Chicken Pickin' Pointers

[KeiL]

I'm picking up two new chicks this afternoon - a buff Orpington and an Americauna. Is there anything about either of these breeds that I should be on the look out for? Any way to increase my chances of getting hens besides keeping my fingers crossed?

 

[enola]

Post pictures of them before you pay for them. How old are they?

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

If they have red combs definitely don't pick them. Chances are that your Ameraucana is an Easter Egger especially if they didn't tell you the color variety you're getting.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

It will depend on the age of the birds. How old are the birds reported to be?

Also, with the Ameraucana, the first consideration is whether it is a true Ameraucana or an Easter Egger. From there, going back to age, depending on the color/pattern there can be some distinctly male/female indicators. IF it is a true Ameraucana or it is a pea-combed Easter Egger, consideration of the comb structure can be telling as 3 rows of "peas" is generally indicative of male and 1 is generally indicative of female.

 

[KeiL]

They will only be a day or two old, I think. They are coming in the mail to the feed store this afternoon.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

They will only be a day or two old, I think. They are coming in the mail to the feed store this afternoon.

Well, that settles the EE/Ameraucana issue - the birds will be Easter Eggers (regardless of how they are labeled). If they are being sold as "sexed pullets" there isn't much else you can look for in either breed at this age - avoiding any "straight run" groups is the best thing you can do to stack the deck in your favor.