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

[Indyshent]

Pretty sure princess is a pullet, didn't do a close up photo. Small comb only tiny bit pink camera made it look redder, uniform coloring throughout. Acts like a pullet. She was also sexed a pullet.

Pretty sure they're all girls (and pretty ones at that!)

 

[Indyshent]

Penny Denny has the biggest comb and probably the most hormones flowing at this point. Not surprising he's the first to crow. I expect he would be your dominant male if you were to keep a bachelor pen like Ol Grey Mare was describing. If you do keep a cockerel, try to pick the one that has the best behavior toward people. Roosters need to protect their hens without seeing humans as a threat. Especially important if you have kids around.

I'd rather have a somewhat standoffish fellow who treats his girls like the princesses they are. Of the roos I've had, the friendliest ones were more likely to not as be as ladies man as I'd've liked. That saids, jerks come in all flavors of the rainbow. Don't tolerate a jerk.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Quote:
You're right about that. I should have been more descriptive... non aggressive toward people is what you want. I have been around very friendly adult roosters who were not aggressive, but still good with their flocks. I also had a jerk cockerel who was rehomed, and the move changed his attitude, as his new owner predicted. It's really hard to tell how they will turn out as adults, but I think the respectfully wary ones, like yours, are probably a good bet.

 

[junebuggena]

My EE rooster hasn't really followed any of the "rules." Here are the most recent shots of him. He's 9 weeks.





At six weeks, the only giveaway was the comb.



Here he is at a week about 2 weeks old. You can just make out his three row comb developing. He actually feathered out faster than my pullets.

 

[bruceha2000]

My EE rooster hasn't really followed any of the "rules." Here are the most recent shots of him. He's 9 weeks.



At six weeks, the only giveaway was the comb.

I would say that is true in the 6 week picture since the feather pattern is pretty uniform and no dark red blotches. Even now the dark red is spread around rather than starting as a patch on the wing. Guess he was trained for undercover work!

 

[ibarbidahl]

Boy that comb is screaming roo though...to every rule a rule breaker.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Boy that comb is screaming roo though...to every rule a rule breaker.

That's for sure! He's very confusing at 6 weeks with the pullet coloring and the cockerel comb. Male coloration is obvious at 9 weeks, with the dark red in the wings and patchy coloring across the breast. Females just don't look like that (although I'm sure there are a few out there that do!

). We had a barred EE on this thread a couple years ago that was really hard to tell until about 15 weeks. Late bloomers! Your guy is very handsome. Are you keeping him?

 

[junebuggena]

He crowed 3 times at about 5 weeks old, so even when all the rooster signs were missing, I still knew it was a boy. He hasn't crowed since. We will keep him as long as he behaves himself. We have 6 barred Rock hens, two EE hens, and three Australorps for him. He feathered out faster than the girls. His comb was always just a little bit wider until about 5 weeks old. His legs aren't any thicker than the girls. He wasn't larger than the girls until after about 6 weeks. The rooster red is coming in all over instead of in patches. The black and gold feathers on his chest were replaced by salmon and some red feathers. His black "collar" is laced/penciled. I'm really curious to see how his color will change. He broke every color rule for male partridge type.

 

[Indyshent]

Might be a chimera (fused twins). It's how male calicos usually happen (female skin, male genitalia)

 

[RVAnnie]

Love the eyeliner on her!