What have I got myself into??? LMAO.

When my daughter and her family decided to sell their house, I told her we would take her 6 hens while they showed and sold the home. That was just a little over a month ago (no more than 2 months) and now I'm hooked!!! I told my kids that I would love some colored laying chickens for Mother's Day and this is what I got. They were sold unsexed and I'm hoping someone can help me out!! We were told these where all the real full breeds?? But I'm more concerned about the sex as I can't have roo's. Thanks in advance if anyone can help!!!

This one should be an amerucana



These also should be amerucanas



We were told this one is a black copper marans
All are 4weeks old. I don't know if it's to soon yet either??? Thanks again!!

Hello, Welcome to byc.

Glad you fell in love!

I have 2 Lavender Americauna. At 4 weeks old 1 is fully feathered, and 1 has barely started growing in tail and shoulder feathers. I'm pretty sure the slow feathering 1 is a boy. Any difference in feather rate for yours? What colors were you told your Am's were? I don't know Black Copper Marans that well, but they do have feathered legs and that comb looks big to me.

Good luck.

These are French Black Copper Marans....you can see the feathering down the outside of leg and down outer toe. The left is a pullet, the right is likely male...but wait it out a bit longer. Male FBCM telecast pretty early. The pullet should lay a lovely dark egg for you. Look at my BCM brood hatch on the far right on my byline below to see the growth and what I mean.



This is chick looks to be an Ameraucana. I think that looks like a pea comb, it probably will end up with slate legs (although the yellow skin right now looks wrong), and there appears to be some beard/muff. Watch for this one to develop. If it is a Black Ameraucana, it will develop slate legs, a healthy "Santa Clause" beard, a pea comb, and the feathers will be all black. I'll link the Ameraucana club photo gallery so you can see what I mean.: http://www.ameraucana.org/gallery.html


This chick may be a Blue Ameraucana....it is hard to see in photo, but I think there is a beard? If so then Blue Ameraucana as long as it grows as stated in the Black Ameraucana chick description...this will be a blue feathered bird, should have pea comb, beard and muff, slate legs. (ETA: if anyone develops green legs, then they are EE's...a hybrid mix of Ameraucana and another breed).


The only roo I am seeing right now is the right FBCM...pretty sure you've got a male there. No worries if you can keep a rooster, you'll get Olive Eggers with him over the Ameraucanas. His genes will be a bonus to a great project.

ETA: Oops, I see you can't have roosters...then sell the FBCM rooster. They are often in high demand because of the genetics (although you don't know how dark a line he came out of for egg color)....you might be able to get $10 or so (which is AMAZING as usually you can't give away roosters)...if you can't get any, then give away free to good home letting them know his potential genetics...dark brown eggs and especially darker olive eggs if placed over true blue layers.

LofMc

Yes, they are addictive ... lol ... but so cute and funny too ... a great pet with eggs to boot. Your chicks are beautiful.

You won't be able to sex the Ameraucanas for some time...right now nobody is telecasting roo, which is a good sign, however they mature more slowly. You may not have good indications until 10 weeks of age.

Pea comb fowl can be harder to sex as that pea comb is more subtle. Feathers growing faster (before the secondary sex feathering) can or cannot mean anything. If you knew they were full siblings (which they may be), sometimes one feathering a bit faster can mean female vs. the slower feathering male. But if you've got different parents within the same breed that can skew results.

Best indicator is comb. Single combs look like a mountain range; pea combs look like a row of peas. Usually (but not always) if there are 3 distinct rows of peas, it is male; if there is one main row of peas down the middle with two small hedge rows on the outsides, then it is female.

Rooster combs develop much bigger and much faster than females, and will turn red much sooner (by 6 to 12 weeks depending upon breed). Females will only flesh up and turn red just before point of lay, usually by 16 to 24 weeks.

LofMc

...and x2



Yes, they are addictive...and so much fun to watch.

LofMc

oops...my byline has dropped off, so here is the FBCM pics

agree with LofMc

Thanks for the info!!! I only know what my kids said that the breeder told them! Haha. I'll be patient and wait to see what they are. Will be super sad if I have to find a new home for any roo's because they are so sweet and fun!!!