Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[PeasChisGuis]

Quote:
Long spurs will definitely rough up a hen back. I haven't experienced low fertility from being unable to mount a hen, yet.

Thanks

I have been watching him and half the time he gets on and will either take a few times or he will just give up. I did trim his spurs and will see if it makes any difference. Could he just be too big???? He is a really big rooster but the hens are pretty big too.
Here is picture of him

I don't have a good picture of him next to any hens, but here is his year old son that is a little smaller than he is

 

[tellynpeep]

Need help sexing my Wheaties! Here are the photos finally... They will be 2 weeks old tomorrow; these were taken this morning. I do fear I've hatched almost all boys!

This one and one other like it I'm pretty sure are girls:

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Here is a girl and a boy?

Boy?

Most of them look like this:

Then this one: the shoulder feathers are darker than the light blonde ones, but not black. Also, there is no black in the tail, just more of the buff.

Any thoughts from the experts?
Thanks!
Mary

 

[LMiller49]

I'm no expert, but I would say you have pullets.

 

[LMiller49]

pips&peeps :

Quote:
Quote since they are rare, there really isn't someone who has the "best" in my opinion. They all are from the same lines.

what lines would you recommend starting with then? Feel free to PM me if you prefer.​

 

[livin-green]

Quote:
I've heard a couple say that Ameraucanas are slow to lay, and my experience has been true to that...usually not until at least 8 or 9 months. My first bunch were almost a month from being a year old before they laid! We were also in the same situation with housing for them--make shift stuff when they were younger. I do blame the improper housing/space issue for the extreme delay in laying for my first group. I bet the same is the case for you plus add in the move to a new coop. Keep in mind, I would think the addition of the new roo may cause a little bit more delay because of the "upset" of something else new...maybe not...??

You can also try giving them some ground cayenne pepper in their feed. I heard it would "kick start" their laying, so I tried it and within 3 days my hens started laying ~ 2 older ones who completely stopped over winter and 1 of my 2 young new layers. Coincidence? Possibly, but it couldn't hurt trying. I also heard that it is a good dewormer--if nothing else, at least it may clear out any worms they might have picked up.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

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Yep, 1 of my lav pullets has a wide comb, but it's flat...looks exactly like yours (and mine is laying, so I know it's a SHE!)

 

[Goose and Fig]

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Way too soon to tell. Give it at least 2 more weeks. The color of those chick feathers is meaningless, so don't worry about it.

 

[Muggsmagee]

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Karen, that small one looks like a girl for sure! The other is a roo.

 

[chicken stalker]

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Karen, that small one looks like a girl for sure! The other is a roo.

That's what I thought..thanks everyone.

 

[Muggsmagee]

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It is too soon for an absolute call on the gender of the Wheatens, however, in order of pictures this is what I see:

Pic 1: pullet...her wing feathers are nice and light, and I don't see the dark coming in on the shoulders
Pic 2: pullet on the left, cockerel on the right
Pic 3: cockerel
Pic 4: cockerel...the pic shows the shoulder feathers darker than a females
Pic 5: pullet...look at how nice and light her shoulder feathers are!

Now all that said...it isn't uncommon to get an "It's Pat" for a while! Look closely at their combs. In my experience the Wheatens have the best combs to help gender identification. The cockerels have a defined 3 rows of peas in their combs AND the combs are generally wider than a females.

Here are pics I posted of my chicks a few days ago to compare yours to.

Pullet

Cockerel