EE chickens about 12weeks

kylara70

Songster
13 Years
May 13, 2010
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Are these boys or girls? I have 4 I know are roosters, but there are 2 more possibles and I am, of course, looking for layers. I know that perfect pictures would be preferred but this is as good as it gets. I can get legs or heads or tails in seperate pics but getting these crazy chickens to pose for me is impossible. We took about 50 pictures and these are the GOOD ones.

Chicken 1
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Chicken 2 (I know he is missing his head, but this is a GREAT rump view)
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Chicken 3 (sorry that this is not any better but this is one I am REALLY curious about and this is the best picture of her/him) I will try again.
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Just asking for input.

Carol O.
 
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MMMM they all look like roos, the first one its the one that it might be a hen but im thinking roo, the second one well the coloring just screams roo, and the 3rd one with those saddle feathers for sure a roo.
 
The first one is a pullet. The second one is a definite cockerel. The third is likely a cockerel.

Don't always judge the possible "saddle feathers" (a cockerel technically doesn't grow them until later on) With Easter Eggers, honestly the best thing to do is judge by color.
 
I've noticed that there are a LOT of discrepancies with sexing EE's. I got 11 chicks and just wanted as many laying hens as possible. I am just trying to prepare myself for how many of these are staying and how many are going. I think the first is a pullet, as she has no comb to speak of. I call her Big Mama because she is the biggest of (what I assume are) the pullets. The other 2 I want to be pullets but their combs have triple rows of bumps.

So, your experience with sexing EE's shows certain colors or patterns are certain sexes? Is it the brown patterning in the second picture that makes you think roo? Are the combs 100% reliable? If so, then I have 6 roos out of 11 chicks.
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Carol
 
At 12 weeks all my roo chicks were getting saddle feathers. Actually even younger. (Course with the exception of my blue roo chick who is going on 4 months and no saddle or sickle feathers. ARGH! Just a big red boy comb ) The rest have saddle feathers. Their sickle feathers don't really start to come in untill 4 months though. Maybe its different for Araucana.
 
The general rule is that with duckwing based Easter Eggers (black and white, brown and black, yellow and white, etc) - Males will usually be black and white or grey and white or yellow and white, but with some red coming in on the shoulders. Females that are black and white have little to no brown or red coloring, and if so, it will appear on the chest.

Most EE pullets start out as a black pencilled brown, black pencilled white, or blue-buff type color.

Most EE cockerels start out as a white or red with black pencilling, and highlights of red on the shoulder or yellow/golden on the hackle and saddle feathers.
 
So what about combs? Does the triple row of bumps on the combs mean that it is DEFINITELY a rooster? I would like to know for sure. If some triple row bumps can be hens then I will be patient. If it definitely means rooster then I need to make plans for rehoming/culling some of my 6 guys.

Carol
 

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