathers. He's insanely handsome and I'm hoping to work out a way to keep him.

So here's my EE boy, Ezekiel, from yesterday:

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

Could go either way at this point. My guy says pullet.

 

[Gray Farms]

Can we get some pics in better light? I think I'm seeing some red wing bar feathers but I'm not sure.

 

[tuesdaylove]

Can we get some pics in better light? I think I'm seeing some red wing bar feathers but I'm not sure.

I'll try to get better pictures next time I get to the house.

My novice eye thinks it's a roo. They're all fighting? Is your coop and run large enough? Can you post pictures?

I'll get pictures next time I'm there, but it's a standard 10ft x 10ft chain link dog kennel. No coop, but there is a roof and it's secured. I can't free range them at this location due to the extreme number of predators. All of my flocks have always fought around this age. I figured they were settling their pecking order. They're not bad fights at all. They last a few seconds, it's mostly chasing, and there's no wounds.