Are all three pullets??? (please?!)

[Frazzemrat1]

My Turken boys didn’t get saddle feathers until recently at 11-12 weeks old.
They start growing from about the middle of their back.
They get longer pretty quickly.
They also started crowing at 12-13 weeks.
You’ll know soon!

They won't normally start growing saddle feathers until that age. They're something that appears at chicken puberty at 12 weeks, like peach fuzz on a boy's chin.

 

[Dianekw]

It's very possible (s)he's simply maturing more quickly than the others, so take heart.

Simply asking questions out of curiosity isn't being argumentative at all. First reason I say they're Easter Eggers is coloration. True Ameraucanas are classified by their specific color types (such as BBS, White, Wheaten, Blue Wheaten, Buff, Lavender, and Silver, only some of which are recognized). If you look up any of these, you'll probably notice your gorgeous birds don't really match a given AM color. That's the main tip-off.

I'm not sure how much you paid for these two, but another factor is price. AMs are on the higher end of the scale (I usually see them in the $20s range), while EEs can go for $2 to $3 per chick.

Egg color is another. Ameraucanas lay exclusively blue, while EEs could produce just about anything in the rainbow. Well, not literally, but you get it.

There are a few others I could mention, but I think that's the gist of it.

~Alex

Still trying to learn here... So, when I google "Ameraucana", and look at the pics of all the colors you mentioned above, there are such WILDLY varied ranges of what those "colors" look like...and I actually found some blue wheaten pics that look VERY much like Gertrude, and a couple of silver roos that look a LOT like Gregory(none anywhere near as beautiful though! ;-) ). So...is there a site that shows the "official", or "accepted" colors? Cuz it looks like people can post about any old picture and call it what they want. :-\ Where do I look to find pictures of the "official" colors?

You asked about price...I took a chicken keeping class which included 4 chicks with the price($99)...I wanted two of each of the breeds they had, so I bought an additional two chicks at $8 each.

Egg color...well, I've always called them "blue-green"...the eggs Gertrude lays, but honestly, when I look at the "blue" eggs pictured on the site Frazz suggested, Gertrude's eggs are WAY bluer than those! I thought "blue" was supposed to be more like sky colored, but if the "Fresh eggs Daily" picture is of blue eggs, then I've got the Ameraucaniest of Ameraucanas out there! ;-)

Gregory has red earlobes and his feet look about the color of "slate blue" that I see pictured when I pull up "Ameraucana", and the bottoms are about as "white" as they can be considering the boy walks in dirt and steps in poop. ;-) They're much lighter than the tops, and less "pink" than my buff orps' feet. Gertrude has fairly pale earlobes, but her feet seem to be the right color. I guess if they have to hit every single point, then Gertrude's earlobes take her out of the running. :-\

I find this fascinating...this chicken breed traits thing...I never really thought all that much about it...just called em what I was told they were! ;-) Can you tell me what other things you see about Gregory and Gertrude that makes them EE and not Am? I guess it only takes one "miss" to knock em out of Am, right? I guess I should get used to calling em EE's...been calling em Ams for 2 years now...hard to switch! ;-)

 

[Frazzemrat1]

http://ameraucanabreedersclub.org/default.html
this should help

 

[Dianekw]

http://ameraucanabreedersclub.org/default.html
this should help

thanks Frazz!

 

[Alexandra33]

Still trying to learn here... So, when I google "Ameraucana", and look at the pics of all the colors you mentioned above, there are such WILDLY varied ranges of what those "colors" look like...and I actually found some blue wheaten pics that look VERY much like Gertrude, and a couple of silver roos that look a LOT like Gregory(none anywhere near as beautiful though! ;-) ). So...is there a site that shows the "official", or "accepted" colors? Cuz it looks like people can post about any old picture and call it what they want. :-\ Where do I look to find pictures of the "official" colors?

You asked about price...I took a chicken keeping class which included 4 chicks with the price($99)...I wanted two of each of the breeds they had, so I bought an additional two chicks at $8 each.

Egg color...well, I've always called them "blue-green"...the eggs Gertrude lays, but honestly, when I look at the "blue" eggs pictured on the site Frazz suggested, Gertrude's eggs are WAY bluer than those! I thought "blue" was supposed to be more like sky colored, but if the "Fresh eggs Daily" picture is of blue eggs, then I've got the Ameraucaniest of Ameraucanas out there! ;-)

Gregory has red earlobes and his feet look about the color of "slate blue" that I see pictured when I pull up "Ameraucana", and the bottoms are about as "white" as they can be considering the boy walks in dirt and steps in poop. ;-) They're much lighter than the tops, and less "pink" than my buff orps' feet. Gertrude has fairly pale earlobes, but her feet seem to be the right color. I guess if they have to hit every single point, then Gertrude's earlobes take her out of the running. :-\

I find this fascinating...this chicken breed traits thing...I never really thought all that much about it...just called em what I was told they were! ;-) Can you tell me what other things you see about Gregory and Gertrude that makes them EE and not Am? I guess it only takes one "miss" to knock em out of Am, right? I guess I should get used to calling em EE's...been calling em Ams for 2 years now...hard to switch! ;-)

Not only do most poultry keepers mistake their EEs for AMs (thus posting pictures under "Ameraucana"), but certain key words you looked up will pull up completely unrelated photos simply because a website includes it. Frazz shared a wonderful link for you to reference.

Here are a couple photos of a Blue Wheaten hen and Silver roo:

If you examine and compare your beauties with these guys, you'll see there are some subtle differences, mainly in coloration. Gertrude is more of a fiery orange/smokey blue with a dark head, while BW AMs are delicate strawberry blonde with a touch of lavender in the tail. Likewise, it appears Gregory's saddle/hackles are light beige, plus bits of red in places. Silvers are exclusively black and white. I must agree your man is much handsomer....

$8....that's somewhere between both prices.

Just because a bird shares some of the qualities with a breed doesn't automatically classify them as that breed. A couple of my EEs lay the most beautiful, sky-blue eggs out there, and I do believe one sports slate legs. Also, there isn't technically a given standard for EEs.

Chickens are fascinating creatures, indeed! It's a joy learning more about them each day. I pretty much covered all the points that led me to say Easter Egger, I do believe. Although, they way they looked as chicks could be another indicator. It can be very hard to change something that's become a habit, especially after so long a period.

~Alex

 

[1muttsfan]

Yes, many breeders - including those who should know better (and probably do) call non- standard EE's Ameraucana or Araucana. It's definitely a let-the-buyer-beware market.

That is not to say anything against EEs, they are usually nice flock birds, pretty, well-behaved, and lay lots of lovely eggs of various colors from light tan through green to blue.

 

[Dianekw]

Not only do most poultry keepers mistake their EEs for AMs (thus posting pictures under "Ameraucana"), but certain key words you looked up will pull up completely unrelated photos simply because a website includes it. Frazz shared a wonderful link for you to reference.

Here are a couple photos of a Blue Wheaten hen and Silver roo:
View attachment 1447891
View attachment 1447890
If you examine and compare your beauties with these guys, you'll see there are some subtle differences, mainly in coloration. Gertrude is more of a fiery orange/smokey blue with a dark head, while BW AMs are delicate strawberry blonde with a touch of lavender in the tail. Likewise, it appears Gregory's saddle/hackles are light beige, plus bits of red in places. Silvers are exclusively black and white. I must agree your man is much handsomer....

$8....that's somewhere between both prices.

Just because a bird shares some of the qualities with a breed doesn't automatically classify them as that breed. A couple of my EEs lay the most beautiful, sky-blue eggs out there, and I do believe one sports slate legs. Also, there isn't technically a given standard for EEs.

Chickens are fascinating creatures, indeed! It's a joy learning more about them each day. I pretty much covered all the points that led me to say Easter Egger, I do believe. Although, they way they looked as chicks could be another indicator. It can be very hard to change something that's become a habit, especially after so long a period.

~Alex

Thank you, Alex! that helps a lot! cute picks...not as cute as mine tho... ;-P Yes...fascinating creatures! I'm learning more and more every day! I love this group! I learn so much from you all!

 

[Alexandra33]

Thank you, Alex! that helps a lot! cute picks...not as cute as mine tho... ;-P Yes...fascinating creatures! I'm learning more and more every day! I love this group! I learn so much from you all!

You're so welcome!

I totally agree, your babies are cuter.

Aren't we all! There's an endless supply of things to learn each day.

~Alex

 

[336White Phoenix]

I'd say 1 pullet 1 cockrel and one can go either way atm

 

[Dianekw]

Hello, experts! I'm back with an update...and another plea for your thoughts! So we're at 12 weeks now, and I think I've resigned myself to the idea that Harriet(on the left) is not so much a "she"...thought I cant stop calling her she! LOL! Here's the latest photos...tell me if these are pretty much a clincher, or if there's still any hope for "her"... ;-)

these little "pointies" started poppin' out on her back near her tail feathers, and I think that's the clincher, no? Do pullets ever have pointy saddle feathers? :-\

I'm still on the fence about Clementine...I cant find any pointy feathers on her, but her legs are as thick as Harriet's, her comb is MUCH bigger, and sometimes redder than Charlotte's, but what gives me the most concern, is that I've seen her mounting Gertrude(my smallest adult hen) twice in the last week...is there ANY reason why a pullet would be jumping on a hen's back? :-\ Here's Clementine:

see...I'm not seeing anything pointy in here...whispy, but still rounded...

And finally...here's Charlotte...I *THINK* she's a she...I've seen her do the submissive squat a couple times today, and her comb is tiny, and her legs are thinner than the other two, and she's the smallest of the three even though she's the oldest(by one/two days). Can you confirm that this is a girl? Or do I still have to worry about her??? :-\

and a better view of her back half...