EE or Ameraucauna? Boy or Girl? Opinions please

[WalkingOnSunshine]

Well, the top pic is from Ameraucauna.org website's chick pics listed as a silver ameraucauna chick, the bottom is of the chick in question. Several seem to have stripes.

Yes, but your chick certainly isn't a silver--look how yellow-red it is. I think the main point, to me, is that the breeder didn't specify a color when he sold you the hatching egg. A true Ameraucana breeder wouldn't just sell you a generic Ameraucana, they'd sell you a black Ameraucana, or a blue wheaten Ameraucana or BBS (blue, black, splash) Ameraucana hatching eggs. If you want to check this, call the farmer back and ask what color he breeds. If he doesn't know, or doesn't name a standard Ameraucana color, then he's not selling Ameraucanas.

I'm pretty sure you have an EE.

edited to add--I missed the two week picture you posted. You 100% have an EE. That's not a standard Ameraucana color. As for sex, you'll have to wait until the chick is fully feathered.

 

[cowgirl boots]

I agree the color difference is obvious, I was referring to the appearance of stripes on Ameraucaunas, as mentioned by NC29mom. Thank you, though, to everyone who has responded. I appreciate any one taking time to offer a guess.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

I agree the color difference is obvious, I was referring to the appearance of stripes on Ameraucaunas, as mentioned by NC29mom. Thank you, though, to everyone who has responded. I appreciate any one taking time to offer a guess.

You're very welcome. NC29mom had a point though--the silver is the only color of Ameraucana that has the chipmunk stripes, whereas almost every single EE chick looks just like yours.

As yours becomes more fully feathered, watch the patterning. EEs are usually very easy to color sex even before their combs start to develop, and often while they still have fluff on their heads. In EEs, an all-over pattern (often with a different head/neck) will most likely be a pullet, whereas a pattern that's more patchy will be a cockerel. If red feathers start to come in on the shoulders, it will 100% be a cockerel since those red shoulders are sex linked. Here's an example of what I mean. Both the birds in the photo are cockerels.

 

[cowgirl boots]

Thank you. I will watch for the tell tale red shoulders.

 

[NC29mom]

My EE hen....started off looking just like yours

Ameraucana group of black roo, blue hens, splash roo

Do you see how distinctly different they look? An ameraucana should have a baby blue egg...almost the color of a robins egg. With that being said, my EE & ameraucana mated & egg was mixture of blue/light green. Maybe your egg was more blue bc mixed?

It took me a good 8-9 months before being able to purchase TRUE ameraucanas from a breeder. Most have lenghty waiting lists....out of 50+ chicks, only 5 survived (thanks to post office). I hope to one day have a yard full because I really love the breed.

 

[NC29mom]

And....Ive never ever ever seen an ameracauna
With a stripe....but i do see the picture u posted from ameracauna site ....big difference though....yours has green legs....definite EE

IF you are interested in purchasing TRUE ameracaunas....message me....i searched and searched and can hook you up with a few EXCELLENT breeders...

 

[chickarooo]

For the sexing check the wings this is the easiest way and the quickest if it has a row of exactly the same sized feathers its a cockerel if it has two rows of two different sized feathers its a pullet easy peasy on the weekend I found out that all my 5 babies at a week old were pullets

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

For the sexing check the wings this is the easiest way and the quickest if it has a row of exactly the same sized feathers its a cockerel if it has two rows of two different sized feathers its a pullet easy peasy on the weekend I found out that all my 5 babies at a week old were pullets

This is only true with chicks specifically bred to be feather sexed. Most aren't. I'd hold off on the celebrations until those chicks grow up a bit.

 

[cowgirl boots]

Thank you, all. MC29mom, thank you for your offer, I may take you up on it someday. For now, I live in within the city limits and am pushing maximum capacity with 3 hens (if this little one turns out to be a keeper). That EE hen of yours is very pretty in my eyes, and so are your Ameraucaunas. Sorry to hear of the loss of your chicks. It has been a treat to watch my broody RIR experience hatching eggs, and getting to be be a momma hen, even though only one of the four we got for her to sit on hatched. The miracle of life is, well, miraculous. God is amazing.

 

[NC29mom]

3 hens is all you can have??? OMG thats not good....chickens are addictive....about 3 y ago we had a stray roo take up residence in our bushes...needless to say....now we have >300 chickens, 5 turkeys, 15 pheasants, 30+ guineas, 25+ ducks/geese, cattle & horses!!! Ha!!!! All are pets....so good luck with keeping to your "maximum"....