ARE These Ameraucana

[WalkingOnSunshine]

aoxa, you're doing well if you can tell by eight weeks. I thought for sure I had six cockerels and three pullets my last batch of Blue/Black Ameraucanas. Luckily I was growing them all to 21 weeks so I could decide which I wanted for breeding, because around week 14 the true cockerels' combs became huge and bright red and some of my "cockerels" were clearly pullets with early reddish combs. Turned out I actually had six pullets and three cockerels! Of course, no black birds were male. I'd specifically wanted a black Am cockerel to make sex-linked EEs with. Isn't that always the way?

 

[aoxa]

aoxa, you're doing well if you can tell by eight weeks. I thought for sure I had six cockerels and three pullets my last batch of Blue/Black Ameraucanas. Luckily I was growing them all to 21 weeks so I could decide which I wanted for breeding, because around week 14 the true cockerels' combs became huge and bright red and some of my "cockerels" were clearly pullets with early reddish combs. Turned out I actually had six pullets and three cockerels! Of course, no black birds were male. I'd specifically wanted a black Am cockerel to make sex-linked EEs with. Isn't that always the way?

There are always some tricky ones, but if those combs are pink and wide.. pretty good chances at them being male. If they have nothing like the picture posted, I would never suspect male.

I do find the solid Ameraucanas the most tough.. Same with my Buckeyes. They don't have any sex linked patterns like typical EEs or colour differences like the Barred Rocks.

I know which ones are early culls for my Barred Rocks by pattern alone. Sure type before colour, but I don't want any messy barred males in my breeding pen, regardless of type.

 

[sharihumpy]

What is considered a Lavender Ameraucana?

 

[Melabella]

What is considered a Lavender Ameraucana?

I don't know technically.. I am new to this entire world.. but here is a picture of my rooster's father. A lavender John Blehm lavender roo.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

What is considered a Lavender Ameraucana?

Blue is really a dilution of black but Lav is a recessive genetic mutation. The biggest difference between a Lavender and a Blue is that Lavender will breed true, but Blue will not. If you breed Blue x Blue you'll get 50% Blue, 25% Black, 25% Splash. If you breed Lav x Lav, you'll get 100% Lav. This is why Lavender is also called "self blue."

Lavender ends up being a much lighter gray color than blue.

 

[sharihumpy]

Interesting this very informative thank you so much.

Blue is really a dilution of black but Lav is a recessive genetic mutation. The biggest difference between a Lavender and a Blue is that Lavender will breed true, but Blue will not.  If you breed Blue x Blue you'll get 50% Blue, 25% Black, 25% Splash. If you breed Lav x Lav, you'll get 100% Lav. This is why Lavender is also called "self blue."

Lavender ends up being a much lighter gray color than blue.