Hi VikingLars.Could I get some opinions on the sex of my chicks? I have 4. I was told they were all Ameraucana pullets, but obviously they are EE's (I think). Since they lied about the breed, I don't trust the sex either. One seems to be developing a lot slower than the others.
Hi VikingLars.Welcome to BYC!
Hatcheries have been calling these birds Ameraucana since before Ameraucanas were even accepted into the standard. It's the Am breeders that take issue with the name and insist on calling them EEs, which can be a bit confusing, but the hatcheries aren't going to stop. I'd prefer if we called them nonstandard Ams or hatchery Ams, which is less confusing and is what just about every other breed group does with their breeds. Pretty much any breed you buy from a big volume hatchery is not going to meet the standard, but the folks selling them in the feed stores don't know that, and just go with what's written on the label on the box of chicks. They're not really lying.Same with the sex. The hatcheries sell them as sexed pullets or straight run (unsexed). The accuracy rate for sexing runs about 90%, so there's always a risk, but all that is done before the chicks are shipped from the hatchery.
You have a good eye, because one of your EEs is indeed suspiciously boyish. One on the left by the feeder has what looks like a lot of white coming in on the wings, which is a cockerel trait. Slow development at this age can be a male thing too, but they catch up later. You won't know for sure for a couple of weeks, but if the white develops in solid patches, it's a cockerel. Pullets can have white, but it is spread out evenly within the pattern. Watch the comb too. If it's a male, it will grow larger and turn pink more quickly than your other 3, which do look like pullets (so far!). Be great if you could post again next week to see how they develop.
Oh my goodness! That's a lot of chicks! My boys would be in heaven! They keep asking me to get more this year since they know our number of hens are down now, but I've decided to wait until next spring. For reasons like yours and mine I've had it with feed stores! Mislabeled chicks! Both you and I came home with breeds we weren't expecting. And since obviously buying "sexed" pullets doesn't seem to mean a whole bunch, I think I'd rather buy from a nice breeder. In the meantime I focusing on building a very large coop and run with my hubby so I have room for more lovely ladies.
I hope you end up with more EE hens though! I totally get wanting the colorful eggs. I personally don't mind as much, but my 3 boys are very much looking forward to bringing hard boiled green eggs in their lunches to school next year. Lol I guess they want that brag factor.
. I've also been intrigued by the whole hatching your own thing, would have to buy eggs as we won't keep a rooster, but I think it would be a great thing for my son to watch. My husband said that we could do it sometime if we had a broody hen, but I think an incubator would be neat too so you could watch them get out of their shells. Some of those barnyard mixes of eggs would be a fun experiment if they have mostly breeds you are interested in.
Finally got some pictures of the one that has been making me guess. This chick feathered quickly and always had nice tail feathers which made me think pullet. Now it is 8 weeks old and has me second guessing my self. Its comb is pinker than its siblings but still not very wide in my opinion for an 8 week old. Now i see some red spots on its wings. Its sister has no red spots. i know i won't know for sure until it actually lays or crows but what is your opinion.
here my pictures (all the same chick)
