Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
How about we ask Nifty for a chicken related spell checker? Or a zoombie smilie shows up automatically for any misspelled chicken breed name...

A lot of folks these days can't spell the simplest words in English - let alone the complicated AmerAUcana!!! Add in Wheaten ... I think you may be asking too much.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

ok ... getting back on the topic of real birds and running the risk of annoying by asking stupid (irrelevant?) questions but does anyone have any tips for sexing 5 week old B/B/S Ameraucanas? I'm fairly confident one of my Blues is a cockerel because his comb is large-ish and pinker compared to the others. What about tail feathers? This little guy also has a fuller, more developed tail at 5 weeks. Does that mean anything? (I can't believe out of the 7 I hatched only one is male but that is how it's looking to my eyes right now. These little guys are hard to sex, I'm thinking.)

Also, what is "leakage" when referring to colour?

Not that it really matters but I'm curious.

 

[klf73]

I usually can tell by the comb...distinct 3 rows usually equals cockeral while a pullet has a smaller tighter comb....of course in the case of lavender this doesnt' always hold true. I have learned to sex mine by that age though by just knowing what I am working with...

 

[klf73]

leakage is when you have a color, lets say blue, and another color i.e. red shows up on the feathers...a black bird should be all black, no other color. blue bird should be blue and splash is kinda tricky but since it isn't an accepted color....eh

. I have seen adult black roos that have a rust color leakage on the neck and/or hackles, I won't buy from that pen. That is why it is good to see the adult stock of what you will be getting if you don't know a breeders reputation...egg color too

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
Thanks for your answer. I have a "sport", a Black, and a Splash that I'm pretty confident are females based on their combs. 2 other Blues that could go either way. And another Black that I'm not sure about. I have some EE females with serious 3 row combs that give me pause with the Ameraucanas.

Does white around the eyes and under the chin on a Blue and Black get described as "leakage"? The little guy that I think is male has white around his eyes as does one of the Blacks that I'm not sure about. I was also told by the person that sold me the eggs that leakage pretty much guarantees male. Is that true?

 

[ChicksterJo]

On that same note, would the three rows be all the same height for a roo? I have one chick that has a noticeable middle row, but I can see the other two rows, too. The middle row is "higher" than the others. But I have another chick that has three very noticeable rows and he sounds like he's clearing his throat while the other three are still "peeping." I probably shouldn't count on sound alone.

 

[enggass]

Quote:
Thanks for your answer. I have a "sport", a Black, and a Splash that I'm pretty confident are females based on their combs. 2 other Blues that could go either way. And another Black that I'm not sure about. I have some EE females with serious 3 row combs that give me pause with the Ameraucanas.

Does white around the eyes and under the chin on a Blue and Black get described as "leakage"? The little guy that I think is male has white around his eyes as does one of the Blacks that I'm not sure about. I was also told by the person that sold me the eggs that leakage pretty much guarantees male. Is that true?

At what age should this start becoming apparent on the Lavs. I have 6 that are just over five weeks old and nothing apparent happening yet. Some seem to show almost no comb, still Lav color right on top where the comb would be and some have a more fleshy tone comb but nothing big or getting red yet.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Can I get opinions on my chicks - almost 5 weeks old; boy or girl? All supposed to be B/B/S Ameraucanas. I did see pictures of the parents and liked what I saw VERY much so I bought 8 eggs. Color of those eggs seemed good to me.

#1 - This is my "Leonardo da Vinci" (aka. Leo), the one I thought was a boy as soon as he cracked the shell (and my avatar)

#2 - Blue (I honestly can't tell this and the next one apart so I haven't been able to name them yet!)

#3 - Blue

#4 - Black (Jennifer Lopez) - a totally cuddly sweetheart!

#5 - Black (Shakespeare)

#6 - Splash (Pippa)

#7 - Sport? (Rembrandt) Absolutely the SOFTEST feathers I've ever felt. She is like butter.

 

[klf73]

Quote:
my guess
1-cockeral
2-cockeral
3-cockeral
4-pullet
5-pullet
6-cockeral
7-pullet

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Hi! They are all lovely. I agree with Krista on the pullets / cockerels.

Lisa