My 5 week old EE "pullets"

[suburbanoutlawchick]

I received 6 hatchery sexed day old "pullet" EE chicks 5 weeks ago. I am pretty confident that at least 2 are actually cockerels and I'm suspicious about a 3rd. 2 of them have thick legs, reddish more prominent 3-row pea combs, pointier tails, and boy-ish coloring. The one I'm suspicious of is the runt of the group (maybe 2/3 the size of the others), much less feathering, minimal comb, thinner legs, ambiguous coloring, but a pointier tail. What do you think? I hope no one crows soon, chickens aren't exactly legal in our borough...

All 6 together (suspected cockerels - white in front, red right behind him, runt in the back)

Charlotte or Charlie?

 

[allmychickens]

the three in front look like cockerals to me but idk

 

[EMaker]

Can you post close up photos of their combs? None look like roos to me in this photo, but if you see three rowed peacombs, that's of course a sign of a roo. The white one does have a redder comb, but the photo isn't close enough and I can't see more than one row of bumps in the comb. The color patterns of the other two suspected roos is decidely female, though. With EEs, at this age, legs and tails don't mean a lot. Combs are the best indicator, as well as certain color patterns.

 

[suburbanoutlawchick]

The red one I'm almost positive about. He's got the biggest comb by far and dark red patches on his shoulders already. He's also the most skittish of the bunch

The white one

I don't have a close up of Charlotte's comb, but there really isn't much to see, still pale and relatively small "peas". Her tail is just so pointy... are you sure that doesn't mean anything? lol

 

[EMaker]

In EEs, nope, a pointy tail doesn't mean anything at this age. That chick has typical female feather color at this point. If you are seeing three rows of defined bumps in a peacomb, it is a cockerel. I still can't get a clear look at the combs from your photos. That very light golden chick with the dark beard is gorgeous, by the way! What hatchery did you get them from?

 

[suburbanoutlawchick]

Thanks for your feedback! The white and red are the only ones with 3 rows noticeable in their combs at this point. Thanks for the compliment on Agnes - I love her coloring They came from McMurray.

 

[EMaker]

Well, a bearded pure white EE roo will find a good home somewhere, if you don't keep him (but I think you should try)!

 

[mama24]

Quote:
Those 2 are the only boys I see!

The rest are def girls!

 

[Lothiriel]

The only cockerels I see are the white one and the red one. The rest are pullets.

 

[JulieNKC]

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