Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[samouw]

Oh! I am so very tired!

I am so tired I have to laugh laying down!!!

LOL. oh dear, sounds like you need to go sit with some fuzzy butts and de-stress for a bit.

 

[dstokely]

I had four of my 'black ameraucanas' hatch today I say that because all the possible parents should be one hundred percent black but I got what look to be two blues

I am certainly interested in the answer when you figure it out. Especially since I had white surprises, but that has been explained to me.

 

[pips&peeps]

I had four of my 'black ameraucanas' hatch today I say that because all the possible parents should be one hundred percent black but I got what look to be two blues

Post some pics so we can see what you mean.

 

[bruceha2000]

I just wanted to share a few "teasers" from the new egg color concept cards the Ameraucana Breeders Club is working on. We have over 60 colors collected so far, with more coming this week. These are taken from actual eggs and egg shells. Here are just a few...

If Ams are supposed to lay blue (per the APA SOP), is there going to be a "above this line is acceptable, below it is not" or something? 'cause I have an EE that lays a green similar to the first and one that lays the color of the second. The other 2 EEs lay a more green egg than the first.

I got more egg shells in today! Thank you, @DnDFarm .

I think if he is going to toss his trash your way he should also send you a few chicks in payment

 

[FowlStuff]

If Ams are supposed to lay blue (per the APA SOP), is there going to be a "above this line is acceptable, below it is not" or something?

Bruce,

The APA does not define acceptable or unacceptable shades of blue, so although a natural blue Ameraucana egg shell (without tint, brown or other color enhancing or inhibiting genes) is a light pastel blue...other than "blue" no one can legitimately claim there to be a "standard" blue.

http://ameraucanaalliance.org/faq.html#Five

 

[bruceha2000]

Soooooo any shade of blue well into green fits the (apparently very) generic definition of "blue"?

All very confusing to me.

 

[FowlStuff]

Soooooo any shade of blue well into green fits the (apparently very) generic definition of "blue"?

All very confusing to me.

No. Blue (in quotes to quote the APA...page 200 of my 2010 Standard) is what they say. It doesn't say anything about green or even any shade. Since they only judge birds on their phenotype according to their written descriptions, egg color isn't their concern and it is only mentioned in a brief breed summary...not part of Standard description the birds are judged by.
The shade of blue egg shell color may be of concern to fanciers and that is why the Egg Shell Color Reference Charts are available. http://ameraucanaalliance.org/ClubMerchandise.html
These Egg Color Reference Charts are only for referencing the shell color, not grading it.
Frank Decmar, from England, came up with the charts originally for the British Araucana Club and I worked with him to have custom Ameraucana Alliance egg charts printed. I asked him about the letters and numbers associated with the colors around the perimeter and he said...
Quote:

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[bruceha2000]

Thanks John, always a wealth of information!

 

[samouw]

If Ams are supposed to lay blue (per the APA SOP), is there going to be a "above this line is acceptable, below it is not" or something? 'cause I have an EE that lays a green similar to the first and one that lays the color of the second. The other 2 EEs lay a more green egg than the first.


I think if he is going to toss his trash your way he should also send you a few chicks in payment

Recently, Walt Leonard asked APA members if they would like to see APA sponsored egg shows at the shows. There was quite a bit of encouragement and I wouldn't be surprised to see something along those lines coming down the pike. However, for Ameraucanas to participate in APA sponsored egg shows, there would have to be a color range, or standard - possibly similar to what the Marans breeders have done.

In the process of the project for the new color card concept, the ABC Board has been kicking around different ideas about what are the acceptable colors and which are not. For a long time, there were many varieties that were less standardized than others (eg, black is probably the most common, ergo the most standardized, while brown red or silvers might be considered, arguably, not quite as standardized), so their egg color is probably less consistently desirable than, say, the blacks.

Having said that, this breed has been around long enough to start standardizing, and establishing goals for, one of the identifying characteristics of the breed - the blue egg color. This may come in the form of a range of colors, or the "highest and best" to "acceptable, but not desirable" colors.

Of course, this isn't going to happen overnight. It's going to take time, work, focus, and dedication by a lot of breeders. But I think we'll get there.

Oh, meant to add - with my last hatch in the incubator now, I don't need anymore chicks! lol Although, I'm sure DnD and I will be doing some "horse-trading" once he gets his NPIP.

 

[sassy1637]

This is Butch, my Ameraucana roo. He's my Alpha of the flock.
Such a gorgeous bird!