Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[MrsBachbach]

That's what I'm thinking! The white one is a little older I'm thinking. Maybe 11 weeks or 12. Acts like a female and no pointy hackles or saddle feathers or anything but red comb really fast. And the rooster was $5. Got him from an elderly gentleman who got a rooster from his friend but didn't know how loud roosters could be haha

I've had males start growing pointy feathers as late as 14wks, so don't get your hopes up just yet. But EE's generally mature faster I think.

 

[MrsBachbach]

OK.....Here are 3 more that are 3 ½ months old. Please, please tell me I have some pullets in this bunch........

The blues look like pullets based on the comb. The blacks comb is harder to see in the picture, looking male to me because it is wider.

 

[lizzychick]

I ordered purebred blue ameraucana from Meyer hatchery. I am aware of the percentage of blue to black to splash. My question is, if a chicks first feathers are all black, does that mean for sure she is a black, or could she turn blue after a molt? I have too many black hens in this batch of chicks. Every chick I have right now is a different breed, and am really hoping for a blue.

 

[jerryse]

I ordered purebred blue ameraucana from Meyer hatchery. I am aware of the percentage of blue to black to splash. My question is, if a chicks first feathers are all black, does that mean for sure she is a black, or could she turn blue after a molt? I have too many black hens in this batch of chicks. Every chick I have right now is a different breed, and am really hoping for a blue.

A blue is blue at hatch .

 

[lizzychick]

A blue is blue at hatch .

On the ameraucana breeders club website the photos of the blue and black chicks look just like mine did, yellow belly and black back. The difference between the photo of blue and black chicks in their photos was almost negligible. So I'm back to the original question, can the feathers lighten or have blue come in after molt? Thanks for any input.

 

[jerryse]

I can tell mine apart . Even the dark blue . Lavender , blue , black ,splash and a buff in this picture . No they do not turn blue later . The dark blue may become more noticeable as they grow .

 

[lizzychick]

I can tell mine apart . Even the dark blue . Lavender , blue , black ,splash and a buff in this picture . No they do not turn blue later . The dark blue may become more noticeable as they grow .

I really was hoping she would be blue. I guess that's the way the cookie crumbles. Your chicks aware adorable little bitties!

 

[RangeChicks]

These guys are a bit challenging to photograph! Please excuse the Swedish Flower Hens & Cream Legbar photobombs. We are just looking at the 3 Ameraucanas (2 blue & 1 black).
Please let them all be girls! If the black one is a boy, his comb is not as developed as the 6-weekers (I'm thinking positive thoughts).













Thanks for everyone's input!

 

[7263255]

Like to see a pic of that roo in the back he looks very nice from this view.

 

[MrsBachbach]

These guys are a bit challenging to photograph! Please excuse the Swedish Flower Hens & Cream Legbar photobombs. We are just looking at the 3 Ameraucanas (2 blue & 1 black).
Please let them all be girls! If the black one is a boy, his comb is not as developed as the 6-weekers (I'm thinking positive thoughts).













Thanks for everyone's input!

Well, it is still hard to tell, but I'm still thinking male. It could be a male with a small pea comb. Some lines are like that. Very slow to develop. In these pics, maybe it's just the lighting, but even one of the blues has darker looking feathers on it's back and wings that makes me wonder if it might possibly be male(the one near your pink sandal in the pic). Tail doesn't look too female on it either. Blue males will start putting in darker feathering on their backs (saddle area) and wings and that forms their black cape. You say they are about 14 wks old, so at that age, if they are male, they should be starting to grow in their saddle and hackle feathers. These will have narrow pointy like ends instead of the rounded feather end like a female. So, pick those birds up and start parting feathers on their back towards the tail area. That's where you would find saddle feathers starting to grow in.