Uh Oh! I think SHE's a HE!

[heybarb]

This is Shelby, our only remaining Easter Egger. We got her as a day old chick the first week of May, so she is about 16 weeks old. She was all brown as a chick with a cute little beard. Then when her feathers started coming in, she turned black and white. Now I see some "brownish" pointy feathers coming in around her neck and on her back by her tail feathers...Please tell me she's not a HE! What do you think?

 

[australorp41]

I would say roo sorry

 

[ramirezframing]

100% rooster

 

[lilliesanchicks]

As others have said Rooster sorry.

 

[heybarb]

It certainly explains our rooster's reaction to Shelby. He is always chasing her away. Shelby is definitely at the bottom of the pecking order with her brooder mate as her only friend. Last week, I just gave away our bantam black cochin cockeral (who was 20 weeks old). Does anyone want a very clumsy, but sweet Easter Egger cockeral? With only 11 backyard chickens, I'm guessing having 2 roosters is not a good idea....but 3 would have been even worse...

 

[chooks4life]

Yep, no doubt about it, a rooster. If you look closely at his neck and rump feathers, and the ones across the middle of his back and wings, you will see huge differences when you compare them to the hen's.

 

[heybarb]

I can see it pretty clearly now that I'm poking around looking at pictures. But as he was my only Easter Egger, I didn't have anyone else to compare him too. My 2 other Easter Egger chicks got eaten by a snake when they were 2 weeks old. :-(

Apparently I'm so bad at picking out straight run chicks (3 boy cochins/ 0 girls) that we decided to go with only "pullets" from the feed store. Apparently the hatchery or store didn't know that there was at least one boy mixed in with the girls, because it seems I've picked out a boy there too!!

 

[chooks4life]

Quote: This may be due to some subconscious recognition of one of the vital signs of health in chickens --- the coloring of the comb. In little males, their crests going pink sooner than the females' crests could make them come across to you as being a fraction more attractive due to apparent health.

I find even the most chicken-ignorant people can often pick out the more vital looking chicks without being able to state why they think those ones in particular are better in any way. Most humans subconsciously notice far more than they are aware of. Later on as you gain more experience your educated reasons will back up what you already noticed, I think. Maybe next time you pick chicks, try going against your initial choices and see if that helps.

 

[heybarb]

This may be due to some subconscious recognition of one of the vital signs of health in chickens --- the coloring of the comb. In little males, their crests going pink sooner than the females' crests could make them come across to you as being a fraction more attractive due to apparent health.

I find even the most chicken-ignorant people can often pick out the more vital looking chicks without being able to state why they think those ones in particular are better in any way. Most humans subconsciously notice far more than they are aware of. Later on as you gain more experience your educated reasons will back up what you already noticed, I think. Maybe next time you pick chicks, try going against your initial choices and see if that helps.

I think that's a compliment - so Thanks!! I heard Shelby crowing this morning...bummer!

 

[chooks4life]

You're welcome.

It probably means you'll be able to spot them quite young with a bit more experience. Best wishes.