Americana

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

It's one of those weird things, unless you got the chicken from a well known breeder, and it is an accepted color it is called an EE. Even if both parents are pure bred Ameraucana's and the chick turns out to be the wrong color, people will argue that is not an Ameraucana, it's an EE (any breed of chicken bred to a blue egg gene). I was thinking about getting some "real Ameraucana's" but with how cranky some of the "Ameraucana people" can be, I'll just stick with my EE's. I have several and I love them!!

Oh, and he looks like a rooster to me.

Spalsh and lavendars are still called ameraucana (by most people) even thought they arent accepted, they are project colors. If you breed a white to a black it is not going to make a pure color, i call them nonstandard ameraucanas(not everyone agrees one this).And yes there are quuite a few not so friendly breeders but you will find some of those in each breed.I actually bought eggs from a few really nice breeders on BYC.

 

[donrae]

Easter egger cockerel.

 

[A Chicken Owner]

It's a cockerel but aren't EE's any type of chicken that has the blue/green egg gene?

 

[h2ofowllovngrl]

I agree with other posters. Rooster and EE.

How can you tell it is a cockerel already at such a young age? What is it that tips you off? Thanks!

 

[A Chicken Owner]

Your 5 week old cockerel has a bigger and redder comb than a hen that is about to start laying. At this age it's easy distinguishing male from female. I always look at the combs redness and size.

 

[donrae]

How can you tell it is a cockerel already at such a young age? What is it that tips you off? Thanks!

The color is the big tip off for gender. Look at enough pictures here and you'll get an eye for a rooster. That dark red on the wings is a male charcteristic all the way. Look at the thread about sexing easter eggers, there will be lots of pics there to compare. Basically, females have plain, drab, smooth coloring, to blend in to the landscape on a nest. Roosters are flashy, splashy colored to attract attention.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

How can you tell it is a cockerel already at such a young age? What is it that tips you off? Thanks!

With EEs, it's all about color. They often don't get red combs or wattles or saddle feathers until they're fairly old, but there are definite color patters that say male or female. With EEs, you look to see if #1 they have red patches on their shoulders. This is a dead give-away for male as the trait is sex-linked and can only occur in males. #2 you look to see if the color pattern is the same pattern all over the body with (perhaps) a different colored head or if it is patchy like a patchwork cloak. Your bird is a perfect example of this. The all-over patterning is female, the patchiness is male.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

Your 5 week old cockerel has a bigger and redder comb than a hen that is about to start laying. At this age it's easy distinguishing male from female. I always look at the combs redness and size.

Be careful using this to sex EEs. Many EE cockerels will not get a red comb at all until 8 or 9 weeks.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

Be careful using this to sex EEs. Many EE cockerels will not get a red comb at all until 8 or 9 weeks.

X2, I have had EEs that didn't show their manliness until they were 3 or 4 months old, the only reason I new they were cockerels was because of their coloring.

 

[khoe]

That's for sure a roo Easter Egger.