Wheaten vs. Blue Wheaten - How Soon Can You Tell?

[AUChickenGal]

I just hatched my first batch of homebred chicks! All of them were sired by my Blue Wheaten Ameraucana rooster. Four of the chicks came out of eggs from my Salmon Faverolles, and one came out of an egg from my Rhode Island Red.

If I've put the correct information into the color genetics calculator, then the SFx chicks should all be either wheaten or blue wheaten, and the RIRx should basically look like a fluffy-faced RIR, with a 50/50 shot of blue instead of black in the tail feathers.

If the SFx chicks are male, then the color pattern should make itself known pretty quickly. But, if any of them are female ( ), how long will it take to be able to tell which ones are wheaten and which ones are blue wheaten? Not that it matters all that much, but I'm curious...

 

[AUChickenGal]

Here's a picture of the chicks in question, if that helps. The darkest one in the center is the RIR cross. Of the four Faverolles crosses, three look just like their mother did as a chick, but one (on the far right of the photo) has a black spot on its head and a very faint chipmunk stripe.

Any guesses? I'll post updated photos as the feather out.

 

[AUChickenGal]

The chicks are two weeks old now; I think I have two wheaten and two blue wheaten, although I'm not certain yet. I'm also about 90% certain that one of the wheatens is a cockerel (starting to see black feathers coming in on his breast) - too soon to tell on the others, although I THINK the other three are pullets.

I know this isn't an exhibition/SOP question, but it seemed to fit best in the "genetics" category. Hopefully these photos will be helpful to others who have similar questions in the future. I'll post another photo update once I'm more certain of what I have.