What colour will adult hens be based on chick colouring?

clucknorris1

In the Brooder
Nov 18, 2016
30
2
24
So I bought 2 ameraucanas from a heritage breeder, and though I can't know for sure of course she did say they are pure and will lay blue eggs. What I'm dying to know is, based on their baby colours (2 weeks old), what colours are they most likely to have as adult birds? I just realized I can't remember how to add a photo so bear with me while I figure it out but one is yellow, almost white in places, and the other is entirely gray except for some tiny spots of white. I'd love to see pics of your adults if you had chicks of these colourings! I'm dying to know.
 
If they are truly "pure" Ameraucanas they should have been sold with a stated color (a.k.a. variety) such as black, blue, splash, silver, lavender, etc., which means they would breed true and chick down will easily predict adult color. It sounds like you may actually have Easter Eggers. If that is the case, because they are a mixed breed, it can sometimes be difficult to predict adult color based on chick down. Either way, feel free to try to get those pictures loaded and we can take our best guesses.
 
If they are truly "pure" Ameraucanas they should have been sold with a stated color (a.k.a. variety) such as black, blue, splash, silver, lavender, etc., which means they would breed true and chick down will easily predict adult color. It sounds like you may actually have Easter Eggers. If that is the case, because they are a mixed breed, it can sometimes be difficult to predict adult color based on chick down. Either way, feel free to try to get those pictures loaded and we can take our best guesses.
x2
 
I think you are all right. I thought they were a reputable breeder but i've since learned things about their operation that have made me question them quite a bit. I checked my receipt and sure enough there are no colours for the ameraucanas.... she did have some blue and blue wheaten (too young for what I wanted) but these didn't have a colour (I originally thought I just didn't catch the colour since i bought a number of breeds). Getting that photo now - I've posted them before, I was just exhausted the other night and fell asleep before I could go check the FAQ ;)


I just not-so-secretly want a greyish white one ;) the ameraucanas are on the right (copper maran on the left).

Admittedly, this is now pretty low on my priority list... we just had a second fox attack and it looks like he got our beloved rooster. Just waiting and hoping until dusk to find out. The first attack he intervened to protect all of the hens and I think, if he's gone now, it was so our last hen could escape - they ran off together but only she made it back so far. Started 10 feet from our front door with our dog outside. I handled our first losses well but somehow imagine him doing everything he could to protect them and not surviving just breaks my heart.
 
I think you are all right. I thought they were a reputable breeder but i've since learned things about their operation that have made me question them quite a bit. I checked my receipt and sure enough there are no colours for the ameraucanas.... she did have some blue and blue wheaten (too young for what I wanted) but these didn't have a colour (I originally thought I just didn't catch the colour since i bought a number of breeds). Getting that photo now - I've posted them before, I was just exhausted the other night and fell asleep before I could go check the FAQ ;)


I just not-so-secretly want a greyish white one ;) the ameraucanas are on the right (copper maran on the left).

Admittedly, this is now pretty low on my priority list... we just had a second fox attack and it looks like he got our beloved rooster. Just waiting and hoping until dusk to find out. The first attack he intervened to protect all of the hens and I think, if he's gone now, it was so our last hen could escape - they ran off together but only she made it back so far. Started 10 feet from our front door with our dog outside. I handled our first losses well but somehow imagine him doing everything he could to protect them and not surviving just breaks my heart.

Perhaps you could call the breeder and ask her if they are a specific variety of Ameraucana and see what she says. If they are true Ameraucana, it could be possible that you have a Blue (middle one) and a white or splash (if there are small greyish colored "splashes" within the white) chick. Try googling different combinations of the following: "Blue Ameraucana, Splash Ameraucana, White Ameraucana, chicks, hens, roosters" to see if any truly look like yours. If so, then you may have an idea what they might look like fully grown.

Sorry to hear about your rooster. I hope you are able to find him unharmed. If not, it looks like you may be able to replace him with your Copper Marans there, as that appears to be a boy.
 
hugs.gif
so very sorry
 
Perhaps you could call the breeder and ask her if they are a specific variety of Ameraucana and see what she says. If they are true Ameraucana, it could be possible that you have a Blue (middle one) and a white or splash (if there are small greyish colored "splashes" within the white) chick. Try googling different combinations of the following: "Blue Ameraucana, Splash Ameraucana, White Ameraucana, chicks, hens, roosters" to see if any truly look like yours. If so, then you may have an idea what they might look like fully grown.

Sorry to hear about your rooster. I hope you are able to find him unharmed. If not, it looks like you may be able to replace him with your Copper Marans there, as that appears to be a boy.

Thanks, I will do that for sure. It's funny, I was thinking the copper might be a cockerel too... he is the most charismatic of the chicks, just like my current/first roo. I wouldn't mind taking a run at breeding some marans (I have a white maran and a cuckoo maran pullet), but I'd really love my other guy back.. not to mention copper maran eggs. Current roo made me crazy... but he's really shown his true colours and I feel like he would be the best possible protection the hens could have right now. I also loves how you could clearly see him make sounds that were directives to the hens and they'd do it! As it stands, the hens are staying in the coop until further notice... the pullets are new anyway but the poor one remaining hen from the original flock will not be pleased. After the first attack he did decide one night to hide in a really weird outdoor spot so there's still a chance I'll hear a crow in the morning. Hoping.
 
Oh yeah, I'm looking now and I think I do remember her referring to one as a white and the colours match up right with that chick. The other looks to be blue, maaaaybe splash but I know blue was one she had listed so that's most likely. Even if they are EEs I don't mind a bit of blending, I just get excited ;) my red sex links (before I knew what breed they were) were yellow so I wasn't sure whether to expect a brown/red or not. Either way I'm excited, at least on the chick front. I wish they were a little bit older, it's so stressful in these young days!
 

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