Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[samouw]

My Marans and Susan's Am eggs.

Beautiful!! You've got some beautiful dark Marans eggs in there!

 

[samouw]

I am coming in at the tail end of this but is it about culling a "mean" rooster?

Yep, that gorgeous wheaten that did well in the few shows I entered him...but had to be culled because he was so dadgum mean to his hens, resulting in one dying.

 

[Catandherchicks]

My Marans and Susan's Am eggs.

Yowzers! Beeeeeutiful eggs!

 

[Red Banks]

I remember that...... sorry. I thought this conversation was somehow saying a "mean" rooster is a breeders fault. You know...... in the wild it would be exactly what you hoped for..... funny isn't it.

 

[Red Banks]

Quote: Off topic for Ameraucana thread but.....

 

[Reddy76]

Off topic for Ameraucana thread but.....

Where did you get that bird

 

[Ravynscroft]

Pics of my girls being cute today...they were pretending they were interested in the grass at my feet, but really I think they just wanted to hang out with me. The wyandotte girls are bullies and they know I won't hurt them, so they do this a lot. I love that they feel safe with me. My ams are my favorites

Nora, my sweet girl:

And Cora, the shy one:

Aren't ams just the best? Never thought I'd love them so much! They're both perfect little ladies who mind their manners and never rock the boat. I can't wait to have more! Quick question though: are your roos/cockerels/cocks as well mannered as your girls? I plan on getting a couple boys this week from my breeder, and I was wondering if they'd be sweet gentlemen to go with my sweet ladies. Anyone have any roos with behavior problems? I have three kids, so I want sweet boys who won't cause any problems. ETA: Wow, just noticed Cora's comb is looking pretty red today...maybe I'll be getting some lovely blue eggs soon...?

Pretty girls! As others said, getting cockerels from a good breeder is the base for a decent cock... but many things factor into how they turn out... I prefer to put them in with older hens that teach them respect and manners, personally...

Hello. Ameraucanas are the sweetest, aren't they. Mine get alone very well and don't 'rock the boat' either. I have a six month old Wheaten cockerel that is very gentle. The closest he's ever done to challenge me is give me 'the eye' or cackle a little if one of his flock doesn't want to be picked up. He never charges at me of the kids. I've even seen him grooming the pullet's beards. My Black Ameraucana with leakage is very sweet too. He and the older wheaten never fight despite sharing a pen. Susan (@samouw ) has had one bad experience with a prized Cockbird, but I think that was an isolated event. All of my Ameraucanas come from her and they are just the sweetest chickens I've ever seen. I recommend that you handle them often when they're young though, or they can become flighty and standoff-ish.

And we all do things in the ways that work for us, lol... I would recommend the exact opposite when raising Am's... I don't handle them often at all, only for check ups and when necessary... otherwise I respect their space and they respect mine... and in my flocks when they reach POL, they settle down nicely and are very curious and social...

That was an isolated event and still upsets me today. However, having that one bad experience makes me appreciate the rest of my birds even more. Especially the wheatens and blue wheatens - that temperament is worth all the work that goes into those two varieties. I love my blacks and the blues, but those wheatens will always hold a special place here at Sand Castles Farm.

Hear, hear! So sorry you experienced that, but I agree it certainly does give us a new perspective and appreciation for a good, well mannered cockbird... hardest thing is you just never know what might cause a turnaround in temperament... I had one that went viciously human aggressive... I won't ever keep one like that ever again...

My Marans and Susan's Am eggs.

Those are amazingly awesome!!!!

I remember that...... sorry. I thought this conversation was somehow saying a "mean" rooster is a breeders fault. You know...... in the wild it would be exactly what you hoped for..... funny isn't it.

Nope... understanding how and what they see, and interpret their surroundings goes a long way in figuring out why an animal can turn aggressive... some are just hardwired differently I think, but with many I feel management and understanding go a long way... they don't see things or process things the same way we do... rather than anthropomorphizing them, I prefer to try to see from their level and perspective... I cannot recommend enough for anyone with any animals, pets or breeders, to read the books by Temple Grandin... Animals in Translation, Animals Make Us Human, Thinking in Pictures and her Humane Livestock Handling and Transporting books are a wealth of information into understanding them and learning why they do a lot of things they do... Just my .02

 

[Red Banks]

Quote: I love Temple Grandin and I totally agree with you. You have to see things the creatures way..... not ours. I am the top rooster. If a rooster is in my way I will walk right over him. I never let him approach me without walking towards him and making him flee. I am talking his language.

Wish I could do those blue eggs from Susan justice. They are so beautiful and make the CL eggs look almost white. No comparison.

 

[Leigti]

Pretty girls! As others said, getting cockerels from a good breeder is the base for a decent cock... but many things factor into how they turn out... I prefer to put them in with older hens that teach them respect and manners, personally...
And we all do things in the ways that work for us, lol... I would recommend the exact opposite when raising Am's... I don't handle them often at all, only for check ups and when necessary... otherwise I respect their space and they respect mine... and in my flocks when they reach POL, they settle down nicely and are very curious and social...
Hear, hear! So sorry you experienced that, but I agree it certainly does give us a new perspective and appreciation for a good, well mannered cockbird... hardest thing is you just never know what might cause a turnaround in temperament... I had one that went viciously human aggressive... I won't ever keep one like that ever again...
Those are amazingly awesome!!!!
Nope... understanding how and what they see, and interpret their surroundings goes a long way in figuring out why an animal can turn aggressive... some are just hardwired differently I think, but with many I feel management and understanding go a long way... they don't see things or process things the same way we do... rather than anthropomorphizing them, I prefer to try to see from their level and perspective...


I cannot recommend enough for anyone with any animals, pets or breeders, to read the books by Temple Grandin... Animals in Translation, Animals Make Us Human, Thinking in Pictures and her Humane Livestock Handling and Transporting books are a wealth of information into understanding them and learning why they do a lot of things they do...

Just my .02

I agree. I've read most of those and they are great books.

 

[Ravynscroft]

I love Temple Grandin and I totally agree with you.  You have to see things the creatures way..... not ours.  I am the top rooster.  If a rooster is in my way I will walk right over him.  I never let him approach me without walking towards him and making him flee.  I am talking his language.  

Wish I could do those blue eggs from Susan justice.  They are so beautiful and make the CL eggs look almost white.  No comparison.

Like I said to the other poster, we each use what works best for us...

My approach is similar, but still a bit different... hard for me to explain... but I show my cockerels from an early age that I am not the top cock, but at a level above challenging... I let them be top cock in their flock while I am beyond that completely... it's an assertive role without aggressive assertiveness... the one thing I don't want is for them to fear me... respect, yes, but not fear... fear in any creature causes completely unpredictable behavior... and that can lead to dangerous grounds... anyways, that's just me... and I'm weird, I know, lol...

I agree. I've read most of those and they are great books.

I read a lot of her others too, lol... I can understand her thinking better than I can most other peoples...