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

[canesisters]

I'm guessing pullet on both....

Lets see if I've learned anything....

• single 'row' comb, and not REAL red
• no dark red/burganddy 'shoulder pads'
• pretty even partridge markings over all

And then again - could be that I haven't got a clue...

 

[Wishing4Wings]

I am so glad to see this rather lengthy thread, but I must confess looking at all of these pictures is making my head swim. Once I think I know the difference between a roo & a hen, it all sort of falls away. So I hope you all might be able to help me confirm my suspicions. I have 4 chickens about 12 weeks old. 2 are EEs. I feel fairly certain that one is a rooster. The other I'm not so sure, but I'm leaning toward roo territory. Of course, these being my first chickens, I could be completely wrong.

Here's Winnie Cooper. 12 week old EE. That I suspect is a roo.


Body shot of Winnie:


This is Bunny. Also 12 weeks old. Maybe a roo?


Another body shot of Bunny. Sorry no head shots.


Thanks very much! I hope these photos are good enough. I can take more if need be.
Gabe

Hi Gabe. Looks like two pullets. I can see why you might suspect Winnie Cooper (excellent name!), because her comb is a bit bigger than Bunny's, but it does not appear to be the bright raspberry pink that the roos have. Generally, a pullet's coloring pattern is evenly spread (Bunny is good example), where roos get patches of red on the upper wings. Also, by 12 wks, a roo would have obvious pointed saddle feathers that grow near the base of the tail. Both of yours have girlish rounded feathers in this area.

Two pretty girls. And

 

[maritimefist]

Thanks, Wishing4Wings & canesisters. Bunny is actually larger than Winnie. Both are more aggressive than our RIR & Barred Rock. While I don't see the very pointy saddle feathers, the seeming sickle feathers on Winnie especially gave me pause. Well, that & their behavior really. I really do hop ether are both girls. Thanks again for the diagnosis. Fingers crossed that they don't start crowing.

 

[draye]

I'll agree 2 girls.

from Arkansas.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Winnie's sickle feathers seem typical for pullets. The color pattern on them makes them look pointy. Roos get long, narrow, shiny/glossy sickle feathers where the end of the feather itself is narrow and pointy. Easy to confuse with the color pattern.

 

[maritimefist]

Quote:
That's good to keep in mind. My RIR is starting to sprout sickle feathers. I'll have to check closely for the narrow & pointy saddle feathers. The tail feathers are starting to turn dark, but so far they aren't shiny/glossy. Thanks again for all your responses.

 

[clucking cuties]

Dear maritimefist,

Your birds are almost twins of my Jackie and Jessica, so I think they are both pullets

. My roo in that that bunch is getting more obvious by the day, so plan on getting eggs from those two

Good luck they are beauties.

 

[nakstk]

Anyone know where Illia has been.

I have been wondering the same thing

 

[echip]

Chipmunk was diagnosed as a probable roo at 3/12 weeks. Now he is 7 weeks old. Still a Roo? His mama was an EE and his daddy was a cochin. This photo makes his comb look more red than it does in real life.



And here is his hatchmate Speckles, with broody mom Goldie.



Two roos? I've been thinking that but the source of the eggs saw them yesterday and thought they looked girly. They were the only two chicks that hatched and they don't fight like roosters. Thinking pink and thinking it hard. Or wishing pink. . .

 

[Lothiriel]

They are both looking boyish to me, Chipmunk a bit more so than Speckles. Pullets don't usually have that pattern in black and white.