A little confused...

[Pent]

My Ameraucana are about 3 weeks old. I'm fairly certain I can tell gender based on combs, but then I came across a thread that said you could tell sex by when the feathering comes in; that the boys would have saddles and chest feathers later than the girls. This would be all well and good, if the darker, larger combs matched the feathering rates, but as it is, my two greyish girls are feathering latest, one with the feathers of her shoulders only just starting, while my three boys are almost in full feather. One of the guys is the second most feathered, including back. Also, everyone's saddle feathers look the same, I haven't noticed anyone getting pointy. Its hard to get good pics to show you what I mean, but I think I've described it ok...

 

[farmer boy]

cockerels will have the pointed hackle saddle and then the sickle feathers and hens will be rounded all of these but no sickle feathers ... there are slow growing chicks and fast growing chicks it depends on their genes ... could you get a pic of their body (full body shot from the side if not to much trouble)

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

Ameraucanas can be very difficult to sex. I know someone who thought the had a hen for months. It still hadent layed any eggs when it was nine months old and they thought that it must just be a late starter. Then it crowed. Hens can crow too, but by the time this ameraucana was 11 months old they new for sure it was a rooster. You can try and sex by feathers, but it isnt always accurate. I dont even attempt to sex my ameraucanas until they are at least 8 weeks old and then sometimes I wait longer,if it becaomes to dificult. I have also heard people say that cockerals feather out slower and I have found it to be true most of the time but not always.

 

[farmer boy]

it depends on their genes for them to grow fast or slow

 

[Pent]

Ok, some pics so you can see what I mean. These were fun to take... left the cage open when I took the pics, and turned around to see half of them running around the floor. Boys first.




Not all of them, but best pics I could manage. Now suspect girls.




^both same girl, wanted to get her colors in.


One of the less feathered girls?


and a group shot, boy in the background, with three of the girls. And two others a little.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

These chicks are actually EEs not ameraucanas. Your are very pretty I have one that looks just like yor first one, but it has feathered feet, because i croosed one of my EE hens with my buff brahma roo. In my opinion they are still too young to tell age. Good Luck.

 

[Pent]

Some video, if that helps. Sorry for poor quality.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

You actuslly took some pretty good pics and for some reason it wont let me watch the videos. Oh well.

 

[Pent]

I'm just going with Ameraucana because all parents were. There weren't crossed with any other kind of chicken, and at least a few of them are pure buff. The roo was buff, and he had a few buff ladies as well as some other color Ameraucanas. They show all the breed traits, though the beards are in the in between stage and don't show well right now. They aren't show quality colors, but they have slate legs, beards, muffs, tails, and there is no reason they won't lay the light blue egg. So we can split hairs, but color doesn't make a mutt in my books, though it does rule out show qualifications. I'm not saying I'm right, its just how I view it.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

I'm just going with Ameraucana because all parents were. There weren't crossed with any other kind of chicken, and at least a few of them are pure buff. The roo was buff, and he had a few buff ladies as well as some other color Ameraucanas. They show all the breed traits, though the beards are in the in between stage and don't show well right now. They aren't show quality colors, but they have slate legs, beards, muffs, tails, and there is no reason they won't lay the light blue egg. So we can split hairs, but color doesn't make a mutt in my books, though it does rule out show qualifications.

No need to get all defensive, I never once called them a mutt. And if their parents were all Ameraucanas then they should lay blue eggs. Good luck with them