Lavender Ameraucana vs Olive Egger

[Mikski]

Hello! I recently got a couple birds from a backyard breeder. One is supposed to be a Lavender Ameraucana, and one is supposed to be and Olive Egger, but they look nearly identical at this stage. Is it possible to have a Lavender Olive Egger? She put a leg band on the Olive Egger so seems confident. Breeder says the Lavender Ameraucana is pure bred, Olive Egger is mix between "BBS Marans" and Ameraucana. Also, the Ameraucana is developing more of comb. I know it's too early to really tell, but do you think it is a cockerel? Chicks are about 2 weeks old. First close up is of the Ameraucana second is of the Olive Egger. Thanks in advance!

 

[ChickenMama6RIR]

It's definitely possible to have a lavender olive egger! I currently have sapphire alove Eggers which looked identical to the chick in the picture! I've raised hundreds of birds, so my guess would be that the lavender ameraucana is a cockerel, butter with that being said, I have had more prominent females before that had my tricked until they were about 6 weeks old. Ameraucanas have pea combs. Pullets will have one row while cockerels have three. They all look pretty similar while they are babies. Once you have three rows actually growing and turning puck then you know it's a boy. Pullets can appear to have three rows but then only the middle one shows any progress.

 

[Mikski]

It's definitely possible to have a lavender olive egger! I currently have sapphire alove Eggers which looked identical to the chick in the picture! I've raised hundreds of birds, so my guess would be that the lavender ameraucana is a cockerel, butter with that being said, I have had more prominent females before that had my tricked until they were about 6 weeks old. Ameraucanas have pea combs. Pullets will have one row while cockerels have three. They all look pretty similar while they are babies. Once you have three rows actually growing and turning puck then you know it's a boy. Pullets can appear to have three rows but then only the middle one shows any progress.

Thanks! I’m really hoping they are both girls. The olive Egger doesn’t seem to be developing any comb to speak of so hopefully at least that one is a girl. Very curious to find out what it will look like grow up though! I have two other chicks that were sold at a feed store as “Ameraucanas” but I think they are Easter Eggers and I’m worried one of them is a cockerel as well. They are supposedly 2-3 weeks old but seem MUCH larger than the 2 week old lavender Ameraucana and olive Egger (they were hatched on the 21st). I included pics of the two Easter Eggers’ combs. The dark ones is the one I’m suspecting to be a cockerel. Hoping that I didn’t get bad luck with 2/4 colored egg layers being boys!

 

[ChickenMama6RIR]

You're more than welcome! So if they are 2-3 weeks old, then the white one is 95% likely to be a pullet! But I also think the darker one is as well. But I'm only 60% sure of that lol. Here's why... anytime you go to a feed store and they sell you an Americana, ameraucana, or any other way that they spell it (I've seen if spelled like 4 different ways lol) it is ALWAYS an easter egger. You will not pay $4-$6 for a true blue egg laying ameraucana. Hatcheries label them that way but it's misleading. They could still potentially lay blue eggs but that's because they could be ameraucana mixed with a white egg layer, which wouldn't give the brown egg properties to produce green. Now you could potentially buy from a local feed store and get your hands on some true ameraucanas. But if they order from a hatchery, then it's an easter egger. Some Hatcheries do carry actual ameraucanas, but they aren't on the cheap bird list and fun fact, easter Eggers aren't always mixed with ameraucanas. It can be any blue egg layer plus whatever other breed. That's the most common mix tho. Another popular one is the cream legbar!

 

[Mikski]

You're more than welcome! So if they are 2-3 weeks old, then the white one is 95% likely to be a pullet! But I also think the darker one is as well. But I'm only 60% sure of that lol. Here's why... anytime you go to a feed store and they sell you an Americana, ameraucana, or any other way that they spell it (I've seen if spelled like 4 different ways lol) it is ALWAYS an easter egger. You will not pay $4-$6 for a true blue egg laying ameraucana. Hatcheries label them that way but it's misleading. They could still potentially lay blue eggs but that's because they could be ameraucana mixed with a white egg layer, which wouldn't give the brown egg properties to produce green. Now you could potentially buy from a local feed store and get your hands on some true ameraucanas. But if they order from a hatchery, then it's an easter egger. Some Hatcheries do carry actual ameraucanas, but they aren't on the cheap bird list and fun fact, easter Eggers aren't always mixed with ameraucanas. It can be any blue egg layer plus whatever other breed. That's the most common mix tho. Another popular one is the cream legbar!

That’s what I’ve been reading and learning. Figured they are Easter Eggers, but hoping they still lay pretty colored eggs!

You said you think the dark one could still be a girl? Here’s a pic of it from the side.

And I’m also confident the white one is a girl. Both these birds feathered at the same rate too. But the dark one is a little bigger, has thicker legs, and that comb is really throwing me off. The white one has a couple rogue dark feathers so hoping she comes out a little splashed.

REALLY hoping my Lavender Ameraucana is a girl since that one is from a breeder. Unfortunately she didn’t sell them sexed so we took a gamble. Tried to pick one out with more advanced feathering, but considering it’s now 2 weeks old and has no tail feathers I’m concerned it’s a boy.

 

[Mikski]

It's definitely possible to have a lavender olive egger! I currently have sapphire alove Eggers which looked identical to the chick in the picture! I've raised hundreds of birds, so my guess would be that the lavender ameraucana is a cockerel, butter with that being said, I have had more prominent females before that had my tricked until they were about 6 weeks old. Ameraucanas have pea combs. Pullets will have one row while cockerels have three. They all look pretty similar while they are babies. Once you have three rows actually growing and turning puck then you know it's a boy. Pullets can appear to have three rows but then only the middle one shows any progress.

Do you have pictures of your sapphire olive eggers? Either now or as chicks? Just so curious what this little olive Egger may look like. And again, these weren’t sold sexed so crossing my fingers and holding my breath that it’s a girl!