Help determining genders

hippychicken said:

Hi,
I'm considering purchasing an Americana chick, about 3 weeks old. I would like to pick out a hen, but I don't know how to tell if it's a rooster or a hen. Tips would be awesome

thanks

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hippychicken said:

Thanks for all the info!! It's much appreciated

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Michael OShay said:

Unless you are paying a lot of money for it and (or) buying it from a private breeder, you will be purchasing an Easter Egger chick rather than a true Ameraucana chick. Hatcheries and feed stores (and the farmers who buy from them often and incorrectly market their Easter Eggers as Ameraucanas when they are in fact EEs. It's not going to be easy to sex them at 3 weeks as they will not be fully feathered and their combs will not be very developed yet, but some things you can look for are more pointed upright tail feathers, reddish or orange feathers in the neck, back, and especially the shoulder area (the sure sign of a male), and the development of three rows of peas in the comb (females typically have only a single row of peas). Female EEs in the majority of cases will develop a partridge looking black and brown feather pattern (similar to a duckwing pattern), but of course there are exceptions. Again though , three weeks is very young to try and sex them.

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