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

[clucking cuties]

Hi all,

We picked up some Easter eggers this spring from the “pullet bin” at local feed store. (They were labeled “Ameraucanas” but I have since come to learn that they are probably Easter eggers, which I am ok with, as I just wanted some nice birds and pretty blue eggs).

It now appears that Karla may actually be Karl. The bird is getting a rather pinkish red pea comb that is 3 rows (I was hoping that meant she was getting ready to give us some nice eggs). My hubby called (I am at work) because he found a stop sign red feather on Karla’s back. It was so red that he thought the bird had been injured, but the feather was the only thing that red and all of the skin was intact with no sign of an injury or bleeding. Karla’s main color is white mixed in with brick red feathers, but no bright red. She/he has the cheek puffs and blue-green legs, so I think that the breed is Easter Egger and not RIR or something along those lines.

Am I correct in now thinking that Karla may actually be Karl?

I can post some pics tomorrow if that will help or is this enough stone cold evidence of a male. (No crowing yet, or eggs either

)

Regards, and TIA.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Hi! I just started and don't know if I'm doing this right. I have a EE (14 weeks) named Midge that I really hope is a girl. She is really dark brown and white and has a sort of curvy feather in the center of the tail. Has a small comb and is smaller than an australorp of the same age. Is supposed to be a girl, but came from agway. This is my first time with chickens, and I hope it's a girl!

Thanks!

I will post pictures as soon as I can!!

Hi Annie.

By 14 weeks it would be pretty obvious if Midge was a roo. My cockerel had me suspicious at 6 weeks (prominent raspberry pink comb). Also, the dark red feather pattern would have appeared on the wings by now. Sounds like you've got a girl, but post a pic so we can admire her!

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Hi all,

We picked up some Easter eggers this spring from the “pullet bin” at local feed store. (They were labeled “Ameraucanas” but I have since come to learn that they are probably Easter eggers, which I am ok with, as I just wanted some nice birds and pretty blue eggs).

It now appears that Karla may actually be Karl. The bird is getting a rather pinkish red pea comb that is 3 rows (I was hoping that meant she was getting ready to give us some nice eggs). My hubby called (I am at work) because he found a stop sign red feather on Karla’s back. It was so red that he thought the bird had been injured, but the feather was the only thing that red and all of the skin was intact with no sign of an injury or bleeding. Karla’s main color is white mixed in with brick red feathers, but no bright red. She/he has the cheek puffs and blue-green legs, so I think that the breed is Easter Egger and not RIR or something along those lines.

Am I correct in now thinking that Karla may actually be Karl?

I can post some pics tomorrow if that will help or is this enough stone cold evidence of a male. (No crowing yet, or eggs either

)

Regards, and TIA.

Hi! How old is Karl/a? Most of the telltale signs of roosterdom appear around 6-8 weeks. You can look at the white was-supposed-to-be-a-pullet EE cockerel in my avatar. He was about 9 weeks then, and the dark red covered covered most of his upper wings. Some of the more knowledgeable EE folks have said that a pullet never has this color pattern. A pullet that is white and red-ish will have the color spread more evenly on the body, rather than being concentrated on the wings. Sounds like you might very well have a Karl. Post a pic and we'll see!

 

[clucking cuties]

I think she/he is around 8-9 weeks.

Thanks so much for the response, I will post a picture tomorrow.

Do only the males have 3 "rows of peas" or can the females have that as well?

 

[Wishing4Wings]

The females will get three rows of peas, but usually not as soon (or as obviously) as the roos. Because EE are mixes, some come out with single combs and no muffs or beards, and the variation can make it harder to know what to expect from a particular color of chick.

I think by 8-9 weeks, you can usually tell a roo-to-be. I'll look for your pic tomorrow. (Try for a good comb shot and wings too)

 

[aoxa]

Last time posting about these two. I think they are pullets. I am 99% sure. They are now 13 weeks old (on Saturday).

I just love my rooster..

He's getting prettier every day!

 

[draye]

Last time posting about these two. I think they are pullets. I am 99% sure. They are now 13 weeks old (on Saturday).

I just love my rooster..

He's getting prettier every day!

I think you're right ablout those pullets.

 

[aoxa]

 I think you're right ablout those pullets.

Thanks

I really got lucky then! I bought five straight run EE's at a day old, and only ONE is a boy!

 

[CGinJCMO]

The EE's are roosters, the last ones a bantam hen. No doubt on the boys though, coloring, feather shape both are tell tale rooster signs. The darker one is going to be a looker for sure.

Oh! way to dash my hopes for blue eggs!

That makes 3 votes for cockerels and none for pullets. Guess I'm not good at picking out a pretty female EE.

Yes, the darker one is nice enough looking that I may consider keeping him...but only if he can be a good boy. I'm going to try taming (and naming) him along with my Barred Rock cockerel and maybe work on the white one as well. That'll make them harder to send to freezer camp, however, if I can't re-home them. I really don't know anything about raising roosters because my Dad only kept only the hens and the cockerels were sent away to be butchered.

Do EE roos pass on the blue egg color genes to their offspring, no matter what the breed of the hen? If yes, the darker one just got a check mark on the PRO side of my mental Keep/Not Keep checklist.

(of course since I don't know if he came from a blue, green or "pink" egg, I don't know what egg color gene he possesses). I may still try to find a female this year. Blue is my favorite color.

All the reading I have been doing on BYC has me wanting to try breeding, and incubating but I still have questions to find the answers to (and money to save to buy or build an incubator but first I still got to finish building the coop, and then I got to get fencing up to keep them in my yard (the bantams can fit through the fencing that is up already between my neighbor's yard and my yard- as long as they stay in the woods,I don't think that it's a problem but when they come up into the mowed area where they could possibly be seen by the neighbor, then there could be a problem) ).

 

[hecatesmoon]

Hecates, their down starts the same color. Silver is silver, blue is blue. Chipmunk doesn't turn blue, atleast never around here. We just hatched one so let get a picture. It hatched sometime yesterday.
Here is the newest chick.

ohhh... I didn't realize there were blue down chicks!