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

[bruceha2000]

Is it too early to tell if "Buffy" is a boy or girl, s/he is about 3 weeks old. Or do I need to wait a little longer???

With that "eye liner" if she turns out to be a boy, you'll have to rename him Boy George

Looks like it MIGHT be a 3 row comb which I understand suggests boy. Here is Andromeda at the same age:

I am one of those questioning my Easter Egger. She is solid white, a very large bird, crows loud with a tune to it and jumps on top my other birds. She is young yet, so hasn't started laying yet. Any ideas?

Thanks - I'm not really sure on the age. I ordered them, and they were to be 15 - 22 weeks. I'm thinking they were probably closer to the 15 week age. I have had them now 8 weeks. I have attached another picture I took today. Thanks for any input.

So you are saying that the bird is MINIMALLY 23 weeks old? Certainly old enough to be close to lay. Mine started at 21 and 24 weeks. Combs got red about a week before. I agree with Lynda, those feathers do look like pointy male saddles. Are there breeds in which the girls have pointer saddle feathers and this could be a cross with one? Can't really tell about the hackle feathers (behind the head), they are all so nicely white, I can't make out shape.

With regard to jumping the other birds, my dominant girl is an Ancona and she jumps on the other girls backs like she is mounting them. Doesn't matter if it is one of the little Cubalayas or the E.E.s which are bigger than she is (though I've not seen her jump Zorra. She's a Black Australorp and probably 50% bigger than Zia but gentle as all get out. Ya gotta know your limits

) Presumably an "I'm the top bird in this joint, GOT IT?! GOOD, now DON'T forget it" behavior.

When you say the bird crows loudly, is that an "Er ER er EROOOO" crow or a "Bok, bok, bok, baGAWK" Egg song? Some of my girls sang the song for about a week before they laid. Others hardly ever sing. Just go about their business and wander out of the nest as if nothing happened.

Beautiful bird either way.

Bruce

 

[debid]

I am one of those questioning my Easter Egger. She is solid white, a very large bird, crows loud with a tune to it and jumps on top my other birds. She is young yet, so hasn't started laying yet. Any ideas?

This is a cockerel, there is no maybe left here.

 

[debid]

Is it too early to tell if "Buffy" is a boy or girl, s/he is about 3 weeks old. Or do I need to wait a little longer???

It will be obvious in 3 weeks when the feathers are in. Leaning boy because of slow feathering in certain areas but it could be a girl that's slow-feathering in general.

 

[k9trnr]

Thank you for your input. Her neck feathers are also pointed, hard to tell in pictures because of being so white. I added another picture here that shows it a little better. Her crow is errr, errr, errrrrr and very loud, not like my other girls who do the bawk bawk noises. I guess I will see if she lays over the next few weeks. I do worry, she/he is rough on my Buffs, she is twice their size. When she gets on top of them she completely covers them and grabs the back of their neck with her beak. I was under the impression female Easter Eggers were not very big, she is bigger than my Buffs and RiRs of about the same age.

 

[debid]

Thank you for your input. Her neck feathers are also pointed, hard to tell in pictures because of being so white. I added another picture here that shows it a little better. Her crow is errr, errr, errrrrr and very loud, not like my other girls who do the bawk bawk noises. I guess I will see if she lays over the next few weeks. I do worry, she/he is rough on my Buffs, she is twice their size. When she gets on top of them she completely covers them and grabs the back of their neck with her beak. I was under the impression female Easter Eggers were not very big, she is bigger than my Buffs and RiRs of about the same age.

Um, you do realize that a cockerel is a young rooster, right? Not sure why you're saying "she". Yours is about as obvious as a young rooster gets. And EEs vary in size because they vary in breed mix but males are generally larger than females.

 

[themenagerie]

K9trnr - That's definitely a roo (or a cockerel if you wish)

 

[k9trnr]

Thank you all. I think you are all right also, just wanted more opinions since I am a first time chicken owner. I guess I will have to come up with a different name, so much for Eleanor.

 

[bruceha2000]

Thank you all. I think you are all right also, just wanted more opinions since I am a first time chicken owner. I guess I will have to come up with a different name, so much for Eleanor.

Yeah, if it is "err, errr, errr" its a boy. Just starting to mate with the mounting. And yes, that last pictures shows nicely pointed hackle feathers.
My daughter, the chicken namer, says: "Eleanor, Ellie, Elliot"

Sorry about she being a he, assuming you wanted only shes.

Other than my larger Black Australorp, my EEs are my largest birds.

Bruce

 

[GreatWhiteAfro]

With that "eye liner" if she turns out to be a boy, you'll have to rename him Boy George

Looks like it MIGHT be a 3 row comb which I understand suggests boy. Here is Andromeda at the same age:

It will be obvious in 3 weeks when the feathers are in. Leaning boy because of slow feathering in certain areas but it could be a girl that's slow-feathering in general.

Woke up to see Buffy's comb area is starting to turn red already..........looks like I have a Buster not a Buffy....it's a little hard to tell in the photo, but it's deffiently got a red tinge to it. My other two have no comb started and no color in that area and they are the same age.

 

[bruceha2000]

Woke up to see Buffy's comb area is starting to turn red already..........looks like I have a Buster not a Buffy....it's a little hard to tell in the photo, but it's deffiently got a red tinge to it. My other two have no comb started and no color in that area and they are the same age.

Buster it is then. Hope you don't mind having a roo.

Bruce