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

[Angie16hearts]

I think you are going to have to wait another week. Not sure about any of them.  Odds are good for 4 girls! 

I'm right with you! I really think most are cockerels. I've been watching stance.the ones I think may be are starting to chest bump.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Quote: Pullets do that too. Chest bumping and sparring is not an indication of sex at this age. Keep hope!

 

[Angie16hearts]

Pullets do that too.  Chest bumping and sparring is not an indication of sex at this age.  Keep hope! 

 

[sharol]

T

that is really Interesting! I'm curious now..I wish I would have checked who hatched from which egg. I do have a idea on a few. Ill be watching next Time!

I have a friend on the consolidated Kansas thread who believes that weather may have something to do with gender, too. cooler weather, more girls. Not sure what I think.

 

[Angie16hearts]

I have a friend on the consolidated Kansas thread who believes that weather may have something to do with gender, too.  cooler weather, more girls.  Not sure what I think.

If that's the case looks like cold humid weather. I hope I got a few pullets but will definitely be writing more notes next round!

 

[Faraday40]

In my daughter's project last year, we kept many records. Although not part of the project, we kept records of which hens made which chicks. (mixed flock so easy to tell eggs apart, then we banded the chicks.) It was interesting to see that 4 hens gave mostly females throughout all the trials, while our fav hen gave 8 male & 2 female chicks. The other 4 hens had mixed male/female offspring. This was done over an 8 month period using the same hens & same roo & same diet. I wonder if there's something to it or just dumb luck. Over the course of the project, DD hatched 78 chicks (54 were female), so not the typical 50/50 like we expected.

So what did we do? I have no idea!!! If I did I would be repeating it. As far as weather, many were hatched in late winter thru spring. The last trial was done in early summer. We did have a cooler spring than normal, so perhaps temps played a part. (Eggs were incubated inside, though.) Is it the hen genetics? Is it in the egg selection? Is there something in the way we incubate that kills the males (but not females) before they hatch? Of course ours is not a big enough sample to draw any conclusions. Also not all 78 chicks came from our eggs. (Her experiment was actually testing the effect of shipping on egg hatch rate The shipped eggs produced far less chicks, but more females from those as well. Do those breeders know something......?

 

[Angie16hearts]

In my daughter's project last year, we kept many records.  Although not part of the project, we kept records of which hens made which chicks. (mixed flock so easy to tell eggs apart, then we banded the chicks.)  It was interesting to see that 4 hens gave mostly females throughout all the trials, while our fav hen gave 8 male & 2 female chicks.  The other 4 hens had mixed male/female offspring.  This was done over an 8 month period using the same hens & same roo & same diet.  I wonder if there's something to it or just dumb luck.  Over the course of the project, DD hatched 78 chicks (54 were female), so not the typical 50/50 like we expected.  

So what did we do?  I have no idea!!!  If I did I would be repeating it.  As far as weather, many were hatched in late winter thru spring.  The last trial was done in early summer.  We did have a cooler spring than normal, so perhaps temps played a part. (Eggs were incubated inside, though.)  Is it the hen genetics?  Is it in the egg selection?  Is there something in the way we incubate that kills the males (but not females) before they hatch?  Of course ours is not a big enough sample to draw any conclusions.  Also not all 78 chicks came from our eggs. (Her experiment was actually testing the effect of shipping on egg hatch rate  The shipped eggs produced far less chicks, but more females from those as well.  Do those breeders know something......?

Very interesting!! I'm definitely keeping notes next time! I do remember a few but was at work for about 5-6 of them one day. Someone did tell me to keep the notes I should have listened

 

[jarvis]

got a set of "pullet" chicks today ! =D 14 beautiful baby fluffs

think ill take pics about once a week and see how well they did ( there was no straight runs and the other breeds are all very different colors so I know I got ees ) of course they are labeled "arcaunas" ..


and nowww pics =)

 

[KrystalRose]

Chicken math wins again. I went to the farm store for some fertilizer and came home with 3 EE chicks. What can I say I am a sucker for EEs. So now I have to try grafting them to a broody hen, or decide to keep them on their own. I would rather have them be with a mama, if anyone has tips on getting a mama to accept chicks I am all ears. I have heard to do it at night after moving mom to a closed off area and letting her settle in to it for a day or so. My weather is 25-30 at night and 55 during the day. I have a dog crate for them to be in, should I put them in the coop with mama and where they will be able to better integrate with the flock or indoors where it is warmer? Tips or Advice Please!

My choice of broody mamas are: An EE or a Buff Orpington, both have been broody for about a month. When I kick them off the nests for treat time, the EE runs for the treats, the BO sits on the ground and scowls at me before running off. The BO also has already plucked out all tummy feathers. Both have not been mamas before. Which should I try first to be mama? Or should I test it out somehow before getting a broody used to the new crate?

 

[mymilliefleur]

Today the chicks are 4 weeks and a day. Here we go. I'm afraid I have a lot of cockerels ! Chick #1

It is too early to tell, but I'm fairly sure that this one is a pullet with a comb that dark.