Easter Eggers Hens or Roos?

[walkerkm]

Hi there-
I just bought (3) 8-week old Easter Eggers or Ameracana hens. They came from McMurry's hatchery sexed as females.

How can i really tell that they are in fact Hens and not Roos? They have the very small, narrow and an almost non-existing pea comb. They are very soft in sound and are super sweet and submisive with my RI/NH reds (I have one that is a Diva Red).

Are there any other ways to tell for sure-before they surprise me and crow? my neighbors will kill me...the person that i bought them from will take them back if they turn out to be roos, but I hate to return them, beacause they are just so sweet.

I can post photo's of them tomorrow. also, how do you tell what color the eggs will be before they lay them-i was told by their leg color-not sure if that is corect or not.

Also, if they turn out to be roos-how soon do they crow (weeks).

Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[jossanne]

My 2mo EE chicks are easy to tell the gender. Hopefully yours are too. I have 3 pullets and a cockerel. The cockerel's comb has been bigger and pinker for a month, at least. It's now bright red. He's beardless, so he's also getting wattles already. He also has a sickle-shaped tail feather that's started. The females' combs are not very pink yet, and much smaller than his.

So I'd say that if your babies' combs are still light-colored and they're not getting any rooster feathers in their tails, you've got a great chance that they're all girls.

As far as eggs, there's no way to tell what color their eggs will be until they lay them. McMurray's easter eggers can lay any shade, from white to pink to brown to green and blue. Mine from McMurray have all laid a pretty green egg.