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

[Kikiriki]

They should be about 7 to 9 weeks in the photo. They were supposed to be 4 to 5 weeks when we got them. They are really into flying and running and bumping chests. They also seem to get great pleasure from sneak attacks on one another! The blonde is especially aggressive...my "psycho bird".

They have been moved out to the coop area next to the two older hens. I will try to get another picture.

They have their own coop, but share the run, although there is no "sharing" going on...my two hens either try to attack them, or stay as far away as they can possibly get. Sigh....and I have a pair of Lavender Ameraucana that will be moving outside in a couple of weeks, so the fun will start all over again.

I will never do a flock integration project again! Stress and mayhem all around.

 

[bruceha2000]

Can anyone sex these two? Afraid I am totally flummoxed...

Given the feathering, I'd say they are girls. Small combs, no hint of the red patch and they already have their adult coloring.

 

[Kikiriki]

Thank you for looking at these, by the way!
Here are pictures from just now. The others were a week old, which makes a difference, I guess. The black headed one looks to me like the whole face is canted to one side, so you are not imagining it!
Sorry there are so many pics...they are not friendly and like their distance so no single photo was good. Hopefully, these will show the important aspects.

 

[Faraday40]

They should be about 7 to 9 weeks in the photo. They were supposed to be 4 to 5 weeks when we got them. They are really into flying and running and bumping chests. They also seem to get great pleasure from sneak attacks on one another! The blonde is especially aggressive...my "psycho bird".

They have been moved out to the coop area next to the two older hens. I will try to get another picture.

They have their own coop, but share the run, although there is no "sharing" going on...my two hens either try to attack them, or stay as far away as they can possibly get. Sigh....and I have a pair of Lavender Ameraucana that will be moving outside in a couple of weeks, so the fun will start all over again.

I will never do a flock integration project again! Stress and mayhem all around.

By that age, I'll say pullets. My babies "play" too. You'll see them bumping chests one second, then go run off together as partners in crime. It's normal for the 8 week olds to stay clear of the adults. That's why you should have multiple feeders/water founts available. Mine never mingle until the younger ones near laying age - about 20+ weeks. Until then, it's like having 2 mini flocks.

It's great that you included a buddy for the transition. I've read that trying to integrate a single bird can be traumatic. Your EE buddies will always stay close to each other, but they should eventually become part of the flock. They're probably old enough to sleep with the big girls. You could start by moving them to a low roost inside the henhouse. Do it at night once everyone's asleep. After a few nights they'll return on their own. A little bullying like you described is normal. If there's blood, that's not normal & you should separate until it's healed.

 

[Faraday40]

Here are my 3 Amigos. I wanted to keep the Coronation Sussex we hatched, so I needed a buddy to help with the transition. I kept 2 EE mixes - just in case one was male - hatched on the same day to help through the introduction period. Like you, my 3 were kind of wild crazy - especially the light golden one - and inseparable. They slept in the coop but free ranged outside the run the rest of the time. They preferred each other's company over the safety of the flock.

My tale has a sad ending, though. A brutal hawk attack killed the golden one last month. The 2 remaining kept searching for their missing friend. Each night they'd call out & wait outside the coop for their friend 'til almost dark. I found it hard to believe that the hawk got the fastest of the 3 & left the slow white one alone. Now (at age 22 weeks) the 2 remaining Amigos stay closer to the flock under the protection of the roo. They're not in the middle of it all, but more around the edges of the flock.




The pic below is from a few days ago. You can see how the white one is "near" the flock, but not quite inside the flock. (They stay just outside pecking range.) Her buddy was off frame to the left. Last month, they would have been on the other side of the property, so it just takes time.

 

[mymilliefleur]

Thank you for looking at these, by the way!
Here are pictures from just now. The others were a week old, which makes a difference, I guess. The black headed one looks to me like the whole face is canted to one side, so you are not imagining it!
Sorry there are so many pics...they are not friendly and like their distance so no single photo was good. Hopefully, these will show the important aspects.

I agree, those look like pullets. In fact, I have a couple that look very much like those two.

 

[Kikiriki]

Here are my 3 Amigos. I wanted to keep the Coronation Sussex we hatched, so I needed a buddy to help with the transition. I kept 2 EE mixes - just in case one was male - hatched on the same day to help through the introduction period. Like you, my 3 were kind of wild crazy - especially the light golden one - and inseparable. They slept in the coop but free ranged outside the run the rest of the time. They preferred each other's company over the safety of the flock. My tale has a sad ending, though. A brutal hawk attack killed the golden one last month. The 2 remaining kept searching for their missing friend. Each night they'd call out & wait outside the coop for their friend 'til almost dark. I found it hard to believe that the hawk got the fastest of the 3 & left the slow white one alone. Now (at age 22 weeks) the 2 remaining Amigos stay closer to the flock under the protection of the roo. They're not in the middle of it all, but more around the edges of the flock. The pic below is from a few days ago. You can see how the white one is "near" the flock, but not quite inside the flock. (They stay just outside pecking range.) Her buddy was off frame to the left. Last month, they would have been on the other side of the property, so it just takes time.

I hope mine turn out as lovely as yours have! It looks like I got lucky and won't have to separate them...I was not looking forward to having to rehome a rooster.

 

[Kikiriki]

Thanks to both of you, Mymilleifleur and Faraday40!

 

[mymilliefleur]

Here an old picture of My roosters father:

 

[LittleRedCoop53]

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