Hens or Roosters

[Jay1105]

Hi all,

I am new to the chicken game so humor me. This is where I am... The wife and I decided to raise some chics for egg production. Built a great coop and 12x12 run. Purchased 8 Ameraucauna "pullets" from a local feed store, they are around 16 days old and oh so cute! I am trying to figure out if I do indeed have hens. I have noticed little bitty nubs where spurs would be on more than half.
My question: do all chickens have these nubs and only male grow spurs or do I have roosters and need need to contact the feed store and have a conversation with them?

Any information on this subject would be appreciated

Thanks, Jay

 

[AZSummer]

It's my understanding they all have the nubs. This thread may help you sex EEs.

 

[Jferlisi]

Quote:
No you wont need to. All chickens have them and thats indeed where the spur grows out of and some older hens will grow spurs too. So there is no need to worry about them, and as for the breed the are 99% sure to be Easter Eggers also known as EE, Hatcherys and feed stores Sell EE's as Ameraucana or aruacana but they are EEs. Anymore questions feel free to ask and

btw. John

 

[Amarisus]

The feed store is at the mercy of the hatcheries. Most hatcheries guarantee 90 percent or above will be hens. So it isnt an exact sience. For instance i bought 10 peeps all were supposed to be hens but one was a rooster. Its impossible to be 100 percent right. So give the feed store a break it isnt their fault.

 

[Happy Chooks]

All chickens have spur nubs.

 

[AZSummer]

Thanks, Jferlisi. I should have explained what an EE was.

BTW, Jay:

 

[fshinggrl]

So far I have had good luck with hatchery sexing!

You can also post pictures in the gender forum and see but at 16 days it may be too early to know for sure. Wait until the feathers are on and then it would be more accurate. It's definitely a waiting game with chickens. First you wait to see if you got what you wanted (gender) and then you wait for eggs!

 

[Jferlisi]

Quote:
lol its all good.

 

[rungirl]

Basically, you'll be able to tell if you have pullets or cockerals at around 3-4 weeks. They should have a "pea comb", which looks like peas in a pod. The pullets will have only one row of peas, cockerals will have three rows. The cockeral's comb will definitely be wider because of the three rows. Chances are that you actually purchased Easter Eggers, which are chickens that carry the blue egg gene. You don't usually buy true Ameraucanas from hatcheries, only from breeders. I fell for that also when I started out. It's no big deal though, Easter Eggers are wonderful birds also and lay beautiful eggs. I now have both and they're wonderful. Enjoy your chickens!

Lisa