New to raising chicks - questions

[Saintarno]

Hi Folks, I’m new to the site and to raising chicks. I had them when I was a child and now I’m trying to give my son a similar experience. I adopted 8 chicks from his classroom and would love some help ditetmining the Roos and any tips you have to get them to leave the coop. They are 3 weeks old. I’ll post some photos below of the 4 I was told are wheaten Americana’s or Delaware. These were taken a week ago. I can grab new pics if needed. Thanks in advance! - Karen

 

[azygous]

A week makes a big difference in chick characteristics. If you could post up to date photos it would probably make a big difference in trying to determine gender. When you post the photos, select "Full Size Image" for maximum detail.

What I will look at is the color of the combs. By age three to four weeks, the cockerels are showing yellow in their combs to the pale pink of the pullets. By six weeks, boys will have decidedly red-orange to red combs and the beginning of wattles. Pullets will keep their pale pink combs until point of lay.

 

[Pork Pie]

Hello and welcome to BYC. This is the best forum to post your pics in the future - https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/what-breed-or-gender-is-this.15/

 

[Saintarno]

Thank you! Here are some updated pics. These chicks seem to hang together and are a bit sassy. I believe the last pic is a Delaware. I’ll post in the other forum next time, thanks.

 

[WhiteWyan]

Delawares have single combs and ameraucanas have pea combs. That should help you distinguish.

Also you can sex wheaten Ameraucanas based on their feather color at this point. Based on last post I would say pullet, cockerel, cockerel, cockerel, pullet. If you are in new Hampshire or near southern new Hampshire, I'm aware of a wheaten ameraucana breeder that gives hatching eggs to local schools. They look like amers to me. Do you know the color of the eggs that they hatched from?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I think it is too early to be very confident but I tend to agree with pullet, 3 cockerels, and pullet. Another week or two should help.

Not sure exactly what you mean by getting them to leave the coop. Sometimes when I open the pop door all of mine are on the run floor within 15 minutes. Sometimes it takes 3 days for all of mine to make that move. Usually it is somewhere in between. I don't worry about it. They will go out when they want to.

 

[chicken lady 77]

I'm not sure about the breed, I've never had them before. They look really pretty and healthy though. I just received Jersey Giants from Ideal Poultry last Thursday. The person that talked about the color of the combs above is correct. The rooster will start to have a bright red comb and you will be able to see what he called waddles underneath and it will be obvious in the difference. It just takes a little bit.

 

[Saintarno]

Delawares have single combs and ameraucanas have pea combs. That should help you distinguish.

Also you can sex wheaten Ameraucanas based on their feather color at this point. Based on last post I would say pullet, cockerel, cockerel, cockerel, pullet. If you are in new Hampshire or near southern new Hampshire, I'm aware of a wheaten ameraucana breeder that gives hatching eggs to local schools. They look like amers to me. Do you know the color of the eggs that they hatched from?

Hi WhiteWyan, I’m in MA on the NH border so likely that’s where they came from. I adopted them the day they hatched but the eggs were removed from the classroom. Unfortunately, I never saw the eggs. Thanks for that info! Could the last one be a Delaware? I was told they were Delaware’s and Amers.

 

[Saintarno]

I think it is too early to be very confident but I tend to agree with pullet, 3 cockerels, and pullet. Another week or two should help.

Not sure exactly what you mean by getting them to leave the coop. Sometimes when I open the pop door all of mine are on the run floor within 15 minutes. Sometimes it takes 3 days for all of mine to make that move. Usually it is somewhere in between. I don't worry about it. They will go out when they want to.

Thanks for the info! The chicks weren’t leaving the coop at all but i waited until it was a bit warmer and called them out with a little food. They all came running! Now, let’s see if I can get them back in!

 

[WhiteWyan]

Oh that's definitely her eggs then. Delawares have single combs... Like a knife. Amers have peacomb... Like a challah bread.

Hi WhiteWyan, I’m in MA on the NH border so likely that’s where they came from. I adopted them the day they hatched but the eggs were removed from the classroom. Unfortunately, I never saw the eggs. Thanks for that info! Could the last one be a Delaware? I was told they were Delaware’s and Amers.