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

[jendodd79]

Thanks all!!!!!

 

[bruceha2000]

You have a very nice looking bunch there!
Compare their combs to see if that helps. Mine were really obvious by 8 weeks, but if yours are crossed with Wyandottes (notoriously hard to sex), that could make it harder.
Good luck! Fingers crossed for girls!

This shows a pale pullet comb at around 8 weeks.


Here is a same age cockerel. Very red comb.


Same cockerel to see how prominent the comb is in profile.

Great comments and examples Lynda. "Why" is really more important than what gender one thinks a bird might be. Let's people learn what to look for. Pretty birds. Any pictures of how they turned out?

Bruce

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Great comments and examples Lynda. "Why" is really more important than what gender one thinks a bird might be. Let's people learn what to look for. Pretty birds. Any pictures of how they turned out?

Bruce

Thank you Bruce.


The EE pullet is the brown chipmunk in center. The EE cockerel is the yellow on bottom left.




Here is Monkey at about 8 weeks.



Monkey, is a fairly common EE color, but I think she turned out lovely. The black feathers are beautifully iridescent. These pics are prior to laying (about 15 mos), but she is now reliably producing pretty green-blue eggs (6 per week).





The cockerel was sexed as a pullet, but according to the chicken guy at the feed store, if the hatcheries are going to make mistakes sexing chicks, it happens more often with the "Ameraucanas" (He won't call them EEs!!

).
EE cockerel at about 8 weeks.


Same guy at about 15 weeks. Too much crowing for our small property, so we found a great home for him. His saddle feathers looked like orange glass in the sun. We miss him, but not the 4 am alarm calls with updates every 30 mins. I wish roosters came with snooze buttons!

 

[Kunjun]

I wish roosters came with volume control! I'd love to keep them

 

[jendodd79]

I know! I wish I could keep a roo! Darn residential property

 

[bruceha2000]

Monkey, is a fairly common EE color, but I think she turned out lovely. The black feathers are beautifully iridescent. These pics are prior to laying (about 15 mos), but she is now reliably producing pretty green-blue eggs (6 per week).

Pretty birds. Monkey looks like a cross between our two. Body coloring like Persephone and head coloring like Andromeda. I really like the black fringed orange feathers. Sure hope I don't have to feed the girls for another 9+ months before they start contributing to the feed bill though!

Bruce

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Pretty birds. Monkey looks like a cross between our two. Body coloring like Persephone and head coloring like Andromeda. I really like the black fringed orange feathers. Sure hope I don't have to feed the girls for another 9+ months before they start contributing to the feed bill though!

Bruce

Thank you again. I checked out your photos. A very pretty flock with lots of variety, which I like. Must be the Anconas laying? I don't think 5 months is that unusual to have to wait. I have 2 Ameraucanas that were hatched mid-May, and nary a blue egg to be seen. I'm still hoping for some this year. My hubby takes eggs to work and people really like the colors, especially the green. We get frequent requests for eggs, and it does help pay for the feed.

 

[bruceha2000]

Thank you again. I checked out your photos. A very pretty flock with lots of variety, which I like. Must be the Anconas laying? I don't think 5 months is that unusual to have to wait. I have 2 Ameraucanas that were hatched mid-May, and nary a blue egg to be seen. I'm still hoping for some this year. My hubby takes eggs to work and people really like the colors, especially the green. We get frequent requests for eggs, and it does help pay for the feed.

Anconas and Faverolles. We got 3 Faverolle eggs before the first Ancona egg. At least I think so. The Ancona eggs aren't quite as bright white as a store bought and the Fav eggs are very light brown. In the flash photos they look about the same color. But the first egg was laid on the ground by the water faucet (hadn't opened up the community nest box yet), the next two on the coop floor before they were let out for the day so all three were somewhat dirty.

The first Ancona eggs, and all eggs since, have been laid in the nest box. Since we got 3 on Tuesday, it is clear that more than one breed is laying

I'm also going by combs, nest box interest and who knows the words to the Egg Song. The only ones we have SEEN in the nest box are the Anconas but the one I presume laid first was showing a lot of interest and singing the song 8 days before she laid her first egg. My wife found one of them in the nest box at 10 AM yesterday when she went to check, there were 2 eggs at noon when she went back. So far, we have averaged 2 per day since Sunday (today excluded because I don't know yet if any were laid).

I don't think 5 months is too long, I figured that to be the early end of what I should hope for when I got them in June. So I am quite happy that some are laying at 21 & 22 weeks. But 15 months?? That is 65 weeks! The darned things would be going through their first moult before they laid their first egg. Ouch.

I have a number of people just waiting for me to have excess eggs

Bruce

 

[JulieNKC]

Roos? These guys are 7 weeks old or so. I couldn't get a good face pic of the guy on the right, but both their combs are pretty identical in seze, color, and shape.

 

[GhostRider65]

Got a couple pictures for the awwwwwww in chicken...hehe