Easter Egger? Pullet or Cockerel?

[LightMadeLiquid]

Hi everyone

I have a juvenile that I got from someone recently. Probably around 12-13 weeks old? He / she was supposed to be an Ameraucana, but when I went to pick him / her up at 7 weeks old, we agreed it didn’t look like an Ameraucana . She said to bring it back if it turned out to be something else (or if it’s a roo). I’ve attached several pictures, sorry if it’s too many, I just wanted to be thorough!

Does anyone have any ideas on the breed?

Also, I am really hoping for a pullet, but the older it gets, the more I think I’ve got a roo on my hands. We’re not allowed to have roo’s, and of course I’ve gotten attached. The feathers have never fully come in for some unknown reason, so it’s been hard for me to tell for certain. I haven’t seen any feather picking, or evidence of feather picking (no red feathers hanging around, no one is picking on him / her). I have no idea why the feathers haven’t filled in yet.

The feather coloring is black on the inside of the feather, red on the outside. I tried to take a close-up photo to show what the markings are / the real shape of the feather. The black makes the feathers look more slender and sharp like a roo. The best word I can think of to describe the feathers texture is “scraggly”. So ... I feel like I’ve got a Roo and that my blind hope is keeping me from seeing it clearly.

Any input / help is appreciated!

Thanks in advance

 

[Shezadandy]

I vote GIRL. By this age, feet and legs are great clues. Usually the boys by this point have much thicker legs and much bigger feet. As far as breed goes - that looks somewhat like the beginnings of a single comb (which would also be much bigger- whether a pea comb or a single comb if it was a boy) - so I don't think it's an Ameraucana or even an Easter Egger. May well be just a barnyard mix- and there's nothing wrong with that! If you paid a pretty penny for an Ameraucana (like the real, purebred kind, not just a started pullet Easter Egger) - you might want to talk about a lowered price if you do want to keep what (to my eye) looks to be a HER.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

I think this is a pullet, given the age and lack of comb growth, UNLESS SHE'S YOUNGER THAN YOU WERE TOLD. If she is younger than the 12 weeks, then its possible this is a cockerel.
That said, This is a pure barnyard mix. White legs, modified pea comb, modified Columbian markings.... This chick has a few different breeds mixed in there. I wouldn't be surprised to learn, if this is a pullet, that she lays a brown egg.

 

[annageckos]

I'm leaning towards pullet. It is not an Ameraucana. Could be an EE, as they are mixes they can look like anything though often have certain features but not always. They seem fairly consistent from hatcheries but still vary. Seeing as yours is 'home bred' it could have some EE in there. I'd just call it a barnyard mix

 

[LightMadeLiquid]

Oh that’s so great! Thanks!!

I have had such bad luck ending up with boys in the past, I think I’m a little paranoid.

I’m totally fine with a barnyard mix! I think she’s going to be really pretty. Honestly I’ve just always had an Ameraucana in my flock and mine died this year so it was going to be a replacement, but I’ve got other colored egg layers, it’s definitely no deal breaker if she lays a brown egg.

 

[chrissynemetz]

I'm leaning towards pullet as well. Give it a couple more weeks, just in case it's not quite as old as you were told. If it's a cockerel it'll be more obvious by then. But I'm totally thinking pullet

 

[Table4Six]

Looks like a cockerel to me.

 

[Chickassan]

Are those recent photos? If so i'm thinking the age is off, i'm still seeing down being shed not much but it is there.
I also think it looks suspiciously like a cockrel. I hope i'm wrong but there are a couple things that point in that direction.

 

[LightMadeLiquid]

The down that’s being shed on the red one and the feathers not filling in are strange to me. See the black / grey one next to the red one in question? They’re the same age, they were the exact same size when I got them a few weeks ago and the black / grey feathering came in fine. I got them both in the middle of April and they were both just about as feathered as they are now. They’re attached at the hip so it’s always been easy to observe and compare the development of the two. I paid $12 for each of them, so it’s not that big of a financial investment.



Every year I get chickens, and every year 75% end up being Roo’s. That’s not an exaggeration, it’s been ridiculous and a bit exhausting because I get attached, they have to go, I get attached, they have to go, repeat ... This year I bought more “girls” than I needed to from 2 different people so that if / when I ended up with boys I wouldnt have to start over again next year. This year I picked up a Black Copper Marans, Whiting True Blue & Whiting True Green, a Cream Legbar, California White, Croad Langshan cross, Olive Egger and this red girl in question. Unfortunately the BCM didn’t make it, but the others have done really well, considering someone brought a respiratory infection in, so it’s been an uphill battle with 3 quarantine areas. Everyone is doing great now except my WTB, who is still sick.



I’ll wait a little while before I really get my hopes up that the red girl is a girl After treating all of them when they were sick I feel more bonded and invested in all of them emotionally than what I expected. I usually try to keep my distance emotionally until they are obviously hens.

 

[LightMadeLiquid]

Oh! And yes these pictures are from yesterday. Here’s a better picture of the grey / black friend next to the red one for reference.