How reliable a gender indicator is redness of peacomb in Easter Eggers?

[bruceha2000]

OK, just saw the new pictures. How do they know when you want a nice clear shot of their heads NOT moving so they MOVE!? So of course no guesses based either on 1 row vs 3 or color. I've had young EE pullets with combs that looked a bit wide or redder than others at the same age but they all eventually laid eggs.

The black and red one looks to have some pretty consistent color patterning which I would lean toward being a pullet trait; male or female that is going to be one beautiful bird. The other I'm not so sure since it has a much patchier look.

I've had plenty of young pullets chest bump and would not put any stock in sexing due specifically to that. And sometimes one just rushes up to another too fast thus scaring it and they both go on high alert until what appears to be "Oh, it is just you" then they stand down and go about their business. They start the pecking order pretty young.

 

[bayareapilot]

OK, just saw the new pictures. How do they know when you want a nice clear shot of their heads NOT moving so they MOVE!? So of course no guesses based either on 1 row vs 3 or color. I've had young EE pullets with combs that looked a bit wide or redder than others at the same age but they all eventually laid eggs.

The black and red one looks to have some pretty consistent color patterning which I would lean toward being a pullet trait; male or female that is going to be one beautiful bird. The other I'm not so sure since it has a much patchier look.

I've had plenty of young pullets chest bump and would not put any stock in sexing due specifically to that. And sometimes one just rushes up to another too fast thus scaring it and they both go on high alert until what appears to be "Oh, it is just you" then they stand down and go about their business. They start the pecking order pretty young.

Many thanks! . I think I'll wait till about 11 weeks which isn't that far away and see what I see. In the meantime though I'm searching for options for placement of the potential roosters, mainly because the city neighborhood would likely be less than friendly to a regularly crowing rooster.

Anyway here's to hoping that against all odds they're actually female. I'm glad at least the other two the white ones clearly look like pullets

 

[chrissynemetz]

I'm inclined to think they're both cockerels
But do post more pictures in a few weeks.
If you wait until they're older than 12-14 weeks the males should start to have some feathering that's pretty obvious around then.

 

[bayareapilot]

I'm inclined to think they're both cockerels
But do post more pictures in a few weeks.
If you wait until they're older than 12-14 weeks the males should start to have some feathering that's pretty obvious around then.

Yep. That will be my plan. Who knows, I might be pleasantly surprised... Although not holding my breath on it.

 

[bayareapilot]

OKthey all eventually laid eggs.

The black and red one looks to have some pretty consistent color patterning which I would lean toward being a pullet trait; male or female that is going to be one beautiful bird. The other I'm not so sure since it has a much patchier look.

I've had plenty of young pullets chest bump and would not put any stock in sexing due specifically to that. And sometimes one just rushes up to another too fast thus scaring it and they both go on high alert until what appears to be "Oh, it is just you" then they stand down and go about their business. They start the pecking order pretty young.

Really hoping the black and red one is a pullet. If it isn't a am
pullet,I will be keeping her/him regardless.

Thx for the encouraging words, I misread the latter paragraph I quoted when first reading your reply. It was in fact an encouraging note!

 

[NatJ]

It does look rather like you've got two males and two females.
Like several other people here,, I am not completely sure (a few more weeks should make it much more clear.)

The new pictures are much easier to see without the wire. You've got a really pretty set of chickens there!

 

[bayareapilot]

It does look rather like you've got two males and two females.
Like several other people here,, I am not completely sure (a few more weeks should make it much more clear.)

The new pictures are much easier to see without the wire. You've got a really pretty set of chickens there!

You know, it occurred to me if the two turned out to be cockerels, it isn't all that bad. I could integrate one of the males in with my separate flock of adult hens. I raised them all from day old chicks and am already quite attached to them. Naturally I would prefer if there was only one Cockerel, but if two, I can still make it work.

 

[bayareapilot]

I have four Easter eggers who turn 8 weeks old tomorrow. I was just wondering how accurate peacomb redness is in determining gender?
.............

UPDATE: Well, my Easter Egger chicks (sold as the mercurial 'Americaunas' <grin>) turned 10 weeks and 1 day old today. Norman is definitely a cockerel. With Sandy (thankfully a name that can go either gender) I am now more leaning toward the idea that she is a pullet (hopefully others agree with me). Her comb doesn't have the deep red and three rows that Norman (formerly 'Nancy' ) has. My two other white (mostly) chicks are most definitely pullets.

Sure would be great if it worked out that Sandy is a pullet - that would eventually give me three hens and a rooster (my second flock). BTW, my nearly 10 year old hens are still doing well (less the one I lost in November to a hawk attack ).

I'll attach some pics that I took today of Norman (definitely the cockerel) and Sandy who I'm on the fence but leaning a bit now more towards Sandy being a pullet.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

UPDATE: Well, my Easter Egger chicks (sold as the mercurial 'Americaunas' <grin>) turned 10 weeks and 1 day old today. Norman is definitely a cockerel. With Sandy (thankfully a name that can go either gender) I am now more leaning toward the idea that she is a pullet (hopefully others agree with me). Her comb doesn't have the deep red and three rows that Norman (formerly 'Nancy' ) has. My two other white (mostly) chicks are most definitely pullets.

Sure would be great if it worked out that Sandy is a pullet - that would eventually give me three hens and a rooster (my second flock). BTW, my nearly 10 year old hens are still doing well (less the one I lost in November to a hawk attack ).

I'll attach some pics that I took today of Norman (definitely the cockerel) and Sandy who I'm on the fence but leaning a bit now more towards Sandy being a pullet.

Those are both cockerels. They both have the rusty red wing bars, which is male exclusive. You can judge the redness of the comb on one, but both won't usually go red early. The more dominant of the two will get a red comb, but the subordinate won't.
I have absolutely no doubt that those are both cockerels.

 

[Folly's place]

I tend to agree with @Frazzemrat1 , although the photos are blurry, so I can't see if Sandy's hackle feathers are coming in pointed or not.
Mary