Growth Difference in 7 week old Easter Eggers.

[lewis98110]

We have 5 Easter Egger chicks, 7 weeks old today, raised from day 2. They were all about the same size until 3 weeks old or so, when 2 of them began to grow a lot faster than the other 3. Is it possible that we got some Bantam in our Easter Egger mix? Or is the disparity in growth normal for chicks , EE in particular. ( Photo of the girls with one of the larger chicks in front.... who may or may not be a roo)

 

[SchwartzLakeFarmNC]

Yes, your EE's can be maturing differently and some grow up quicker than others. In some cases that would mean you could have a Cockerel, which your bird in front is a Cockerel.
We have a few EE's that are slow to mature and they lag behind our big girls, they end up smaller and the runts. They could hit a spurt anyday and catch up to the others.

 

[lewis98110]

Can you say definitely it is a cockerel? Yes..the comb is redder than the others.... but the tail and body shape is so similar to the other "hens"....

 

[First time Chick mom]

YES! lol I have 5 EEs and they all grow at different rates. Three of the five are cockerels. One I think is part Bielefender and he is huge. At 15 weeks he is 8+ pounds. My 2 hens are very small in comparison to my 3 cockerels. The other two cockerels look like RIRs and much bigger than the pullets also. EE seems to be a surprise; this is what I look like chicken.

 

[First time Chick mom]

As for the one being a cockerel, I would question it still. My big guy (Arrow) no question at all by 4 weeks old. I was pretty sure about the two that look like RIRs, stood up straight all the time and more aggressive, red comb and wattles were already forming. With EE's there doesn't seem to be a definite answer because of the possible breed combinations. Some mature slow and other rapidly. Take some pictures of the front (face) and back (tail and saddle feathers) and legs and post them of the suspect one/s. There are really knowledgeable people here that will help you out.

 

[SchwartzLakeFarmNC]

Can you say definitely it is a cockerel? Yes..the comb is redder than the others.... but the tail and body shape is so similar to the other "hens"....

At 7 weeks, I'm looking for Comb development, Leg size and coloring, this bird is "splotchy, uneven patterned", it's not to say it could end up being a Pullet but it shows many characteristics of a Cockerel at 7 weeks.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Can you say definitely it is a cockerel? Yes..the comb is redder than the others.... but the tail and body shape is so similar to the other "hens"....

I can usually identify EE cockerels by around 5-6 weeks old, because that's when patchy red or silver feathers begin to grow in over the wings. I often see this even before their pea comb turns more noticeably red. Your chick in front has patchy red feathers coming in over his wings, so I feel certain he is a cockerel.

Here is an EE cockerel that was 6 weeks old when both patchy red and silver feathers began to grow in. He refused to face the camera, but his comb was only slightly redder at this age. (Some EE cockerel combs begin to redden at age 3 weeks.)

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Here is his brooder mate, a silver partridge cockerel with patchy silver (white) feathers growing in over his wings. He too refused to face the camera, but his comb was noticeably redder than the above cockerel or pullets at this age.