NY chicken lover!!!!

[Purple Iris]

Pretty EE boy you have there! He's gonna be handsome when fully mature I bet

Oh Oh rooster? I was assured it was a pullet, and to my beginners eye, all the things I read in my chicken book and checked pics of on here like amount of comb / wattle development and rounded vs pointy feathers seemed to indicate female, but I could be wrong.

I'll try and get some new pics at the weekend, and ask the groups opinion - they'll be 13 weeks by then.

 

[Pyxis]

Oh Oh rooster? I was assured it was a pullet, and to my beginners eye, all the things I read in my chicken book and checked pics of on here like amount of comb / wattle development and rounded vs pointy feathers seemed to indicate female, but I could be wrong.

I'll try and get some new pics at the weekend, and ask the groups opinion - they'll be 13 weeks by then.

Oh no, I hope it's a pullet then! It's just that the red in the shoulders is something that only EE males get. Maybe the picture's color is off though.

 

[Purple Iris]

Oh no, I hope it's a pullet then! It's just that the red in the shoulders is something that only EE males get. Maybe the picture's color is off though.

Oh, another night owl, should have gone to bed hours ago, but sucked into internet.....

Well I took the sleeping in dust bath pic by the light of a headlamp in pitch dark with my ancient phone, this is my only other recent one, but it was dusk, so again not a great photo. Should get chance to take more over next few days

 

[Gramma Chick]

Oh, another night owl, should have gone to bed hours ago, but sucked into internet.....
it does look Rooish ..Boy EE s are the Prettiest too...

 

[cow whisperer]

There's my EE, Boo. First pic he's on the picnic table bench beside me. Second pic he had just got done eating a treat off of my leg. I say he but not sure if it's a roo or a hen. I've been being told it's a roo. He's only around 4 months old.

 

[Purple Iris]

OK, I got my proper camera out when I got home from work and took pictures of my Easter Egger. It's been dark and rainy all day, so again not great pics, but better than the ones taken on my phone. Age today is 12 - 13 weeks. Now that I'm zooming in on pictures things certainly looking more pointy than rounded in the feather department, but I'm finding it hard to tell if some of it could be the multicolored feathers, also these silly babies were playing 'catch the raindrops off the chicken wire' and appears they chose to spend most of the day in the 1/3 of their pen which doesn't have a roof so were quite drenched for the photo shoot.

In terms of temperament the Sexlink has always been quiet and steady, approaches when I interact with them, isn't too vocal. The Easter Egger is still flighty, if I try to handle them, I just pick up the Sexlink, the EE is instantly flighty flapping and squalking, also noisy and struggling when held. At dusk, while the Sexlink is still happily pecking and scratching the EE seems to get quite anxious, sticks to her like glue, makes little 'baby' peep noises constantly, and is actually trying to tuck under her wing while she's still walking round - looks really silly now he / she is growing a bit faster.

These more experienced chicken keepers amongst you may be able to tell male / female from these pics, but if there's another area of the body that would be helpful for me to photograph when they are dry just let me know. Feeling a bit upset / frustrated that the grand plan started in late April when we lost our white hen Pearl, to just add 2 pullets who lay different colored eggs seems to be proving such a challenge! Thanks in advance for your opinions

 

[Pyxis]

Yep, those are definite saddle feathers coming in, and the red in the shoulders is a cockerel trait, too

 

[Purple Iris]

Hmmm, now I'm in a whole other quandary... we only have room in our small coop for 5 adult chickens, and don't want a rooster, needed younger pullets as existing chickens are aged 3.5yrs and 2.5yrs, egg production is slowing.

My plan was to keep these 2 housed separately for another month so they can eat the grower food, and get a bit bigger, then merge with our 3 adult chickens. Yet again, need advice from more experienced folks out there....

1 - seller / buyer etiquette - do I go back to the local young lady who sold me the chick assuring me multiple times it was a pullet at 8 weeks of age, I believe her actual words were 'no way its a male, you'd certainly be able to see that by now' and ask for a replacement?
2 - Would it be acceptable to expect her to take the young rooster back, or as he's been off her farm for over a month, quarantine etc would be too complicated?
3 - maybe I just don't want to contact her or trust her again, she only charged $3 per chick, and I gave her $5 for each as she'd been so helpful emailing me photos, being flexible about when we could meet..........

4- We would be OK with just 4 chickens, whatever the solution for the rooster, would the Sexlink be OK living alone until full intro time? Or as she's already 12 weeks, could I introduce her sooner, if I can work out a way to prevent her eating the layer pellets? I'm assuming as the rooster wont be staying, separating them sooner rather than later is best?
5 - If it would be better for her to have a companion, do I try to get another chick the same age, or given her nature so far has been very calm and gentle, would younger be OK?
6 - May be looking for a home for a very handsome Easter Egger roo chick! Who, of course I'm already attached to, if anyone in this group would be interested.

Sorry, this is long, but I'm frustrated, and sad - I thought I'd done my research, looking up photos of the various shapes of feathers, but knowing I'd only had minimal experience selecting chicks, explained multiple times I was only looking for pullets, exactly because I dreaded getting into this situation, now I'm 2 months in to this flock expansion plan, which, when you only have 3 chickens, who are really pets, and think you have finally found the ideal 2 to provide 'eye candy' and different color eggs, having to rethink everything feels a bit like a punch in the gut!

Thoughts? Advice appreciated..... @myfivegirls, are you getting caught up with chick orders, maybe I could go back to one of my initial ideas (pm on 5/7/17 when you replied, probably nothing available until Aug) and add Catskill Homesteader to our flock after all!

 

[Gramma Chick]

Yep, those are definite saddle feathers coming in, and the red in the shoulders is a cockerel trait, too

Shes the expert ! -> Pyxis
since they Said it was a pullet can you take it back and exchange it ..?
Having a Cockerel is not a bad thing ...I like them actually .
It makes the flock more interesting ..and it is a Family ..
Cowboy was Doing the lets play House with Sweet today ..VERY CUTE

 

[Gramma Chick]

we only have room in our small coop for 5 adult chickens, could you squeeze in 6 ..? a boy will make a family
1 - seller / buyer etiquette - do I go back to the local young lady who sold me the chick Youve lost nothing by asking her
2 - Would it be acceptable to expect her to take the young rooster back,If she is a honest person she will and give you a pullet ...if she does you could pay her a little more ..
4- We would be OK with just 4 chickens, whatever the solution for the rooster, would the Sexlink be OK living alone until full intro time? She will be lonesome
5 - If it would be better for her to have a companion, do I try to get another chick the same age, <- Yes ...Older Chickens generally dominate younger ...but she may be alright

Sorry, this is long, but I'm frustrated, and sad -it is... every Chick I name Missy is a boy