Sexing Ameraucana Chicks (for future reference and information's sake)

[flytie]

Okay, so I finally found a breeder near me that I'm going to buy birds from in the next month or so, but they don't come sexed. I was told that I could try to sex the little fluff balls myself, but everywhere I've looked online says that I should know how to vent sex or feather sex. I kinda understand vent sexing (yet to figure out to clear the vent) and feather sexing seems easy enough- if not 100% reliable- but I wanted to know if anyone knows of any good methods to sex ameraucanas specifically (not EE's!). I'm buying blues and blue wheatens. A post I read somewhere online said that if there are 2 different colors on the back, it's a boy and 3 means it's a girl. However, the chicks they used looked very much like easter eggers and not like what I'm hoping to get. Any suggestions on what to do or websites to look at would be wonderful, and pictures of your own birds would be awesome! Thanks!

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

Feather sexing only works with certain chickens with the correct genetics. Aside from vent sexing (which is not 100% accurate and potentially very dangerous for a young chick), there is no way to sex a young chick.

 

[flytie]

Feather sexing only works with certain chickens with the correct genetics. Aside from vent sexing (which is not 100% accurate and potentially very dangerous for a young chick), there is no way to sex a young chick.

So there is no way to sex an Ameraucana chick then? (other than vent sexing, which I'm thinking will actually be okay since I'm bringing a 4H leader from my club to help me) I thought that there must be some way of feather sexing them since I've seen it done with EE's, and they're pretty much the same birds, just with more muddled genetics

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

So there is no way to sex an Ameraucana chick then? (other than vent sexing, which I'm thinking will actually be okay since I'm bringing a 4H leader from my club to help me) I thought that there must be some way of feather sexing them since I've seen it done with EE's, and they're pretty much the same birds, just with more muddled genetics

Here's the thing: it isn't done correctly with EEs unless you use a fast feathering male over a slow feathering female.

There is no way to sex a pure Ameraucana chick (other than vent sexing). I don't advise doing the vent sexing, but that is your choice.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Here's the thing: it isn't done correctly with EEs unless you use a fast feathering male over a slow feathering female.

There is no way to sex a pure Ameraucana chick (other than vent sexing). I don't advise doing the vent sexing, but that is your choice.

Exactly - many folks believe/claim that feather sexing can be done an just about any chick and they have a 50/50 chance of being right so often see their results as proof of the accuracy of their method - the science, though, simply does not support their belief. TRUE accurate feather sexing is reliant on knowing the genetics of both parent breeds and the careful selection to yield the desired result of feathers that can be "read" within the first three days of life.

 

[flytie]

Ahh, okay. That makes sense. I might still try to grab girls by looking at the wing feathers if I can find out more about the lineage, and if my leader is comfortable with sexing I'll ask her to do it to avoid injury. I can't keep roos on my 1/2 acre back yard so I'll just have to hope that I get lucky. Thank you both!