I give up! Pullet or cockerel?

[RoostersAreAwesome]

@nicalandia @The Moonshiner @Amer
What do you think about this coloring?

 

[Cturber]

I am good with either. I currently have no roosters and my broody hen hatched some eggs from local breeders. I would actually like 2 of the ameraucanas to be roosters. I had a lavender I was sure Was a cockerel but had a predator attack and lost 2 of the 10 Chicks shortly after mom weaned them. I have this one and another inside still treating I am on the fence about, also. My plan WAS to rehome roosters since they are same hatch as the pullets I have. By since I have spent a month rehabbing the one inside, I am planning on keeping that one either way. So if a cockerel, I may as well keep both.

 

[Cturber]

Hmm, this is a tough one. What a beautiful bird! Regardless of what sex it is it's worth keeping just for the beautiful striping!

That said, I'm looking for clues and everything I've seen so far makes me think it's a pullet. I zoomed in on all the photos and I don't see anything "cockerel" that grabs my attention. Could you take a few more pictures in sunlight? Also, have you heard any crowing yet? Twelve weeks is that awkward phase for EEs that fools people into thinking they have a cockerel when they have a pullet. I wrote an article about it using photos of my own birds to illustrate what I look for: https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ail-feathers-in-easter-egger-juveniles.75908/

I would really like to sit and watch this bird for a while to look for more details in the feathering. Really interesting!

That’s what I am struggling with. On the surface this one says cockerel, but I look for the tells, they aren’t there. I will get more pics today. I will read the article, Thank you! No crowing for sure yet. I thought I heard one try, but my broody raised 10 chicks (3 Marans, 7 ameraucana) and the BCM below is in the Group. I am pretty sure he is the warming up his vocals.




A side question, you said EE. I see different info about Ameraucanas. I see at Times were anything not bred to SOP is EE. These are a black/ split lavender rooster over different Ameraucana hens ( a lavender, BBS, wheaten). So are they Ameraucana or EE? I have EE that are mixes Of Ameraucana and brown laying breeds. That seems very different.

 

[JadeFarms]

EEs are the “ameraucanas” you get from hatcheries. They are not real ameraucanas. Ameraucanas have a specific color, like buff wheaten, blue, black, white, self blue and there are a couple more. This is a real ameraucana, it has blue legs, a certain color, muffs and a pea comb.

 

[Cturber]

EEs are the “ameraucanas” you get from hatcheries. They are not real ameraucanas. Ameraucanas have a specific color, like buff wheaten, blue, black, white, self blue and there are a couple more. This is a real ameraucana, it has blue legs, a certain color, muffs and a pea comb.View attachment 2330199

Thank you. What does that make mine? They are from breeder, some to SOP, some crossed colors, but have all from parents that are to Ameraucana SOP. Ex. I have a blue w leakage, most likely wheaten was Mother. But I also have black and blues that are to standard. This is A bit confusing. Here is group Of the chicks.

The one w leakage, I think that’s what this coloration is doing, was attked by predator and has been separated. Here he/she is.

 

[JadeFarms]

Thank you. What does that make mine? They are from breeder, some to SOP, some crossed colors, but have all from parents that are to Ameraucana SOP. Ex. I have a blue w leakage, most likely wheaten was Mother. But I also have black and blues that are to standard. This is A bit confusing. Here is group Of the chicks.
View attachment 2330217
The one w leakage, I think that’s what this coloration is doing, was attked by predator and has been separated. Here he/she is.
View attachment 2330234

Because of the leakage it could easily be an ameraucana mix. Which makes the others that way too, they can look pure but they may not be. For example, if I bred my blue ameraucana roo to another blue chicken it could look exactly like a blue ameraucana even though it’s not.
It’s kinda hard to knowwho to trust when buying ameraucanas because they can do that and make them look like real ameraucanas. Yours might be real ameraucanas but they are just not bred to the SOP.

 

[Cturber]

Hmm, this is a tough one. What a beautiful bird! Regardless of what sex it is it's worth keeping just for the beautiful striping!

That said, I'm looking for clues and everything I've seen so far makes me think it's a pullet. I zoomed in on all the photos and I don't see anything "cockerel" that grabs my attention. Could you take a few more pictures in sunlight? Also, have you heard any crowing yet? Twelve weeks is that awkward phase for EEs that fools people into thinking they have a cockerel when they have a pullet. I wrote an article about it using photos of my own birds to illustrate what I look for: https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ail-feathers-in-easter-egger-juveniles.75908/

I would really like to sit and watch this bird for a while to look for more details in the feathering. Really interesting!

Here are pics from today. He/she is fast lol.


also if it helps, here are pics at 6 weeks old. Notice no barring.

 

[Buckeye Amy]

Here are pics from today. He/she is fast lol.
View attachment 2331373View attachment 2331374

also if it helps, here are pics at 6 weeks old. Notice no barring.
View attachment 2331375
View attachment 2331376

Thanks for these! It helps to be able to see a profile of the head, even if it is blurry! That comb looks higher than I thought it was initially. I'm also seeing beetle green sheen on the tail feathers, which pullets can have also, but it's notable. I am still on the fence here, but I am going to go out on a limb and say I think it's a pullet based on the feathers on the rest of the body. You can't go by tail feathers alone. I'm not seeing pointy hackle or saddle feathers. Also the feathers lack the sheen I would expect to see on a cockerel at this age. Time will tell! I hope you will post updates as this bird matures. I really am intrigued!

And I still would like to pull up a lawn chair and just watch this one for a while!

I initially said "EE" because 99% of the posts like this are of Easter Eggers or those who think they have Ameracaunas but really have EEs. Sorry, I didn't mean to confuse you!

 

[Cturber]

I am eager to see how this one grows up too. I’ll be sure to update.

 

[JadeFarms]

I’m gonna say cockerel. At 12 weeks my ameraucanas comb looked just like that. But in a couple weeks you should be able to know for sure.