Cockerel or Pullet

[Michael OShay]

Males are usually bright pink in the combs by 10 weeks old. Pullets don't even begin to start to pink up until about 14 weeks old. By about 8 weeks old, red/gold-base color males already have 'rooster' red coming in on the shoulders/wing area. By about 14 to 16 weeks old; the long, thin, pointed male feathering is usually very visible. The hackle/neck feathers begin to take on a distinctly 'Fabio' type look. The saddleback feathers are long, very thin, and taper to a point.

X2 on junebuggena's post. Also in the case of Ameraucanas/Easter Eggers, the male typically have three rows of peas in their combs whereas females usually have only a single row of peas in their combs.

 

[showinbirds]

females should have three rows too.

 

[Michael OShay]

females should have three rows too.

Occasionally they do, but not typically. Females usually have only a single row (http://www.homegrowngourmet.org/how...crow-gender-identification-in-young-chickens/, http://www.onceinabluemoonfarmstead.com/2014_06_01_archive.html).

 

[showinbirds]

It may not be typical but just because most females have one row don't make it right. A pea comb, in the Standard of perfection is described as having 3 rows. The female should have a smaller comb but not a different shape. some judges will DQ a hen or pullet without three rows. One row is not standard according to the American poultry Association. If you don't care if your chicken are not breed to Standard then one row is great!

 

[Michael OShay]

It may not be typical but just because most females have one row don't make it right. A pea comb, in the Standard of perfection is described as having 3 rows. The female should have a smaller comb but not a different shape. some judges will DQ a hen or pullet without three rows. One row is not standard according to the American poultry Association. If you don't care if your chicken are not breed to Standard then one row is great!

This is true of pea combs where SOP standards are concerned, but Easter Eggers are hybrids that do not (and will never by their very nature) conform to SOP standards and the fact is that most of the EE females have a single row of peas in the comb.

 

[showinbirds]

Doesn't change the fact that a correct pea comb on male or female, has three rows.

 

[showinbirds]

The conversation included Ameraucanas.

 

[Michael OShay]

Doesn't change the fact that a correct pea comb on male or female, has three rows.

There is no correct where Easter Eggers are concerned as there are no SOP strandards for them. We seem to have lost track of my original point in my post which isn't whether or not EE females should have three rows of peas in their combs, but rather the fact that most of them don't--they have only a single row of peas in their combs. In the majority of cases EEs with three rows of peas in their combs are males.

 

[Michael OShay]

The conversation included Ameraucanas.

Only those EEs that are labeled as Ameraucanas by hatcheries which is why I said Ameraucanas/EEs (since the OP referred to them as Ameraucanas) rather than true Ameraucanas. The question on this thread is the sex of the OP's birds which are EEs and not true Ameraucanas (despite obviously being labeled as Ameraucanas).

 

[showinbirds]

Yes, they bought EE'S thinking they were buying Ameraucanas. I think this is a good opportunity to help people know what to look for and not be duped. It's all to often people are cheated out of their money because of misinformation.