Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[Kansaseq]

My cockerels are 5 months now, and gorgeous, but none are crowing. Is this because I have 2 mature roosters in the pen next to them? I knew not to expect eggs anytime soon, but I've never had such quiet roos

 

[Surehatch]

Great pics

 

[Goose and Fig]

Quote:
Yeah- my wheaten guy is 8 months and not crowing. He's in with a SW, and a black that crows alllll daaaay long is right next door. I've actually had 2 roos that hatched the same day (same parents) mature at completely different rates. It's almost like a natural defense mechanism for the less agressive one- if he doesn't "show his colors" he doesn't get his butt kicked.

 

[Mahonri]

I have a ten month old BW roo in with Geoffrey and the girls. He is much larger than his daddy and while I've seen him try to mate once, he's never crowed.

 

[chickee]

OK everyone with non crowing roosters . . . imagine my surprise when one of my 4 week old black, Lavender split chicks from Jean's eggs started crowing!

And he is housed next to 8 BIG crowing BLRW roosters!! Here is a picture of him. Notice he has silver (lavender?) lacing on some of the feathers on his chest. Should he not be used to breed back to my Lavenders because of the lacing?

 

[pips&peeps]

Quote:
correct, unless he is all you have

eta: my friend who is raising lavenders in a different kind of chicken hatched a cockerel like this. she is keeping him to breed though because his has such good type.

 

[xyresicchick]

3-week-old bantam lavs hatched from eggs listed by Sebrightmom (Little Ameraucana Mom's daughter).

One chick started developing a crooked beak (the one in the middle) just before halloween. I'm not really sure why it happened, but she's the sweetest one so I am keeping her anyways. Will not breed her though, in case it is genetic. I named her Silly Jilly. I think I have 1 roo (second to right) who is named Marco, the one on the right end might be a roo too- very bossy and pecky to the other chicks, named Jet! the chicks on the right are Sage and Charlie.

I had these lavs in with some silkie chicks but I seperated them this weekend. I put them in a setup with more vertical space because they were flying all over the place! The silkies only really hop but they were trying to fly like the ameraucanas and looked like they were gonna end up hurting themselves! Poor little guys. They all seem happier with the extra space though. Silly chickies

 

[Goose and Fig]

Quote:
That is such a cute pic! I bet my lavs are the only ones I'd be able to get to do that long enough to get a pic- if they weren't so big now that is.

 

[xyresicchick]

my silkies are like that too but they're so dumb they end up flopping off. haha! my cochins were never so tame and my wyandottes were big sissies didnt even let me hold them...

ameraucanas have already stolen my heart. had one jump on my head friday night... it really startled me!

they're so fun!

still cant believe how friendly they are! i'm getting bw/w next.

 

[ParadiseFoundFarm]

I don't want to breed and sell my chickens but I do enjoy any animal that is "correct to code" if you know what I mean. My W/BW babies are all growing up beautifully and look very much like the pictures on the ABC website and your prize pics that you post (yes I know I am lucky). I have read the entire thread. There are many places that go off in the genetics areas (for breeders' info) and the annomilies that are mentioned seem to occur very often. Because of that I am wondering: Was I just lucky my first purchase? If I purchase again should I expect different results?

When we buy chicks from breeders
1) what guarentee should we expect about their product being breed specific?
2) other than getting them from a breeder listed on ABC what other safeguards should we as the consumer do for ourselves?
3) are there any other things us "neophites" should know befroe we buy that I may just be too uninformed to ask?

Please feel free to voice all opinions as the varied opnions on this site are what make it such a great learning tool. I like that on this thread I have seen none of the bickering that I have seen on other threads when some one voices an opnion and the rest of the world fights over who is right and each one has another, different opnion. All opinions are welcomed here. Maybe it has some thing to do with the wonderful people who are drawn to this breed??????
Thank you for your expetise and thank every one, breeder & fan alike, for sharing your experiences with and about the breed.