Best Guesses for Barnyard Breed and Ameraucan/EE genders 8 weeks

[Tookie]

A friend has offered to teach us how to butcher the roosters.

Ok!

 

[ChickenMath10to17]

@3KillerBs You have been so helpful to me in the past. Can you help out again here? Do you have anything to add or change?

 

[3KillerBs]

@3KillerBs You have been so helpful to me in the past. Can you help out again here? Do you have anything to add or change?

How old are they now?

After 10-12 weeks I look for the male saddle feathers (later for slower-maturing breeds). I put my hand or a piece of paper under the saddle feathers to see their true shape without being confused by patterning.

 

[ChickenMath10to17]

How old are they now?

After 10-12 weeks I look for the male saddle feathers (later for slower-maturing breeds). I put my hand or a piece of paper under the saddle feathers to see their true shape without being confused by patterning.

The updated photos have them aged between 13-16 weeks

 

[3KillerBs]

The updated photos have them aged between 13-16 weeks

I'm not seeing any conspicuous male saddle feathers, though not all of the photos are quite clear in the saddle area.

Try the trick with your hand under the saddles to get a really good look.

 

[ChickenMath10to17]

I have. #8 unnamed is the only one I am sure has pointy saddles.

Question though. @3KillerBs
#5 has the long thin ish neck feather but round saddles though the green feathering in tail. So I am never settled on the judgement of her. She is also very small.
#1 hackle feathers are long and thin and kinda pointy, but nothing obvious for saddle though some dark red feathers do appear on the body. She is also very small.

So I guess the question is to identify by feather do they need both hackles and saddles to be pointy? Or can they be female and still have long thin ish hackles?

 

[3KillerBs]

So I guess the question is to identify by feather do they need both hackles and saddles to be pointy? Or can they be female and still have long thin ish hackles?

I consider the saddles the most reliable. Hackles are less distinctive, IMO.

EEs are known to sometimes have thinner hackles and the patterning on the hackles can be deceptive, making them appear pointed when they're actually round if you look at an individual feather against a contrasting background.

 

[ChickenMath10to17]

I consider the saddles the most reliable. Hackles are less distinctive, IMO.

EEs are known to sometimes have thinner hackles and the patterning on the hackles can be deceptive, making them appear pointed when they're actually round if you look at an individual feather against a contrasting background.

Then few have saddles other than #8 and my Roo named King (not part of this thread).
But my chickens have been very slow feathering even to start. They all just started growing tails in the last 2 weeks, except King who was obvious at 6 weeks ago.
So I just need to keep waiting... Though if I am understanding cockerel behavour and grabbing the necks of pullets with their beaks and refusing to let go, then I can confirm cockerels that way?

Is the red feather and the green feathers a good way to guess as well? I think pullets are always plain and rooster are beautiful and colourful.

 

[3KillerBs]

Though if I am understanding cockerel behavour and grabbing the necks of pullets with their beaks and refusing to let go, then I can confirm cockerels that way?

That's a dominance behavior, not necessarily restricted to males, though likely to be seen in hormonal, young cockerels.

Is the red feather and the green feathers a good way to guess as well? I think pullets are always plain and rooster are beautiful and colourful.

Red patches on the shoulders are often a male trait, but green iridescence on black occurs in both sexes.

 

[ChickenMath10to17]

That's a dominance behavior, not necessarily restricted to males, though likely to be seen in hormonal, young cockerels.



Red patches on the shoulders are often a male trait, but green iridescence on black occurs in both sexes.

Thank you for taking time to answer my question.

I think this is my last question. What about the red that appears on their head? Like picture with eye brows or this black fluffy faced one. (I haven't got my black ones uploaded yet).