Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds - Page 1563

Hi, I'm new to this site. I have 2 Ameraucanas that are 8 weeks old born within a day of each other. I know one is a rooster as he has 3 rows on his pea comb.  The other has always been much smaller, but has really dark colors. His comb is much smaller and appears to be only one line of "peas", but it is red.  The coloring is making me think cockerel, but the fact that he is quite smaller and has only one row of peas is throwing me off.  Thoughts??

the definite roo....

All birds with a pea comb should have 3 rows of peas, whether rooster or hen.  As for why one would have a more noticeable comb, some birds are just "early bloomers."  It's not uncommon for hatchmates, even chicks from the same exact two parents birds, to develop at slightly different rates.  Also, dominant cockerels will mature more quickly than non-dominant cockerels.  Some of this is probably due to the fact that dominant cockerels tend to have a dominant personality due to higher testosterone levels to begin with, but it is very common for other cockerels to develop very quickly when the dominant cockerel(s) is removed from the pen.

That is definitely a wheaten cockerel. What do you mean by 1 row of peas? From the pic, it looks like he has a typical young pea comb, where the middle row is very noticeable, but the 2 outer rows are small and bumpy, not defined peas. It's hard to tell in the pic since the focus is on the fence instead of the birds, though. Does that sound like what his comb looks like? 3 rows with the middle being much bigger with obvious peas?

The first two pictures are definately a wheaten type cockerel.  The third picture really throws me off, there is something not quite right about the color of the bird which could be the photo itself.  Can you get clearer pictures of the both of them????

I've attached 2 clearer pictures of the two suspected cockerals...I think the first is the Wheaton Cockeral and the other is a Blue Wheaton Cockeral?  I just want to be sure before I accidentally get rid of a pullet. I see what you're saying about the pea comb...the one in the first picture is just more matured/dominent. I have 3 small kids under 5yrs and I'm really nervous to have a rooster around them.  It's a shame as the first one has been my kids favorite chick!  I TRULY appreciate the replies!

Those are both cockerels, but I suspect they may be easter eggers.  Their color is off.

Where did you get them?

got my first ever blue egg today 

From a local person on Craigslist (Tucson) who said they were Ameruacanas.  At least I know they are not pullets, so I'll feel comfortable finding them a new home.  Thank you for your help!

They are a Wheaton (the dark one).

and a Blue wheaton (the lighter one).