Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[familypendragon]

Some of my new Wheaten/Blue Wheaten babies

 

[CackleJoy]

Last June I bought two W/BW Ameraucana chics, hoping to get a blue egg laying hen. Instead I ended up with two cockerels, but they are such nice birds that I have decided to keep them. Here is my 23 week old Wheaten Ameraucana Cockerel. I'm interested in feedback as I'm new to the breed. I do intend on Joining the ABC for 2104, but so far, the amount I know of the breed standard is what is listed on the ABC page.



It seems to me that he carries his tail too low. Here's another pic, but he's stretching his head forward.



Here's a head shot of his comb.





And here's a shot of the Blue Wheaten cockerel I got at the same time as the Wheaten. I absolutely love his look, except that he has not beard or muff so can't be used for breeding Ameraucanas. I'm planning on keeping him with my laying hens. He should produce some nice Easter Egger offspring.



Nice photo bomb by the Wheaten

I bought two Ameraucana pullets to use with the Wheaten cockerel. Here's a quick pic. They look a bit ratty right now as they are about 20 weeks old have been loosing feathers from a moult. I'll post more pics of the pullets in a couple of weeks when their new feathers are in.



I think the darker one is a Wheaten and the lighter one a Blue Wheaten. The lighter one is a bit on the small side.

Anyway, any feedback, especially for the Wheaten cockerel, would be appreciated.

I too would like feedback as I'm very new to the Wheaten/BW's as well. Are the BW pullets generally lighter? How soon can you tell a cockerel from a pullet? I have a 1 week old chick with black under it's wing feathers. Do they all start out that way?

 

[Deb B]

I too would like feedback as I'm very new to the Wheaten/BW's as well. Are the BW pullets generally lighter? How soon can you tell a cockerel from a pullet? I have a 1 week old chick with black under it's wing feathers. Do they all start out that way?

The cockerels develop darker feathering by 3 weeks old or so. If your chick has dark wing feathers already, it is most likely a cockerel. When I think back on it, my Wheaten cockerel had darker wing feathers really early on. The BW cockerel was harder for me to tell, but then maybe I was just in denial because I was hoping it was a pullet! The pullets stay very light with just a smidgeon of black or grey on the tips of tail feathers or wing feathers. I don't know if BW pullets are lighter in general. That is a good question.

 

[Audio51]

What do you all think of this one? Ameraucana or Americana (EE)? Hen or Roo? It's about 30 weeks...hen posture, no crowing or other roo behavior...but those tail feathers have me wondering.

 

[jerryse]

What do you all think of this one? Ameraucana or Americana (EE)? Hen or Roo? It's about 30 weeks...hen posture, no crowing or other roo behavior...but those tail feathers have me wondering.

EE rooster

 

[kenzier093]

I'd have to say that's a rooster

 

[mstricer]

Quote: X2

 

[speckledhen]

Um, yeah, the red in the wings is one of the signs, in addition to the regular feathering clues. Easter Egger male, no doubt.


I got all three of my BBS Ameraucanas in one photo today. Gypsy, the black, is 6 years old now, and Nora, the blue, and Snow, the splash, are 5 1/2, so they all are back together again, having been retired to the same rooster-free coop (other than the two 10 week old cockerels who are temporarily bunking with them, but who are scared featherless of them, lol).

 

[Audio51]

Dang! I was really hoping it was a hen. Can I ask what you are seeing that tells you it is likely a rooster?

Any suggestions as to why it has not developed the comb/wattles yet? It looks less developed that the pullets in the pen.

This Buff Orphingtion and it are exactly the same age and the BC Marans are about 4 weeks older.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

Dang! I was really hoping it was a hen. Can I ask what you are seeing that tells you it is likely a rooster?

Any suggestions as to why it has not developed the comb/wattles yet? It looks less developed that the pullets in the pen.

This Buff Orphingtion and it are exactly the same age and the BC Marans are about 4 weeks older.

Te coloring is what says it all. Males have patchy coloring while females have a uniform color, if you go to the EE bragers thread you can see more picture of male and females and mostly likley will be able to see a difference (my avatar is a EE hen). And EEs normally have non existent to very small wattles.