Quick chick questions!

[tcbosco1]

1. Can an Americauna (chick) look just like a Dominique (chick)?

2. What are the first developmental signs of a male chick? (I don't know how to sex them and I'm beginning to suspect that that the female Americauna that I ordered is neither a female or an Americauna!)

My chicks are about three weeks old, are mostly feathered, and are beginning to develop their combs.

Thanks!

 

[tcbosco1]

The one in the front is supposed to be the female Americauna and the one in the back is supposed to me a female Dominique.

What do you think?

 

[smom1976]

is that a mohawk?

 

[gritsar]

I don't know much about Americaunas or Dominiques, so I'll leave that question for someone else to answer.
As far as sexing goes, you should really start to see the differences show up at 4 to 6 weeks. The cockerels combs will start to get a darker pink/red and larger. As the tail feathers come in the roos have shorter, stumpier tails that begin to form a point at the very tip. Their legs grow thicker and longer. The feathering along the center of their backs and over the wing bows in the cockerels is slower to develop as well. That's all I know about sexing them, but it worked for me.

 

[arlee453]

If the color on your photos is correct, it looks like that front chick has greenish legs. Greyish greenish legs is a pretty good indicator that front chick is indeed at the very least an Easter Egger (a blue/green egg layer that doesn't meet the breed standards for either the Amerucana OR Arucana - http://www.faithvalleywaterfowl.com/ameruacanas.html is a good synopsis on the debate...) Most hatchery acquired birds are EEs, not true bred 'Americauna' . EE's can be any color, so the barring would not be definitive as far as breed goes - the legs if they are really that green is a give away that that bird carries the gene for blue/green eggs.

All that aside - at three weeks, it's hard to tell gender. Can you get a closer up picture of that front chick? Maybe looking right on a full side view instead of looking down?

Either way, it's a wait and see game until at least a few more weeks.

Really cute chicks too, by the way - that is usually a very awkward age, but your guys are feathering out very nicely!

 

[smith2]

Yes, definitely a mohawk! Seriously, the front one looks like a roo to me. The back one I can't see very well. However, I often can't tell about gender until about 8-9 weeks. I have had hens that look like roos and roos that looked liked hens, and I am sorry this is no help at all. Where did these chicks come from?

 

[tcbosco1]

Here is another picture of the chick in question, but I don't really know if it will help (the pic is about a week old).

Also, on another thread, I read that three rows on a comb indicate a male. Is this true? If that's the case I'm in BIG trouble - I have two (supposedly female) chick that look like this one:

P.S. Thanks - I think they're really cute too!

 

[tcbosco1]

I ordered them from mypetchicken.com - four chicks: a silkie bantam, a RI Red, a Dominique and an Americauna. Five arrived, and I was told by My Pet Chicken that the packing peanut was also a Dominique.

I'm filled with heartache because I'm crazy about them all and would be devastated to have to give any up (only zoned for females).