Ameraucana mystery (sex)

[PattyNH]

I say pullet but either way a beautiful bird!!

 

[tanyabee]

20 weeks now...no crow, no egg.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

20 weeks now...no crow, no egg.

With all this waiting you could’ve had it DNA sexed and we’d know what it is for sure.

 

[tanyabee]

With all this waiting you could’ve had it DNA sexed and we’d know what it is for sure.

I've never even heard of that!

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

I've never even heard of that!

You send a feather off to a lab and they can sex the bird for you. Some people send the shell that a chickens hatched from.

 

[tanyabee]

You send a feather off to a lab and they can sex the bird for you. Some people send the shell that a chickens hatched from.

Wow who knew?

 

[SteveWin]

20 weeks now...no crow, no egg.

Gorgeous bird! I'm leaning cockerel.. I have 6 Blue Ameraucana from Cackle Hatchery, hatched April 16, 2018. 4 males, 2 females. The males started crowing about a week ago, and all 4 have the beginnings of their spurs starting to show. Also, for the past month, they've been obviously larger than my two pullets. Much variation of comb shape between the 4 males, but all are large and red compared to the females, whose combs are tiny and hardly even pink. Finally, the blue males have much more patterned coloration, my one blue female (the other was bred from blues but came in as black (bbs genetics will do that - blue x blue >> 50% blue, 25% black, 25% splash offspring)).. my Blue pullet has a very uniform, laced blue color everywhere. I know this doesn't necessarily translate directly to splash birds, but it's still suggestive.

So, the comb, and the bold splotchyness, the sharp pointed hackle feathers, the downward curving tail feathers, and the dominant behavior all say "cockerel" to me. Lack of spur buds and no crowing, are the only things saying "pullet". But at this age, at least in my flock, relative size (compared to other Ameraucana hatched at the same time) would give me a definite answer.

 

[tanyabee]

Gorgeous bird! I'm leaning cockerel.. I have 6 Blue Ameraucana from Cackle Hatchery, hatched April 16, 2018. 4 males, 2 females. The males started crowing about a week ago, and all 4 have the beginnings of their spurs starting to show. Also, for the past month, they've been obviously larger than my two pullets. Much variation of comb shape between the 4 males, but all are large and red compared to the females, whose combs are tiny and hardly even pink. Finally, the blue males have much more patterned coloration, my one blue female (the other was bred from blues but came in as black (bbs genetics will do that - blue x blue >> 50% blue, 25% black, 25% splash offspring)).. my Blue pullet has a very uniform, laced blue color everywhere. I know this doesn't necessarily translate directly to splash birds, but it's still suggestive.

So, the comb, and the bold splotchyness, the sharp pointed hackle feathers, the downward curving tail feathers, and the dominant behavior all say "cockerel" to me. Lack of spur buds and no crowing, are the only things saying "pullet". But at this age, at least in my flock, relative size (compared to other Ameraucana hatched at the same time) would give me a definite answer.

Thanks, good info! I think it always helps when you have others to compare. I'm pretty sure myself this one is boy also, just need him to crow to 100% confirm before I send him off, because I'm quite fond of him!

 

[SteveWin]

If I didn't already have 4 males with my 2 females, I'd volunteer to take him..

 

[KikiLeigh02]

How are the saddle feathers looking?

Thanks, good info! I think it always helps when you have others to compare. I'm pretty sure myself this one is boy also, just need him to crow to 100% confirm before I send him off, because I'm quite fond of him!