EE's -- Born last week of March, need help sexing!!!

[Shyde1982]

So around the last week of March I bought some few-day-old "Americana's" from TSC. Obviously I knew they were EE's, I chose 9 straight runs and 2 RIR pullets. I now have 11 chickens and I am planning on keeping around 4-6 hens. I knew there would be some roo's in the mix, but I live in the city and can't keep them permanently. I heard my first "practice crow" yesterday morning so I know there are some roo's in the mix.

I know nothing about sexing. I can tell a hen from a rooster when they're older but these are adolescents and I need help!

First one is a very bossy chicken, darker colors, comb more red than some of the others

<a href="http://s1053.photobucket.com/albums/s470/shyde1982/?action=view&amp;current=e3149b99.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/s470/shyde1982/e3149b99.jpg" border="0" alt="Uploaded from the Photobucket iPhone App"></a>

Second is a banty that was in the mix. I got two "whoops" banties who are very cute. One is very shy and I'm sure is a hen by her looks, but this one confuses me!

<a href="http://s1053.photobucket.com/albums/s470/shyde1982/?action=view&amp;current=245c2d9e.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/s470/shyde1982/245c2d9e.jpg" border="0" alt="Uploaded from the Photobucket iPhone App"></a>

Then there is this pretty bird:

<a href="http://s1053.photobucket.com/albums/s470/shyde1982/?action=view&amp;current=229467ed.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/s470/shyde1982/229467ed.jpg" border="0" alt="Uploaded from the Photobucket iPhone App"></a>

<a href="http://s1053.photobucket.com/albums/s470/shyde1982/?action=view&amp;current=a2f7cb0c.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/s470/shyde1982/a2f7cb0c.jpg" border="0" alt="Uploaded from the Photobucket iPhone App"></a>

Last but not least, this one:

<a href="http://s1053.photobucket.com/albums/s470/shyde1982/?action=view&amp;current=e0727faa.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/s470/shyde1982/e0727faa.jpg" border="0" alt="Uploaded from the Photobucket iPhone App"></a>


Any ideas?

 

[Shyde1982]

Not sure I did those pics right. Do you use the HTML or img from Photobucket to include pics on threads?

 

[JerseyGiantfolk]

Well some of the pictures are not loading, but I'll give you clues to looks for on roosters:

Roosters (cockerels/cocks)
Shiny sickles (curved feathers on the tail)
Pointy shiny hackles (pointy feathers at the base of the neck)
Spurs (little stub like things on the roosters legs)
Big red comb and wattles.

Hens
Well, opposite of that pretty much, small comb, no shiny sickle feathers, ect.

 

[my sunwolf]

I am no expert, but I would say the first three are cockerels. I'm hoping for you that the last one is a pullet, but I have one with those colors that everyone keeps telling me is a roo (guess we'll see). They're all beautiful birds!

(And for the forum, I always upload from my computer, makes things work out much better.)

 

[Shyde1982]

I did do it from my computer. Weird. Thx for the feedback.

 

[BlazeJester]

From your photo album, in the order they were listed:

1) rooster
2) rooster
3) two roosters, closest to camera
4) rooster
5) rooster
6) rooster (same bird as #5 I'm guessing)
7) rooster
8) rooster
9) all roosters except maybe the red one that doesn't look like an EE
10) rooster

That is a bum luck run of roos. Some of them are very pretty though!

 

[Melinda35]

From your photo album, in the order they were listed:

1) rooster
2) rooster
3) two roosters, closest to camera
4) rooster
5) rooster
6) rooster (same bird as #5 I'm guessing)
7) rooster
8) rooster
9) all roosters except maybe the red one that doesn't look like an EE
10) rooster

That is a bum luck run of roos. Some of them are very pretty though!

x2

 

[JerseyGiantfolk]

x2

x3

 

[BlazeJester]

In terms of EEs for future reference, the red on the shoulders and back is a dead giveaway for a rooster. EE roos also tend to be patchy in coloring and the pea combs tend to raise up off the head much earlier than with females. In my experience of pea comb females, the comb does not grow or color at all until around 18 weeks/point of lay.

Many easter egger hens have "wild duckwing" coloration, very commonly gold-based. Phoebe is pretty typical for an EE pullet:

 

[Pidgey104]

x3

X4