Will solid black Ameraucana/EE chicks grow up to be

[LA~Poulet]

solid black adults? One seems to have a more chocolate sheen to the feathers.

 

[Momo]

True Ameraucana black chicks should grow up to be black, but occasionally you'll get "leakage" showing some silver or gold feathers, especially in the hackles. If your chicks are EEs then they can really change colour as they grow up. I've had black EE chicks grow up to be black, black with silver hackles, black with gray necks and wing bows, black with gold necks & chests, nearly buff, nearly white, you name it. Half the fun of EEs is waiting to see what they'll grow up to be! They can be really pretty.

 

[turtleblossom]

It depends on whether you have true Ameraucanas or Easter eggers. If you have Easter eggers, there is no telling. However, if you have true Ameraucanas, they should be black, or possibly dark blue. Some blue chicks start out so dark it is hard to tell. Brown red Ameraucanas also start out black, but brown reds are pretty uncommon.

 

[TK Poultry]

i have true ameraucanas and they are solid to really dark blue from day one and they grow up black but they will get some white feathers but they will out grow that

 

[ParkerVA]

Typically solid black chicks will grow up to have red, gold or silver leakage in the saddle, hackle, etc feathers.

Solid black chickens typically hatch out black with white breasts, and splotchy white on the face, and even might have some white feathers in their wings initially.

 

[Chantecler01]

I agree with Parker. I have well over 30 years experience in raising Ameraucanas, though not all the recognized colors at the same time. The best blacks will start out as black chicks with white chests, sometimes some white on head and wings as well.
Brown reds usually hatch a solid, dull black, though some of those have white on the chest as well.

 

[wjallen05]

I have true Ameraucanas who are solid black... (and gorgeous!)

 

[LA~Poulet]

Thanks!

I've had black EE chicks grow up to be black, black with silver hackles, black with gray necks and wing bows, black with gold necks & chests, nearly buff, nearly white, you name it. Half the fun of EEs is waiting to see what they'll grow up to be! They can be really pretty.

Thank you! That's exactly what I'm hoping for, I'm amazed that they could possibly be light colors like buff or nearly white. We have a bunch of black Jersey Giant chicks that hatched in the same batch, so I was hoping the EE's would be a pretty assortment of colors for contrast.

Their wing feathers are starting to come in, and they are not black, sort of a mottled brown, so I'm thinking they won't be black afterall (or at least not completely black!)

 

[Momo]

The almost-buffs surprised me. They were by a white Ameraucana rooster over some EEs and various coloured Ameraucana hens. I had one silvery buff chick, one silvery yellowish chick (both from my buff hen), and two very dark nearly black chicks (one from my buff hen and one from an EE) that all sprouted bright buff feathers. They grew up to be nearly buff coloured but with some black, blue and whitish feathers (they were also all boys).

 

[Wishapup]

I agree with Parker. I have well over 30 years experience in raising Ameraucanas, though not all the recognized colors at the same time. The best blacks will start out as black chicks with white chests, sometimes some white on head and wings as well.
Brown reds usually hatch a solid, dull black, though some of those have white on the chest as well.

This is an old thread, but exactly the information I was looking for. 5 of my BBS Ameraucana chicks are blacks. 4 hatched out black with white chest/facial mottling and still have some white wing feathers. The 5th chick hatched out solid black without a trace of white (even legs were born dark, whereas the others had black mottling and are gradually turning to slate). I wonder if it will have some unwanted red/gold leakage when it gets older.