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

[Wishing4Wings]

Jedwards

First one is a cockerel.

Second looks like a pullet, and somebody might be picking on her neck feathers(?).

Last one... hmmmm... Seems like the cockerel combs show up before the saddle/hackle feathers. I'm thinking pullet, but would love an update in a few weeks to see.

 

[mautri]

I wish I read these before I bought mine at a couple weeks old. I wanted one of each color so I could tell them apart...well now I have a rooster. He started crowing one morning at about 3 1/2 mo old he is white, tall and proud also growing a comb. I would love to keep him but I can't so looking for a home for him as we speak. He's about 4-4 1/2 mo now.

 

[Jedwards]

Thanks everyone! I'll post an update of the last one in a few weeks, I have my fingers crossed for a pullet!

 

[polarbearpilot]

I wish I read these before I bought mine at a couple weeks old. I wanted one of each color so I could tell them apart...well now I have a rooster. He started crowing one morning at about 3 1/2 mo old he is white, tall and proud also growing a comb. I would love to keep him but I can't so looking for a home for him as we speak. He's about 4-4 1/2 mo now.

Good luck finding him a home. I had a tough time last year because there were so many unwanted roosters toward the end of summer. I know some of mine went to a new home to be raised for food.

 

[YgritteChick]

I have two questions about EE combs... What is the comb supposed to look like on a pullet? And if a pullet doesn't have a pea comb, does that mean she won't lay some variety of blue colored eggs? I feel like I had read somewhere that the blue colored egg gene is related to the gene that controls the pea comb, but I am not sure if I understood that correctly, lol.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

I have two questions about EE combs... What is the comb supposed to look like on a pullet? And if a pullet doesn't have a pea comb, does that mean she won't lay some variety of blue colored eggs? I feel like I had read somewhere that the blue colored egg gene is related to the gene that controls the pea comb, but I am not sure if I understood that correctly, lol.

A pea comb on an EE might vary due to what the bird has been mixed with. An EE without a pea comb can lay blue/green eggs, but it is less likely than a hen with the pea comb. The genes for peas and blue shells lie very close together on the chromosome. They are not linked, but due to the close proximity, it is unusual for them to be separated. This is for EEs of mainly Ameraucana descent.


Hatchery EE pullet around 8 weeks.


Same hatchery girl at 2 yrs.


Ameraucana pea comb at time of first egg.


Same Ameraucana hen at 2 yrs.

 

[YgritteChick]

Thanks so much! I'm going to have to look closer at my EE pullet's combs now. My two cockerels have obvious pea combs but the pullets have such small combs I wasn't sure what kind they are. I was worried that only the boys carried the blue egg gene, which would be quite disappointing for me!

 

[kenzier093]

A pea comb on an EE might vary due to what the bird has been mixed with. An EE without a pea comb can lay blue/green eggs, but it is less likely than a hen with the pea comb. The genes for peas and blue shells lie very close together on the chromosome. They are not linked, but due to the close proximity, it is unusual for them to be separated. This is for EEs of mainly Ameraucana descent.


Hatchery EE pullet around 8 weeks.


Same hatchery girl at 2 yrs.


Ameraucana pea comb at time of first egg.


Same Ameraucana hen at 2 yrs.

Wow, I really like the last one! Love her cream color!

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Quote: Thanks. She is actually a Buff Ameraucana crossed with a Wheaten Ameraucana, so technically she's an EE.

With the exception of a few faint partridge markings on the tips of a few feathers, she looks like a pure Buff and her color has stayed very bright orange-gold so far. My hatchery Buff Orp was only this pretty during her pullet year and is really faded now. Gotta love the EEs!!!

 

[LittleChickSpy]

One of my hatchery-sexed 12 week old EE pullets is growing pointy saddle feathers. She is also a lot bigger than my other EE pullet, the same age. I feel like her tail is pullety, but the pointy saddle feathers are throwing me!

Here she is with the other 12 week old EE pullet -

Apologies for the big pictures - I can't seem to get BYC pictures to work today (or yesterday).