EE chick question

[kristip]

I know it is hard to tell when they are a few days old, but will be going to pick out my EE tomorrow from a batch of them. Is it true that the lighter ones are usually more boys than the darker chipmunk ones?

What else would you look for to distinguish the pullets?

 

[Judy]

My one light EE chick, which the hatchery had sexed as female, was a mostly white roo, and all 5 of the EE chipmunk ones were hens. I have NO idea whether that is usually true, though. Good luck!

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

There really is no "usual" for EEs. They are all different. And the light for males / dark for females thing doesn't work with EEs, it works with Welsummer chicks, and I'm not sure about other "partridge" patterned birds like partridge cochins / rocks, etc.

 

[Illia]

Yes, lighter chipmunks are often males - In most cases, they're golden duckwing in color. However, sorting out and choosing EE's by color of the chick's down isn't a good way in trying to find male vs female, I say just go with a good assortment.

 

[Chicken Frenzie]

Yeah, when I got my EE chick, she was dark brown, with light around feet and breast, and she had little freckles ^^ But yeah, it's not a very good way to tell.

 

[Karrie13]

The EE chick in my avatar was purchased as a sexed pullet and she is a hen (that unfortunately lays brown/pink eggs) but she totally reversed her color pattern. She has a white body with black here and there and a gray beard. I think EE's are very hard to sex based on their color and it is in the end just a tossup. Just get several that way when it becomes obvious you can get rid of the roos.

 

[foxinachickenhouse]

I picked the darkest one in the box and ended up with a roo.

 

[lauriruth]

my 3 EE "pullets" from MPC turned out 2/1. check my website for pics of babies. the darkest one turned white with a black collar roo! he had to be rehomed with much drama.