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

[Katt66]

here are some better pics of esmerelda. Only took me taking about 50 pics to get a few good ones. Just when I'd have the perfect pic lined up, someone would spot my wedding ring and want a taste, so then...blurry picture lol. :cd

I see no saddle or hackle feathers and she's got very strong partridge coloring.

 

[debid]

Much better pictures Yes, Esmerelda is looking very much like a pullet in all of them. No worries.

 

[RoostersCrow HensDeliver!]

At twelve weeks old, the males won't have saddle feathers yet.

She looks 100% girl to me. Nice light pink small comb, female coloring. She's very pretty too, by the way.

 

[Veer67]

I agree with the other posts, Esmeralda has a very feminine coloring, has no feather patch, saddle feathers, and her comb size/shape isn't of a roosters. So no worries, you've got yourself a pretty pullet there!

 

[Katt66]

At twelve weeks old, the males won't have saddle feathers yet.

She looks 100% girl to me. Nice light pink small comb, female coloring. She's very pretty too, by the way.

I dunno. I have 2 that were born July 17th. They had saddle feathers by Sept. 26th when I took them over to my Aunt's to make room for the pullets I was getting in on Oct. 3rd.

That was the final deciding factor for me when I knew they were definitely no doubt about and no more denying it roosters. If my math's correct, that's about 11 weeks.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

My last Easter-egger cockerel had pointed saddle feathers at 7 weeks old. They can and often do come in earlier than 12 weeks. The most I would say on the topic is to expect them to appear before 14 weeks old if you have a cockerel.

My last EE boy at 7 weeks old:

And a closer look at his back at the same age:

By 10 weeks old, they were pretty obvious:

He was rehomed, so the most recent pictures of him that I have are these, at around 22 weeks old:

 

[aoxa]

Oh I hope so, you guys are gonna make my day if that's true

My last Easter-egger cockerel had pointed saddle feathers at 7 weeks old. They can and often do come in earlier than 12 weeks. The most I would say on the topic is to expect them to appear before 14 weeks old if you have a cockerel.

My last EE boy at 7 weeks old:



And a closer look at his back at the same age:




By 10 weeks old, they were pretty obvious:




He was rehomed, so the most recent pictures of him that I have are these, at around 22 weeks old:

This is not usual at all. What an over acheiver!

I've seen them START on the hackles/saddles by 10 weeks, but never to that extent.


This is what my boys look like at 10-11 weeks


15 weeks (not EE, but my boys always follow the same development it seems)


Here is a 14 week old EE (the one I used in my DEMO picture)


In this picture he is 20 weeks.

I have 17 week old Barred Plymouth Rocks that have very little in terms of hackle & saddle feathers. So slow!

 

[Katt66]

I think it's because of them being crosses. They have a sort of "hybrid vigor" to them. Always full of surprises. We had one from our original 3 cockerels who started developing hackle and saddle feathers and crowing by seven or either weeks. By 12 weeks he was fully feathered in with bright green sickle feathers as well. And now at just over 4 months is doing the rooster dance. I yell at him all the time because he's doing it for his sister. XD This particular guy has one hatchmate who didn't start getting his saddle feathers till nearly 4 months and still doesn't crow. And of the two younger ones we hatched on July 17th, both were growing saddle feathers and actively crowing by the end of Sept. From what I'm seeing, the only hard and fast rules with EE roosters are that red on their shoulders and the big full pea combs. Other than that, they make up the rules as they go along.

 

[aoxa]

I think it's because of them being crosses. They have a sort of "hybrid vigor" to them. Always full of surprises. We had one from our original 3 cockerels who started developing hackle and saddle feathers and crowing by seven or either weeks. By 12 weeks he was fully feathered in with bright green sickle feathers as well. And now at just over 4 months is doing the rooster dance. I yell at him all the time because he's doing it for his sister. XD This particular guy has one hatchmate who didn't start getting his saddle feathers till nearly 4 months and still doesn't crow. And of the two younger ones we hatched on July 17th, both were growing saddle feathers and actively crowing by the end of Sept. From what I'm seeing, the only hard and fast rules with EE roosters are that red on their shoulders and the big full pea combs. Other than that, they make up the rules as they go along.

Well if you see those saddle/hackle feathers early, BONUS for you! Easy giveaway they are roosters

For most breeds it doesn't start until 10-12 weeks. By that time I already know they are boys based on their colour alone. Unless they are white.


Like this stud muffin. I'm trying to aim for pure whites and slate legs. I have only him that fits it.. I have a female that has green legs, but is pure white. We shall see if I can get the slate legs when crossing them, and after that have them breed true.

Until then they are EEs.

Here are some of my classically coloured girls:

 

[Katt66]

Well if you see those saddle/hackle feathers early, BONUS for you! Easy giveaway they are roosters For most breeds it doesn't start until 10-12 weeks. By that time I already know they are boys based on their colour alone. Unless they are white. Like this stud muffin. I'm trying to aim for pure whites and slate legs. I have only him that fits it.. I have a female that has green legs, but is pure white. We shall see if I can get the slate legs when crossing them, and after that have them breed true. Until then they are EEs. Here are some of my classically coloured girls:

Oh wow! He definitely is a keeper. Your ladies are all beautiful as.well. I've already been thinking the early developing rooster in my above post would be a good one to breed from for other reasons... dark dark legs, gorgeous full beard, conformation, to name a few. Early showing male traits is just another. If it would be dominant for his offspring that is. I am seriously thinking I want to breed him in the spring now more than ever. His brother developed the same and is like him in every way except for having a.fading gene which made him porceline colored with a rusty lace pattern across his wings and.chest. I soooooo wish I had the room to do some serious breeding for particular strains of EE.