Easter Egger Sexing "tips and tricks" *Pictures Included*

[polarbearpilot]

The comb is a single row pea comb that is pretty bright, but hasn't gotten larger for about a month. I checked saddle feathers earlier, and there are some pointy ones starting to come on. Looks like my dad will be getting his EE cockerel this weekend to go ith the pretty little hen he has.

Someone posted a picture of emerging saddle feathers once many pages ago. I just couldn't find it again. Would like to see what they look like so I know what to look for when I check my chicks' backs. If someone has good pictures of what saddle feathers look like on a 10 weeks old (or near that age), would you please post? Thanks.

 

[TREX]

I took a photo of the emerging saddle feathers. I could see these feathers developing as pinfeathers two full weeks ago-- so, I knew for sure (in case the crowing didn't give it away) that my chick was a cockerel by the time that he was 8 weeks old simply based on these feathers.

To look for them on your chick, you'll need a hands-on approach. These feathers don't grow out through to be visible from the outside for quite some time, but they are there if you don't mind investigating.

The saddle feathers grow in two tracts; one on each side of the spine, from the middle of the back down over the pelvis of the bird. They grow from much higher than they appear once the rooster is fully feathered! Don't look near the rump or tail, look much higher up on the back. To look for them, spread the feathers that run down the middle of the spine and the back of the wing feathers/side feathers so that you can find this tract. It will not be growing on very young chicks, but once they start to feather out good you should be able to find them! Once you locate the pin feathers, pay close attention to the feather itself starting to peek out of the tip of each pin feather. On boys, it is very pointed, and the feather barbs are not webby or connected. You can slide a finger or even a little piece of paper under the feather to get a peek at the shape.

I tried to take a photo of this. The feathers are really starting to develop, in this photo, but you can tell the shape of the feather even before it is this developed.
You can click this for a bigger version so you can see the shape of the tips better.
In this photo, my finger on the right side is holding back the feather tract that runs down the spine. My fingers on the left are holding back the wing and the side "pocket" feathers on the chick. These saddle feathers are not visible unless I spread his other feathers out!


If you look at the "youngest" pin feather, you can see that the feather emerging from it is very fine tipped, like a very fine artist's paint brush. The larger feathers have the obvious shape to them and the loose barbs at the ends (and iridescence on the black).

I hope that this helps someone!

is this the pic?

 

[polarbearpilot]

@TREX - Your explanation and description are very helpful. I am afraid I've seen something similar on one of my chicks. I will have to go check again to be sure they are pointy and not webby. I don't think this is the picture I saw. But your picture is very clear and easy to see. Thanks.

 

[TREX]

@TREX - Your explanation and description are very helpful. I am afraid I've seen something similar on one of my chicks. I will have to go check again to be sure they are pointy and not webby. I don't think this is the picture I saw. But your picture is very clear and easy to see. Thanks.

Oh its not mine, Lol!!I get no credit for writing that. I just found the comment that you mentioned earlier.

 

[ABeautifulLife]

Hi all, here is my EE (part araucana) supposed roo. Most agree that it's a he but s/he has no pointy saddle feathers.. Maybe he's a late bloomer? S/he's rumpless. I've been searching for someone else who has something like this but all that I've found have tails. I'd love to see if anyone else has any rumpless EEs and what they look like as adults!

 

[aoxa]

Hi all, here is my EE (part araucana) supposed roo. Most agree that it's a he but s/he has no pointy saddle feathers.. Maybe he's a late bloomer? S/he's rumpless. I've been searching for someone else who has something like this but all that I've found have tails. I'd love to see if anyone else has any rumpless EEs and what they look like as adults!

How old is this bird?

 

[ABeautifulLife]

Aoxa, here she is about 12 weeks old.

 

[Brada Puhi]

Aloha kakou, So I think the black and orange one is a male and the other two are female. What do you guys think? Mahalo in advance.

 

[Onespirit03]

Thank you this was very helpful. Do you have recent pictures>

 

[iella]

Aloha kakou, So I think the black and orange one is a male and the other two are female. What do you guys think? Mahalo in advance.

Agree!