4 week Bantam Ameraucana chicks - Gender?

[OwensChickens]

We just picked up 6 Bantam Ameraucana chicks. 3 are 4 weeks old and the other 3 are 1-2 days old. We were told and believe that the Wheatens are a pullet and cockerel. Not sure on the black. Here are some pics:

wheaten cockerel:




wheaten pullet:



both together:



Black Ameraucana (pullet or cockerel?):



another pic:

 

[KieksterChicken]

Just wondering where you got these chicks from? If they are from a feed store/hatchery then they aren't Ameraucanas, they are Easter Eggers. Unfortunately hatcheries routinely sell their Easter Eggers as Ameraucanas or Araucanas.

 

[OwensChickens]

Just wondering where you got these chicks from? If they are from a feed store/hatchery then they aren't Ameraucanas, they are Easter Eggers. Unfortunately hatcheries routinely sell their Easter Eggers as Ameraucanas or Araucanas.

Well aware of this. We got these from an Ameraucana Breeder. These will be 4H show birds.

 

[OwensChickens]

We also got 9 LF Ameraucana (7 Blue and 2 Wheaten) chicks. 2 are 2 weeks old and 7 are 1-4 days old. How old do they need to be to sex them?

 

[KieksterChicken]

Probably need to wait until they are about 5 months old to make sure they are APA SOP. Your black one doesn't show much of a beard or muff so not looking like it will meet the SOP. Time will tell perhaps. Anyways, the roos should have pea combs showing 3 distinct vertical rows of peas and the pullets 1 row of vertical peas. The number of rows of peas in the comb should be apparent by about a month and a half to 2 months old. Roo combs usually pink up a bit earlier than pullets. Pullets only seem to get redder about a month or so before point of lay in my experience anyways. Good luck with your birds.

 

[OwensChickens]

Thank you for the advice. We will do some comb checking today to see if we can see the vertical peas. We have an Ameraucana pullet who took Jr reserve champion at our first show. Will compare to her.

You make good points on the black bantam. We will see how it turns out. We got the bantams for showmanship for my 2 oldest boys, 9 and 6 years old. We would like to be able to show them in confirmation as well.

 

[J2Jonner]

Very cute little ones! Is this an outdoor play area for them, or do you have a in/out brooder setup?

 

[OwensChickens]

It is an outdoor brooder. It is the framing for an above ground turtle pond when we lived in a warmer environment. We keep all chicks outside during the day and bring the really young (less than a week or so) ones in at night.