Ameraucana - Cockeral or Pullet?

[major]

Looks like a pullet to me
I found a good way is to pick up the pullet/cock place them on the floor and hold the palm of your had on there lower back!
If its a pullet it should squat thinking your had is a roo and when you take your hand off they will have a good shake!
A Roo will just try to run off and will not shake
I started seeing this when i would try and pet them, Then stared trying it out it works on my 14 week old pullet
I don't know if this is a common way to test lol but i find it a good fun way to tell
Give it ago see what happens

 

[Dahlisgrams]

Looks like a pullet to me
I found a good way is to pick up the pullet/cock place them on the floor and hold the palm of your had on there lower back!
If its a pullet it should squat thinking your had is a roo and when you take your hand off they will have a good shake!
A Roo will just try to run off and will not shake
I started seeing this when i would try and pet them, Then stared trying it out it works on my 14 week old pullet
I don't know if this is a common way to test lol but i find it a good fun way to tell
Give it ago see what happens

Thanks for the tip! I'll give it a try and see what happens. Can't hurt! lol

 

[Pele]

Looks like a pullet to me
I found a good way is to pick up the pullet/cock place them on the floor and hold the palm of your had on there lower back!
If its a pullet it should squat thinking your had is a roo and when you take your hand off they will have a good shake!
A Roo will just try to run off and will not shake
I started seeing this when i would try and pet them, Then stared trying it out it works on my 14 week old pullet
I don't know if this is a common way to test lol but i find it a good fun way to tell
Give it ago see what happens

This is a behavior known as 'squatting', and only works on sexually mature hens. They do it because they think you are a rooster, and are 'inviting' you.

Usually by the time they start doing this, you've already had other signs to indicate gender, but it could work as a very last-ditch effort I suppose. This behavior also develops within about two weeks of laying eggs.

 

[hdowden]

This is a behavior known as 'squatting', and only works on sexually mature hens. They do it because they think you are a rooster, and are 'inviting' you.

Usually by the time they start doing this, you've already had other signs to indicate gender, but it could work as a very last-ditch effort I suppose. This behavior also develops within about two weeks of laying eggs.

i have a 5 month old d'uccle cockerel that will do that then run off

 

[dani0304]

well i think 'she' is a pullet so your in luck

 

[bunzsudz]

She may be one of those Aura/amera's that are tail-less. Humpy-rumps, LOL. It's possible a throw-back to the rumpless Auracanas? That would be kinda cool.
OH YEAH, and another way to sex biddies and young birds: compare feet and ankle bone sizes among siblings. Male chicks will have noticibly thicker feet and ankle bones than their sisters, even if the birds are new hatched or seemingly the same size.

 

[Dahlisgrams]

She may be one of those Aura/amera's that are tail-less. Humpy-rumps, LOL. It's possible a throw-back to the rumpless Auracanas? That would be kinda cool.
OH YEAH, and another way to sex biddies and young birds: compare feet and ankle bone sizes among siblings. Male chicks will have noticibly thicker feet and ankle bones than their sisters, even if the birds are new hatched or seemingly the same size.

This would be cool! Still no tail and I definitely think she's a pullet based on the tips received here. Her legs look the same as the other 3 LF Ameraucanas in the flock. The only difference is the comb, which is redder. It doesn't look nearly as wide as the cockerals in the bunch and they're continuing to redden and their faces are getting redder too. Hers is not.

I still have not had a chance to test the squatting theory though. We've been working nonstop on finishing the big coop and are now onto the permanent pen. We used an auger which kind of frightened them, plus I finally integrated the wild hatched EEs since we are out there so much now and I can keep an eye. They refuse to go into the coop with the original flock though. But that is another thread! lol

I'll update this thread if Bossy Boots ever gets a tail!

Thanks again to everyone for the tips, suggestions and opinions. I appreciate it!!

 

[pips&peeps]

Generally with the lavenders, if you have a slow feathering bird, it is a cockerel. There are no araucana genes in the ameraucana lines. You should not get a tail less bird unless it is a mutation or you have an easter egger.

 

[Dahlisgrams]

Generally with the lavenders, if you have a slow feathering bird, it is a cockerel. There are no araucana genes in the ameraucana lines. You should not get a tail less bird unless it is a mutation or you have an easter egger.

Does this rule apply when the bird is otherwise completely feathered except for the tail? I had heard this about lavenders before but it seemed odd that it was only the tail feathers not coming in. My 4 week olds have longer tails than this particular bird. Hmm... do roosters tend to lead the others when out foraging? This lavender (definitely ameraucana, not an EE) is one of the first to venture out beyond the "regular" free range area but does not seem to take care of the other girls. The two silver ameraucana cockerals tend to do that. They also man the door once everyone is in the coop for the night too. They are still there when I let them out in the morning, still right beside each other. As a newbie, I'm still learning chicken sociology but am trying to be observant and am reading all I can too.

Thanks very much for your comment.

 

[Dahlisgrams]

I got a really good look at Bossy's comb today while working on the pen. My best revised guess is male. I took a long close look and the comb is still red in comparison to all of the other pullets of the same breed and is now showing the tiniest rows on either side of the obvious middle row. It always look like a singular row but now it is looking like three. Bossy is a rooster which explains the in charge but not aggressive attitude!

Anyone need a lavender ameraucana rooster??