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

[ColorEnthusiast]

I'm back! OK so I don't have the pics right now but I will do a brief description, I have 2 mallards, 1 month and 2 week's old, and obviously one is male male and the other is fem, one has dark brown furry chest with white speaks, and a brownish face, the other face stayed pretty much light and the chest is white/yellowish color, who's the lady?

Need pics. They don't sex ducks here but maybe you meant something else.

 

[ColorEnthusiast]

I've only been a member for a few days, but my impression is there is no place for feeling inadequate about how little you (and I, and most every new chicken flock owner) know.

People have been great about sharing their knowledge, not correcting my often incorrect terminology, and generally welcoming me to the forum and the world of "chooks" (still not sure about that term, lol, tho I think it has to do with the name of the native fowl)

there is probably a page for "what breed us this? " somewhere here. To me, the one in back looks like a new hampshire red or a mix like a red sex link or golden comet. If you Google pics of those breeds, you'll most likely be able to tell.

 

[LBrake]

6 weeks ago I purchased a variety of chicks from the farm store, 7 of them being Easter Eggers. After only 3 weeks I was suspecting possibly 6 of the 7 EE being boys. I wanted to get girls, so I did a bunch of searching the internet and BYC for how to sex EE day old chicks, and learned there is no sure way, even feather sexing could be iffy if the female did not have a fast feathering gene, and it was only good for the first 48 hrs old. So I figured my best bet would be to try feather sexing. I got to the store as soon as their day old chicks were delivered. I picked out 6 Easter Egger pullets (I hope) based on their wing feathers. I'll repost once I know if it worked and I truly have 6 girls. In not sure if I'm remembering the correct technical names of the feathers,
but the Primary feathers on the wing are supposed to be longer than the second row of Covert feathers which are supposed to be shorter on a pullet.
On a cockerel,
the feathers are all the same length. I'm posting the 2 clearest wing pics I have.

 

[debid]

6 weeks ago I purchased a variety of chicks from the farm store, 7 of them being Easter Eggers. After only 3 weeks I was suspecting possibly 6 of the 7 EE being boys. I wanted to get girls, so I did a bunch of searching the internet and BYC for how to sex EE day old chicks, and learned there is no sure way, even feather sexing could be iffy if the female did not have a fast feathering gene, and it was only good for the first 48 hrs old. So I figured my best bet would be to try feather sexing. I got to the store as soon as their day old chicks were delivered. I picked out 6 Easter Egger pullets (I hope) based on their wing feathers. I'll repost once I know if it worked and I truly have 6 girls. In not sure if I'm remembering the correct technical names of the feathers,
but the Primary feathers on the wing are supposed to be longer than the second row of Covert feathers which are supposed to be shorter on a pullet.
On a cockerel,
the feathers are all the same length. I'm posting the 2 clearest wing pics I have.

If they were Amberlinks, you'd be able to choose pullets by wing growth. But the hatcheries only invest the effort to set up wing-sexable breeding when they are able to see a benefit in reduced sexing costs. So, it's done for commercial layers only. EEs are vent sexed.

If you want to know what you have, post pictures of how they look at 6 weeks. Many give themselves away by pattern.

 

[AmandaMBG]

I know it's a little early to tell but have any of you seen a partridge chick like this turn into a roo? No burgundy feathers coming in anywhere btw.

 

[junebuggena]

I know it's a little early to tell but have any of you seen a partridge chick like this turn into a roo? No burgundy feathers coming in anywhere btw.

I've had a few cockerels look like a pullet till 8 weeks old. Then rooster red started to pop up, seemingly overnight.

 

[dannyelle123]

Not much has changed... Storm's comb is still light pink and Opal's is very pale... What does everyone think? I was holding Storm the other day and she/he started purring. What the? I posted a video on facebook and my friend said it's the ugliest chicken and weirdest thing she's ever seen. Haha. Is that a cockerel thing to purr? My other EE, Chaos went to live on a farm as he started cockadoodling. Lol

 

[LBrake]

Not much has changed... Storm's comb is still light pink and Opal's is very pale... What does everyone think? I was holding Storm the other day and she/he started purring. What the? I posted a video on facebook and my friend said it's the ugliest chicken and weirdest thing she's ever seen. Haha. Is that a cockerel thing to purr? My other EE, Chaos went to live on a farm as he started cockadoodling. Lol

I have 3 ameraucana pullets that are 20 wks old who will sit in my lap together and purr. They are the sweetest tempered chickens I've ever had. I'd say the purring is not rooster thing.

 

[junebuggena]

Not much has changed... Storm's comb is still light pink and Opal's is very pale... What does everyone think? I was holding Storm the other day and she/he started purring. What the? I posted a video on facebook and my friend said it's the ugliest chicken and weirdest thing she's ever seen. Haha. Is that a cockerel thing to purr? My other EE, Chaos went to live on a farm as he started cockadoodling. Lol

Looks like Storm has some male saddle feathers just starting to develop...

 

[dannyelle123]

Looks like Storm has some male saddle feathers just starting to develop...

Aww shucks... So Opal is a probably pullet then?