How do I identify an Easter Egger chick

[silkie10]

As we all know feed stores and hatcheries are going to start getting chicks sometime in the near future. I have always wanted an aster Easter Egger or two to add to my flock but I have not been able to get any because I have never been able to identify what the chicks look like. My flock is down to only five chickens and they are just classics (ISA browns and all that ) my Silkie and polish died so now I want to get some more as well as some other fancy breeds including Easter Eggers. In Feb I am planning on getting some chicks at TSC and (in case you didn't know) they don't have labeled breeds.
please tell me how to identify Easter Egger chicks as well as some other breeds that you guys think are cool!

Thanks!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

EE chicks will not all look the same. It depends on the adult color they will become.
Sometimes they look like chipmunks, sometimes not.
EE chick pictures are closer to the bottom of the following link.
http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGA/Arau/BRKArauChik.html
TSC usually doesn't have fancy or breeds I think are cool.
The following charts will give you ideas of characteristics you may like. Then you can call TSC, speak with the manager and see what they are ordering.

http://www.sagehenfarmlodi.com/chooks/chooks.html

 

[silkie10]

Thanks!

 

[sylviethecochin]

EE chicks are sort of a mixed bag, colorwise. The fluff can be anything from traditional partridge (chipmunk stripes) to white or creamy blue. Legs should be a darker color, green or grey or tinted. Bearded EEs should have a sort of muff, even at an early age, that looks like a bit more fluff coming up as a mutton-chop, almost. They should also look like they have no combs, because EEs have peacombs, and those are tiny.

Buff Orps and Wyandottes are cool, but as the above poster said, TSC doesn't usually have a lot of really fancy breeds.

Silver-laced wyandottes.

Buff orpington.

 

[silkie10]

they usually don't have fancy breeds but that is where I got my silkies so....
I just hope at least they have some buffs

 

[silkie10]

EE chicks are sort of a mixed bag, colorwise. The fluff can be anything from traditional partridge (chipmunk stripes) to white or creamy blue. Legs should be a darker color, green or grey or tinted. Bearded EEs should have a sort of muff, even at an early age, that looks like a bit more fluff coming up as a mutton-chop, almost. They should also look like they have no combs, because EEs have peacombs, and those are tiny.

Buff Orps and Wyandottes are cool, but as the above poster said, TSC doesn't usually have a lot of really fancy breeds.

View attachment 1231214
Silver-laced wyandottes.

Buff orpington.

Thanks you so much! this is really helpful

 

[Beer can]

Like sylviethecochin said, look for puffy cheeks/fluffy neck (even though not all EE's have it) and green legs when your picking them out and you'll have a pretty good/probably definite chance of getting EE's.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

All the feed stores around me have the bins labeled with the breed. The only issue is if some customer picks up a chick and puts it in another bin. You should still be able to tell from comparing to the rest in the bin.

 

[Beer can]

they usually don't have fancy breeds but that is where I got my silkies so....
I just hope at least they have some buffs

When I wanted some silkies at TSC they had just a mixed bantam bin. I asked them for just the one's with five toes, they looked at me like I had two heads... Then omg! there is some with five toes! And had to call over other workers to show them in amazement, what did you call them? they asked...
LOL! you would think selling chicks they'd know a little bit about chickens but nope.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

In all my life dealing with feed stores from large and small local mom & pop outfits to places like TSC, Farm&Home, Orscheln's, etc., I don't think I've ever run across more than one or two employees that knew ANYTHING about chickens, much less how many toes different breeds had. They know where the feed is stored but likely don't know what ages, sexes or even species it is for.
I'm surprised at the number of people that ask feed store employees for advice about livestock illnesses. If they had gone to vet school, they wouldn't be working in a feed store.