Sexing my Lavender Ameraucana chicks

[Lavender Mum]

Hey BYC peeps,
I have 9 lavender ameraucana chicks, which aren't able to be sexed by looking at color alone. I did the wing test when they were 3 days old. As of today they are 6 days old. After doing the wing test, which I read was best done at 3 days old or younger, I was sure I had 8 females and 1 male. I ordered straight run chicks so I thought that had to be wrong. I was feeling like I hit the chicken lottery. Thats exactly what I wanted to get. I prayed for just 1 rooster. I'm waiting until tomorrow for the tail feather test. All my girls look the same and some have tail feathers popping out already. My boy looks and acts totally different from the girls. He is always cuddled in the middle when they sleep, he walks around the perimeter of the brooder to check things out and patrol and he's always middle in the feed dish and his wings look and sit differently than the girls. Also, his wing feathers are still the shortest. All my girls wing feathers are growing wild. I'm attaching an image of my boy's wing and an image of my girl's wing. Hers has a smaller set growing in behind the first longer set. His had nothing coming in. Also attaching an image of him eating where you can see how different his little chicken wing looks from the females.

Here is the article I read before attempting to sex my chicks. Hope this helps anyone who's curious on how to check their own chicks.
https://www.theartofdoingstuff.com/chick-sexing-methods-tested-plus-big/

 

[OneHappyDuckie]

Welcome to BYC! Wing sexing only works on certain crosses of chickens, slow feathering hens bred to fast feathering males I believe. Tail feathers also give no indication of sex, nor does behavior at this age Once they're around 6 weeks old they can be sexed by their comb color/size, and then by their saddle and hackle feathers once they start to grow in.

 

[Lavender Mum]

Welcome to BYC! Wing sexing only works on certain crosses of chickens, slow feathering hens bred to fast feathering males I believe. Tail feathers also give no indication of sex, nor does behavior at this age Once they're around 6 weeks old they can be sexed by their comb color/size, and then by their saddle and hackle feathers once they start to grow in.

Hey OHD! Hearing this makes me feel better because maybe I have a chance at all girls. These next 4 weeks better go by fast.

 

[Mrs Fryzzle]

Hey BYC peeps,
I have 9 lavender ameraucana chicks, which aren't able to be sexed by looking at color alone. I did the wing test when they were 3 days old. As of today they are 6 days old. After doing the wing test, which I read was best done at 3 days old or younger, I was sure I had 8 females and 1 male. I ordered straight run chicks so I thought that had to be wrong. I was feeling like I hit the chicken lottery. Thats exactly what I wanted to get. I prayed for just 1 rooster. I'm waiting until tomorrow for the tail feather test. All my girls look the same and some have tail feathers popping out already. My boy looks and acts totally different from the girls. He is always cuddled in the middle when they sleep, he walks around the perimeter of the brooder to check things out and patrol and he's always middle in the feed dish and his wings look and sit differently than the girls. Also, his wing feathers are still the shortest. All my girls wing feathers are growing wild. I'm attaching an image of my boy's wing and an image of my girl's wing. Hers has a smaller set growing in behind the first longer set. His had nothing coming in. Also attaching an image of him eating where you can see how different his little chicken wing looks from the females.

Here is the article I read before attempting to sex my chicks. Hope this helps anyone who's curious on how to check their own chicks.
https://www.theartofdoingstuff.com/chick-sexing-methods-tested-plus-big/

sooooo adorable!!
Vent sexing is really the only way.... but, every way else is just great fun speculation!
There are exceptions to every rule, but, all my females were ones to feather fast or first. My males were casual on the feathering, absolute last ones for tail feathers. I used this to help pick from the Tractor Supply bin too.
My lavender orpington roo had the craziest 'teenage' time where he was a walking porcupine for a bit... poor guy. Then poof- all his saddle feathers, mane feathers, etc. He was gorgeous tho.
If your numbers are right, you are one lucky Mum!

 

[Lavender Mum]

I just got 5 more chicks two days ago. This time I ordered females and all their wings look like my lavender girls. I'm still pretty certain my guesses are right.

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

@Lavender Mum, a couple more weeks have passed - do you still think the feather sexing was accurate on your first group?

I raise self blue Ameraucanas, too, and monitored three chicks that hatched recently because one (we'll call him chick #3) had noticeably slower wing and tail feather growth than the others. The third chick was generally more assertive, too, engaging with me more frequently, like running up to my hand when I reached into the brooder, and the two other chicks seemed to run to "him" when alarmed. Three weeks later, the chicks are pretty well-feathered, and it appears to be two pullets and one cockerel - the cockerel being chick #3 with the slow-growing wing and tail feathers, now with a much-pinker-than-the-others' comb.

Hardly scientific, but it's enough for me to continue to watch and see if the feather sexing results are consistent in future hatches. It would certainly be handy to know!

 

[JustAChickenMom4]

Hello! It’s been about a month or so, soooooo? are your guesses right? I need to know really badly! Lol and if you have a rooster are you the type to keep them? I have 3 new silkie chicks and it’s looking like I have 3 roosters

 

[Lavender Mum]

@Lavender Mum, a couple more weeks have passed - do you still think the feather sexing was accurate on your first group?

I raise self blue Ameraucanas, too, and monitored three chicks that hatched recently because one (we'll call him chick #3) had noticeably slower wing and tail feather growth than the others. The third chick was generally more assertive, too, engaging with me more frequently, like running up to my hand when I reached into the brooder, and the two other chicks seemed to run to "him" when alarmed. Three weeks later, the chicks are pretty well-feathered, and it appears to be two pullets and one cockerel - the cockerel being chick #3 with the slow-growing wing and tail feathers, now with a much-pinker-than-the-others' comb.

Hardly scientific, but it's enough for me to continue to watch and see if the feather sexing results are consistent in future hatches. It would certainly be handy to know!

Hey FFN,
So I have two roosters. One (Hugh) I was right about from the start but, a second one named Ivy at first (Ivan now lol) has surprised me. I thought it was a girl for sure. Another chick named Gemmy I swore was a boy after a few weeks because the tail feather growth was basically not happening at all and looked like Hughs. My room named Ivan had long tail feathers like the other hens from the start. Overall, I think checking the wing by 2 days old would be the only method I would rely on again. The tail feather one didn't work at all for my prediction.

 

[Lavender Mum]

Hello! It’s been about a month or so, soooooo? are your guesses right? I need to know really badly! Lol and if you have a rooster are you the type to keep them? I have 3 new silkie chicks and it’s looking like I have 3 roosters

Hey JACM,
It turns out I have two roosters. I lost two of my chicks that I was sure were girls so it stinks I won't know for sure on those two. One roo (Hugh) I guessed correct. One of my other chicks surprised me because the wings looked like the girls and is tail feathers came in fast and at the same time as the girls did. I am looking to keep one rooster so I can breed my own babes next time. I want the nicest one, which is Hugh so far. Ivan is more aggressive, pecks Hugh and chases him a lot and he pecks at my EE's when they go near him outside.

 

[JustAChickenMom4]

Hey JACM,
It turns out I have two roosters. I lost two of my chicks that I was sure were girls so it stinks I won't know for sure on those two. One roo (Hugh) I guessed correct. One of my other chicks surprised me because the wings looked like the girls and is tail feathers came in fast and at the same time as the girls did. I am looking to keep one rooster so I can breed my own babes next time. I want the nicest one, which is Hugh so far. Ivan is more aggressive, pecks Hugh and chases him a lot and he pecks at my EE's when they go near him outside.

Oh! I’m so sorry for your loss, I’m glad Hugh is nice, sorry Ivan is not breeding your own chicks is always fun! I just hatched some ducklings.I hope your chickens are well!