The EE braggers thread!!!

[lomine]

Just like most other chicks the first indicator will be the color of the comb, sometimes you can go by size too. My grey EE's comb it larger and started to get pink just after 5 weeks so that's why I believe it to be a cockerel. They other has no color for now and almost no comb visible so it could still be a pullet. Of course you can get ones that mature very slowly. The sire to these chicks, my Blue AM, had a very tiny comb and it didn't start to get pink until around 12 weeks.

After about 12 weeks the cockerels will start growing their longer, pointy hackle and saddle feathers. These are the feathers at the base of the neck and tail. On the pullets these feathers will be shorter and rounded.

 

[GinaNew York]

this is such a nail biting time waiting to see how 13 chicks turn out - I'm truly hoping they all morph into hens

 

[debid]

... our EE - Valerie is on the left, Samantha is the next with the golden neck - how do you sex Easter Eggers?  Love their green/grey legs!

Samantha is a pullet by pattern. The brown patterned back and chestnut bib on her chest are dead giveaways -- just like a Welsummer or a brown Leghorn has, this is a feminine look. I can't see enough of Valerie but if you post another photo with the chest, she may confirm herself, too.

 

[GinaNew York]

I will try and get a better picture of Valerie, my daughter took these today. Thank you for all the input - they are so curious and friendly, we really love them.

 

[Lobzi]

If you have had them since hatch you can get a pretty good Idea of their sex by watching and comparing feather growth.

If the young chicks look feather heavy as they grow then that indicates female. If the body grows faster than the wing feathers so they look feather light then they are more than likely males.
In this pic they have heavy feathering so I would guess females but you really have to watch their feathering out prior to this more advanced stage.

 

[junebuggena]

If you have had them since hatch you can get a pretty good Idea of their sex by watching and comparing feather growth.

If the young chicks look feather heavy as they grow then that indicates female. If the body grows faster than the wing feathers so they look feather light then they are more than likely males.
In this pic they have heavy feathering so I would guess females but you really have to watch their feathering out prior to this more advanced stage.

Not a very accurate method of sexing.

 

[Hinotori]

All of my ameraucana crosses feathered in at the same rate no matter if male or female. Same with the silkie x EE crosses.

Watching combs was a more accurate method. Then when the males started getting the red on the shoulders I knew without a doubt.

To feather sex (wing feather development), the breed must have had that trait developed. Most breeds don't.

Sex-linked crosses are fairly popular because you can tell by color at hatch. That doesn't pass to the second generation. I've seen quite a few homemade EE like this. The last ones I did were six-linked from a silver based rooster over gold based hens.

Then there are the auto-sexing breeds. Those have had the different sex coloring at hatch breed into them.

Hatchery EEs that feather in white or mostly white tend to be male more often then not. Not always though, so can't really use that to accurately sex.

Hatcheries vent sex which is 90% accurate.

Can just watch combs and (depending on color) for red shoulders.

 

[Lobzi]

Not a very accurate method of sexing.

Feather growth has worked 100% for me but I dont guarantee the method just suggest it as a way to help sex. Personality, time and distance away from mother hen, willingness to extend neck or not are all additional things to look at.

 

[Lobzi]

First pic shows feathering of female chick (my prediction)
Second shows feather nubs of male chick (my prediction)

Both babies are from the same brood and are between 2-3 weeks old. Note that first looks feather heavy but second is light on feather or body heavy.

 

[junebuggena]

First pic shows feathering of female chick (my prediction)
Second shows feather nubs of male chick (my prediction)

Both babies are from the same brood and are between 2-3 weeks old. Note that first looks feather heavy but second is light on feather or body heavy.

That's not just slow to feather. That is seriously delayed. Looks more like an indication that that less developed chick isn't getting as much to eat as the other one.