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

[FVRM]

It's been a little while and I thought I would post some new pictures of Ember and Cinder to get some ideas on their genders.




So....any ideas on if they are pullets or not? Every other picture I have posted so far makes Cinder look really red but I don't think "she's" that red in person (or in chicken, as the case may be)

They both look like pullets

 

[polarbearpilot]

It's been a little while and I thought I would post some new pictures of Ember and Cinder to get some ideas on their genders.




So....any ideas on if they are pullets or not? Every other picture I have posted so far makes Cinder look really red but I don't think "she's" that red in person (or in chicken, as the case may be)

Both are beautiful pullets. Hope you get eggs soon.

 

[oletymer]

My sons leghorn rooster was nice up until he stated mating with the girls, then got testy with me, I catch him in the coop in the evening and hold him and talk to him...let him know Im boss with love

and he has settled down no more kicking me, but they all have there own personalities

 

[mo-diggity]

I'm so happy this thread exists I was sold an "Ameraucana" but I'm sure it's an EE, as it came from a large hatchery and I know that's usually how they try to sell the EEs. I don't mind, I'm happy with the choice!

We ordered 4 chicks (2 RIRs, 1 Plymouth Rock, 1 EE); they are just over 4 weeks old at this point. Their feathers are coming in, and I can pretty easily identify that two are pullets based on their body types. Another I'm fairly certain is a girl, but our EE (Tina Turner) has either really determined that she is the top of the pecking order or has truly started to show roo qualities. I'm going to refer to "her" as a "her" for the sake of explanation.

She's the hardest one to catch and HATES being picked up, and constantly tries to escape my grasp when around the other chicks. She's totally fine if I carry her out of their sight, and then she acts very friendly, mellow, calm and stops trying to escape my grasp. But, she goes ballistic when she gets within eyesight of the other chicks. When I set her down, she runs all over the place and gets in everyone's face, like she wants to make sure they're all ok. (I know not all chickens like beying held, but we've handled ours a lot in the last four weeks to get them accustomed to us and being picked up. Her objection to being held is a recent development.)

None of the other chicks seem to mind her behavior, but I think she plays favorites to one of the RIRs and is always trying to get next to her and get in her business...I can't tell if that's a display of dominance from one pullet to another as they vie for a place in the pecking order or if Tina has selected her "favored hen" (can they even do that at four weeks old?).

Her comb started coming in first, and is barely tinted red. She is larger than the others by quite a bit, but that could be a breed difference as we have three different types across the four birds. Her behavior has definitely escalated in the past week or so, and even though it is in no way violent towards me or the other chickens, I'm observing her a lot more.

Is it possible to sext based on this behavior? Essentially I'm wondering if this is dominant cockerel behavior or a pullet vying (and ultimately claiming) her roll as the queen bee. We are first-time chicken owners and despite my months of research and obsession with chickens, there is nothing like owning chickens to really get a sense of what they're like! I'm pretty certain Tina is a cockerel, but it's just a hunch...

I'll post an update with photos soon. I don't have any recent ones with their closer-to-full-grown feathers right now. Any help based on behaviors, though, is appreciated

Here are the pictures of the bird I'm talking about in the post above. I've taken to calling this bird Turner now instead of just Tina Turner, because (s)he is looking more like a cockerel to me every day...but what do you experts think? Also: my apologies for the sideways photos...I can't get them to upload correctly.

As a reminder, these birds are just under 5 weeks old now. They grow up so fast!

 

[Adenium]

That's a lot of comb for that age, and it's quite red. That plus the patchy patterning says cockerel to me.

Plenty of more experienced people on here. I've been subscribed to this thread for a long time and only in the past few weeks has it become easier to figure out what helps those folks decide pullet/cockerel.

Mine are approaching 10 weeks and still look all girl but I may have to post new pictures as they're now getting quite curved tail feathers. Had to do a forum search last night to assure myself that some EEs DO get those even if female. Sigh. But your chicken looks fairly clearly male by the standard criteria.

 

[mo-diggity]

Thanks, Adenium! That's my thought, too. My husband is still hopefully he's a girl, but I've had my doubts for a week or so now. Time will tell, I suppose!

 

[Brookshire11]

I agree, looks like a little roo!

 

[polarbearpilot]

Here are the pictures of the bird I'm talking about in the post above. I've taken to calling this bird Turner now instead of just Tina Turner, because (s)he is looking more like a cockerel to me every day...but what do you experts think? Also: my apologies for the sideways photos...I can't get them to upload correctly.

As a reminder, these birds are just under 5 weeks old now. They grow up so fast!

That's a boy. Big red comb, patchy feathering pattern, long straight legs, tall stance. All boy characteristics.

 

[mo-diggity]

That's what I figured, polarbearpilot. Looks like we'll have to find him a home soon :-(

 

[polarbearpilot]

My sons leghorn rooster was nice up until he stated mating with the girls, then got testy with me, I catch him in the coop in the evening and hold him and talk to him...let him know Im boss with love

and he has settled down no more kicking me, but they all have there own personalities

Good for you. I had an aggressive bantam roo tried to poke holes on my bare legs. No fun. A standard sized or big sized roo can really do damage.