Arcuna, Americana, Easter Egger Oh My

[snowk]

This spring I got my new "girls" from our local farm store. Usually I order them or buy eggs online, or adopt from nearby farms. This year I thought the price was right so I got 4 Americana pullets, 4 buff sex link pullets, and 4 turkeys. The reason for the post is one of my "Americana pullets" First of all, as they grew they did not have the amazing beards, I am pretty sure that only one is actually laying blue/green eggs and one was not like the others. This odd pullet was mostly black and white and she began to crow. That probably meant that she had been mis-sexed but the weird part was that "her" comb turned dark red and she began to crow at about 8-9 weeks old!

We had a bit of a disagreement about this time when I was filling the feeder. I had just put them outside, but I was keeping them penned away from the older girls for a while. When I reached for the feeder "she" bit me! I don't mean pecked at me but rather reached out, grabbed the skin between my thumb and first finger and held on. (I might have even heard some growling ) It was kind of weird, I have been pecked before but I have never had to shake off a hen to get her to let go. All in all it didn't actually hurt, but it made a terrible bruise. Now since that day Dickie has been well mannered and is actually a pretty nice little guy. I am looking for opinions about what to do with him. Usually this time of year I put my roosters and extra hens in the freezer and only winter over the new girls and a few "pets." He is very vocal and I am sure that the neighbors are not impressed with his singing, but he matured so early that I may want to try to hatch a few of his eggs to see if that trait carries on? On the other hand it might be a trait that comes with unwanted side effects (biting) So far he has survived the first two rounds of freezer culls but I just don't know what to do with him. **Note, he was an unintended rooster and is subordinate to Sweetums so I have no idea if he is even able to breed.

What do you think?

 

[Ridgerunner]

If you got them from a feed store, it is almost certain they are not Ameraucanas but instead are EE’s or Easter Eggers. That means they are a mix and might lay any color egg or look like anything. Some not having a beard is another sign they are not true Ameraucanas.

It is pretty normal that a male’s comb and wattles turn red well before females do. That’s actually a sign it is a male and not a female. I think you knew that.

What do you do with him? That has to be your choice. How can I know what your goals or desires are? Do you want more chicks like him? It’s not always an easy decision.

I would not get all that worried about that one incident. That does not mean he is human-aggressive. With another dominant rooster in the flock it’s going to be hard to tell how he will behave if he becomes the dominant one. A dominant rooster has different flock responsibilities than a subordinate and will act differently.