Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[marchick]

Hey! Are you keeping a toe pinch record.? How r the little ones looking?

They came toe punched so It will probably help me decide what roosters to use with the hens. It will be very hard for me to cull down to just a few! They are looking good so far! Not that I know what I am looking for at this age.

 

[Sylvester017]

My BW hens are my absolute favorite as far as personality. Mine tend to be a little shy with other chickens, but not with me. They love to talk to me and LOUDLY. I will be so happy when I can get a good roo so I can raise my own babies. My lavs have a similar personality, but not quite as interactive with me. The lav roo is laid back and wonderful to deal with. On the other hand, my blue roos are somewhat bullies. One that I have with my laying hens....he has gold/red leakage, thinks he's farm boss and anytime my husband turns his back, he tries to attack. My husband is not laid back either nor is a chicken person so they have a hate/hate relationship. I need to find him a new home. (roo that is)

I have to agree with you that the BW Am is a real love with humans - let's us pet her, hold her, give her tush baths when she needs it (they have awfully fluffy feathers around their vent). When we had a regular Blue Am she was very apprehensive and didn't want to warm up to humans - unfortunately we had to have the vet euthanize her at 6 months so didn't have much experience with her. We aren't zoned for roos but the two we had to re-home were sweet - a Partridge Silkie cockerel and a Blue Breda cockerel. I loved those boys - very sweet, outgoing, and people-oriented but we reluctantly had to give them up. It's so hard to give up any chicken since you get so attached to them so I started getting only 3 or 4-mo-old identifiable pullets now so I don't have to worry about re-homing unanticipated cockerel juvies.

 

[Sylvester017]

Sylvester, I don't think it's the breed/variety, I think it's the line. Mine have been very good layers, my two year birds even laying sporadically through molt, something I don't see often with my other variety.
Glad she started up for you though.

Molt is another thing strange about the Ams. Someone said it wasn't unusual for them to molt sporadically - start, stop, start again, and that's what my BW Am did. She'll explode feathers a couple times in a year but laying during molt is not one of her finer qualities. I don't care - I'm just relieved that it wasn't illness that was causing her strange behaviors. She is otherwise bouncing about the yard, taking her usual long rest breaks, then foraging about again. This week is very hot where the chickens are panting and that's not a good sign for our Am. I just hope she doesn't stop laying again just because it got a little hot because we are supposed to get cooler rainy weather next week - crazy stupid SoCal climate!!

 

[abbevilleoz]

I think she was in the middle of the hens. She wears a red leg band, #72r. She was the only hen wearing a red leg band.  She came from Clif and is absolutely gorgeous! The judge really liked her, too - said her type was excellent.

I know which one you're talking about, she is nice. Who was the judge you were clerking for?

 

[samouw]

Your head cheerleader has been out of commission. Lol! Your supposed to give me a reason to cheer!
Your black is definitely my pick. He is show quality from what I hear. He has a great overall balance! And he looks like he knows he's special!

I am trying to get him to get that boy entered! He would have been competitive this past weekend, for sure!

 

[samouw]

I know which one you're talking about, she is nice. Who was the judge you were clerking for?

I clerked for Daniel Dysart in the morning - that is who I was working with when you came up. In the second show, I was assigned to Glenn See. Really learned a lot with Daniel Dysart - he likes to describe what he's looking for in each breed/variety. I learned about the "wing snap" in the Modern Games!

I had to resign my post mid-afternoon - my back started spasming. I fractured three vertabrae in a horse-back riding accident in '98 and it hasn't been right since. Then my knees went out...LOL. It is no fun getting old!

I am not a quitter, but my back just gave me no choice.

 

[chickee]

Sylvester, I don't think it's the breed/variety, I think it's the line.  Mine have been very good layers, my two year birds even laying sporadically through molt, something I don't see often with my other variety. 
Glad she started up for you though.

MrsBachbach, my two pullets from you lay every other day like clockwork. Beautiful, calm birds too.

 

[Miss Ameraucana]

I am trying to get him to get that boy entered!  He would have been competitive this past weekend, for sure!

Atleast Black Beauty will get to pass on his genes! Well,,he's working on his game & fertility I think is going up for him. The chicken that is!!
I ordered 7 blacks...I'm praying I get a good black! 8 blue wheatens, & 5 blues. Should have them March 9 or 10!!! Can't wait!
Congratulations on your wins with your beautiful birds.They are very nice!

 

[dstokely]

MrsBachbach, my two pullets from you lay every other day like clockwork. Beautiful, calm birds too.

Mine from MrsBachBach lay almost every day. My two year old that I got from Paul Smith is a good layer as well, but not as well now. She did lay all though the winter, I would say about 5 eggs per week. I just hate that those eggs can't be used for hatching since I don't have a roo for breeding. I may try my off colored one as he is showing more blue on his breast but that makes me concerned with what can show up down the line.

 

[samouw]

And, another great hatch! I'm so pleased. Now if I can just get the fertility up a bit more on the blacks, I'll be thrilled. Out of 45 eggs set, 38 went to lockdown and 36 hatched.

These are the early arrivals last night.