Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[dstokely]

dstokely
Thanks for your reply! I'm really hoping that's the case. Yes, they've both got established tails already, one even more so than the other. This isn't a great picture, but they happened to be sitting down beside each other in the brooder in such a way as to give a great profile shot. They will be 2 weeks old Monday.

I think definitely the one on the right is female, and I am still going with my previous prediction....two girls. Let me know as I am still testing this theory.

 

[Caitlin_VT]

Hey guys! On average, at what age do you know sex by at least 90%? For those who can tell at a younger age (not including wheatens or sex-linked colors!), does it have to do with knowing your bloodline well? Just trying to get a sense so I can plan financially and space-wise for growing out my juvies this year.

 

[Regin]

Ameraucanas are hard for me to sex. I wasn't sure until I saw the saddle feathers come in.

 

[jerryse]

Hey guys! On average, at what age do you know sex by at least 90%? For those who can tell at a younger age (not including wheatens or sex-linked colors!), does it have to do with knowing your bloodline well? Just trying to get a sense so I can plan financially and space-wise for growing out my juvies this year.

Ameraucanas are hard for me to sex. I wasn't sure until I saw the saddle feathers come in.

Try the tail feather method . Females grow tail feathers faster . I will have to check the brooder for possible examples to take pics .

 

[Caitlin_VT]

I'm good at sexing, when they are 14-16 weeks old! I just wondered if people had better luck earlier. This year I really want to follow a couple based on what I think, and see what they actually are. I think I am going to try to make that a goal!

 

[MrsBachbach]

Hey guys! On average, at what age do you know sex by at least 90%? For those who can tell at a younger age (not including wheatens or sex-linked colors!), does it have to do with knowing your bloodline well? Just trying to get a sense so I can plan financially and space-wise for growing out my juvies this year. 

It does depend alot on whose line you have and the characteristics of that line. What color do you have?

 

[Caitlin_VT]

I have a flock of project Lavender and Mottleds. I will be hatching my second generation from the Lavs, and first from the Mottleds. I wasn't set up last year to keep track of chicks as they matured, and like I said, I knew the gender for sure by about 15 weeks! A couple stumped me for a few extra weeks.

 

[MrsBachbach]

I have a flock of project Lavender and Mottleds. I will be hatching my second generation from the Lavs, and first from the Mottleds. I wasn't set up last year to keep track of chicks as they matured, and like I said, I knew the gender for sure by about 15 weeks! A couple stumped me for a few extra weeks.

Well I haven't raised either of those colors. Can't help you on male color there. I was going to say that males that are bi colored usually give a hint of their cape color coming in prior to saddle feathers showing up. I know thats true with blues.
If the cocks in the line you have tend to have larger combs instead of the ideal small tight pea comb, you can sometimes tell at about six or seven weeks by that. They will tend to look larger and turn pinker before the females do. Look for the combs that turn pink first. Also, I've banded alot of legs while they grow and the males legs, feet, just look bigger/ thicker than females who look a bit slimmer.

 

[jerryse]

I have a flock of project Lavender and Mottleds. I will be hatching my second generation from the Lavs, and first from the Mottleds. I wasn't set up last year to keep track of chicks as they matured, and like I said, I knew the gender for sure by about 15 weeks! A couple stumped me for a few extra weeks.

These are about a month old . Male on left . 3 rows show easily on males plus a little more color . None of my chicks were at the right stage for tail feather sexing .

Just for fun here are Ameraucana sex links in black and lavender . Males on left . Hens are a project cuckoo split for lavender cuckoo . I had a lavender male with the hens .

 

[Caitlin_VT]

Well I haven't raised either of those colors. Can't help you on male color there. I was going to say that males that are bi colored usually give a hint of their cape color coming in prior to saddle feathers showing up. I know thats true with blues.
If the cocks in the line you have tend to have larger combs instead of the ideal small tight pea comb, you can sometimes tell at about six or seven weeks by that. They will tend to look larger and turn pinker before the females do. Look for the combs that turn pink first. Also, I've banded alot of legs while they grow and the males legs, feet, just look bigger/ thicker than females who look a bit slimmer.

Yeah, I have raised a few so have some idea. I like to know with a high % of surety when I am selling pullets, though! My birds don't have large combs, and lavs are generally pretty uniform in color. I will keep that in mind for the blue mottleds though. My cockerel does have the lovely two-toned cape color you speak of. This year I also plan on banding by breeding, so hopefully that can help as well! Thanks.

Jerry - those are Lav chicks, right? Can you say how accurate you are at sexing at 1 month?