Blue-ish Ameraucana ****** NEW PICTURES OF 2ND BIRD in Post #19 ******

[allmychickens]

Black EE BOY with lots of red leakage

 

[speckledhen]

You wouldn't believe the amount of base color leakage you can get in a pure Ameraucana. My black Ameraucana from really good lines had some gold leakage, but one of his sons was heavily patterned. It was astounding to see. Needless to say, I quit breeding him until I could get a better rooster, but eventually decided not to try for another one. I'm not saying for sure if yours is an EE or Ameraucana, but if Ameraucana, he'd definitely be a cull on color alone.

 

[aaggjg]

Wow thank you all for the replies! I am learning so much but there is so much more to learn!!!
This is the first I am learning about leakage and well boy colors ... Can a girl not be a "blue" with brown?? or Black with red leakage as it appears to be??


Being a city girl, I can't cull a bird! but I imagine the "breeder" will. I'd feel worse if he wasn't such a little $#&%. Now wish me luck trying to catch him!! He such a Scaredy Cat!!

 

[aaggjg]

Oh and one more thing isn't it strange that he has not crowed at 6-7 months???

 

[Lothiriel]

Quote:
The main thing is the location of the red/gold leakage. It's on the shoulders, and females don't get color splotches there. Females have a more uniform/"clean" coloring, while the males tend to have random patches, randomly placed and sized.

As for crowing, he may just be one of the quiet ones. Some very rarely crow.

And don't feel bad about not being able to cull him yourself. I've lived in the country my whole life and still haven't been able to do it. If I were you, I'd return him to the breeder and ask for a PULLET in exchange.

 

[homesteader wannabe]

I just went through the same thing! I'm also a chicken newbie, and bought an "ameraucana pullet" that turned out to be an EE roo. I bought him at 5-6 months old, but didn't know any better at the time that it was a boy. The guy assured me it must be a hen since it hadn't crowed yet. Well, he crowed at about 7 months. He was a sweetie, and would have kept him if I was able. I got a refund for him. I'd rather buy my hens from someone more knowledgable about their birds!

 

[aaggjg]

We newbies are too trusting!! You are lucky that your rooster was sweet but if mine was I'd be sad seeing him go ... not so much with this one. As my cousin says he has an evil glint in his eye!
The funny thing is, I got 2 bantam chicks when I got these "pullets". I was swayed by my 7 yr old godson who really wanted chicks and we got 2 just in case 1 was a boy... Well somehow I totally hit the bantam jackpot and got 2 pullets. So by my score leaving sexing to chance 1 - "breeder sexed" 0 .....

 

[donrae]

If it was sold to you as a pullet, I'd give the seller a chance to make it right. They honestly may not have known. Just cause someone hatches out chicks and calls themselves a breeder does NOT mean they really know what they are doing. I'd go back and ask for a replacement. If you see a bird you really like but are unsure on sex, take some pics and post them here, there's usually someone on who responds fairly fast. Good luck!

 

[aaggjg]

I have emailed the breeder and am waiting for a reply. I am worried about getting another bird as I have nowhere to quarantine it. I have my run split in 2 right now w/ a rabbit hutch as I was assimilating my 2 groups but that won't do for quarantine.... Any advice or suggestions???

I am also posting pictures of my second "hen", Mole Negro, for confirmation ... I'm pretty sure that she is a girl .... She is about 4ish months but her growth seemed to stunt for a little while as she had lice.... but now that it is gone she has started gaining weight!!

Thanks again for all of your help!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Yes, she is a pullet.