Brabanter gender?

[MamaWolf7]

I bought some chicks a while ago. They are now almost 12 weeks old. The Ameraucanas are easy to identify. I am unsure what the Easter Eggers are crossed with, but most of them are easy to tell gender. The breeder threw in an extra 2 chicks as she was worried they may not make the 1200 mile drive home. Not sure what she added. There are 2 chicks that look like pure black Brabanters, but it is possible that they are crossed with Ameraucanas and all of my Easter Eggers are this mix as they are all predominantly black but have raspberry combs. Of the 2 "Brabanters", I am quite certain that the one (Giant Schnauzer) is a roo but have no clue about the other (Black Labrador, with the brushed back looking crest). Giant Schnauzer has a larger, redder V-shaped comb, pointier saddle feathers and is starting to get some beautiful copper coloured feathers on his neck and body. Black Labrador also has a V-shaped comb but it is black and barely visible. They both have a full body of pointy feathers. I am not very familiar with the Brabanter breed, and the black variety seem to be even more rare. The pics are from further away because those 2 are extremely skiddish are nearly impossible to catch.

 

[JedJackson]

The first two pictures show a cockerel, the third shows a pullet.

 

[InterestingChickens]

Agreed.

 

[GravityWaves]

I'm not familiar with the Brabanter breed either, but the second pic pretty clearly shows pointy hackle feathers and some pointy saddle feathers growing in farther down his back-cockerel. The last pic is a pullet as it has a much more rounded crest with rounded saddle and hackle feathers, along with really no hint of a comb or wattles.

 

[Percheron chick]

Not brabanter. The only colors currently in the US are cream and gold. I'll bet crevecoeur. Lots of similarities between the two breeds.
Definitely cockerel on the first and leaning cockerel on the second.

 

[MamaWolf7]

Thank you everyone for your replies! They were bought in Alberta, Canada and the breeder claims to sell Ameraucanas, Easter Eggers and Brabanters. After looking into it, I agree that they do look more like a crevecoeur. I will attach pics in a few months once they have better grown into their adult feathers. The one if the first 2 pics was caught trying to crow this morning. Definitely male. The one in the 3rd pic is the one I have been wondering about (and hoping for a hen).

 

[MamaWolf7]

Well you are all definitely correct about the one being a male and the second a female. One has a very high pitch crow (and he LOVES to crow) and the other is forever being harassed by all of the cockerels. The breed is still a mystery. Any guesses from the new pics?

I asked the breeder. Her story made no sense whatsoever. She said the male looks like her best easter egger hen. She claims my cockerel is an f2 and that his father is an Ameraucana. This is obviously impossible as an f2 is a blue and brown layer cross, then crossed again with a brown layer. I just went along with her story and asked what breed gave the crest and she never replied.

I do believe they are a mix breed. Not convinced there is any Ameraucana in them. They are significantly smaller than the Ameraucana and easter eggers the same age as them, and are also smaller than my barred rock pullets who are 3 weeks younger than the mystery pair. Any guesses on what breeds they could be???

Thanks!

 

[Canadian Wind]

Whatever they are, that cockerel is gorgeous!

 

[WIchickMama]

Whatever they are, that cockerel is gorgeous!

Agreed!

 

[MamaWolf7]

He is most certainly our best looking bird! From the copper to the black feathers with blue, green and purple shine and with his pointy heckle feathers to the gorgeous waterfall tail feathers he is definitely a looker! He was the first of my 5 cockerels to start to grow and does a wonderful job off it.

His personality is not the greatest. He is super skiddish, but quick to raise the alarm whenever pecking order disputes get a little excessive. Hopefully we never find out, but I expect he would be more useful if a fox ever gets into the coop, unlike my sweet but useless old cock who hid at the top of the coop and left the hens to fend for themselves this past winter. Fortunately I went outside to put the chickens to bed and chased the fox away before anyone was harmed.