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

[junebuggena]

Her color and pattern is only found on females. And that comb is still too small and flat to be a cockerel of that age.

 

[Mama Bay]

Her color and pattern is only found on females. And that comb is still too small and flat to be a cockerel of that age.

Thanks so much!!! So if I cross her or her sisters with my black and white EE boy will I be able to figure out sex by feathering somewhat?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Thanks so much!!! So if I cross her or her sisters with my black and white EE boy will I be able to figure out sex by feathering somewhat?

No - the resulting chicks would not be sex linked in any way.

 

[junebuggena]

Nope. There is no way to know what has been bred into hatchery birds, so there is no way of knowing what is lurking in their genes, color wise. They are completely random. Even the down color won't accurately tell you what colors they will be as adults. Your girl happens to be a partridge type color. The partridge pattern is dramatically different for males and females, but the differences won't start to be clear until around 8 weeks old. By that time, most boys already have big flaming red combs.

At 6 weeks old, the only difference between my cockerel (on the right) and the pullets, was that he was slightly darker and his comb clearly had three rows.

By 8 weeks, he looked like a completely different bird, but the girls stayed mostly the same.

 

[Mama Bay]

Nope. There is no way to know what has been bred into hatchery birds, so there is no way of knowing what is lurking in their genes, color wise. They are completely random. Even the down color won't accurately tell you what colors they will be as adults. Your girl happens to be a partridge type color. The partridge pattern is dramatically different for males and females, but the differences won't start to be clear until around 8 weeks old. By that time, most boys already have big flaming red combs. At 6 weeks old, the only difference between my cockerel (on the right) and the pullets, was that he was slightly darker and his comb clearly had three rows. By 8 weeks, he looked like a completely different bird, but the girls stayed mostly the same.

He's pretty! Here's the boy I hatched from a green egg EE hen and half EE half Barred Rock Roo.

 

[junebuggena]

Thanks, my plan is to use him over my barred Rocks to make black sexlink Easter Eggers.

 

[JEsqueda]

8.5 weeks. We've got splashy coloring, pointed tail feathers and a red comb. Definitely a rooster, right?

He's rooster #2 in my small flock, and (unfortunately for him) is not my favorite of the two. I don't have enough hens for 2 roos, so he's probably going to need a new home.

 

[junebuggena]

With that comb, there is no way it's a pullet.

 

[katatonic123]

@Wishing4Wings Here's a better pic of her comb.

And a question, will you see red on wings with buff in the mix?

 

[Wishing4Wings]

@Wishing4Wings Here's a better pic of her comb.


And a question, will you see red on wings with buff in the mix?

Oh those Silkie mix combs! It looks so flat, more like what I'd expect for a pullet (although I don't have much Silkie experience).

It takes purposeful breeding to get a consistent, reliable variety. Since domestic chickens started from the wild type jungle fowl (where roosters have the dark red wing bows) I think it is much easier to revert back to that form than to keep the pure buff color (without red wing bows). But it really does depend on what's in the mix. Since your chick is a partridge type, I would think a cockerel would get the red. The coloring is what swayed me toward pullet even without seeing the comb.

You will have to keep us posted.