Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[Mahonri]

Quote:
Ameraucanas are a new breed and anomalies have popped up with every single breeder I've gotten eggs or chicks from.

It could be that they are supposed to be standard but they are small, feathers on the legs, red leakage on a blue bird, eggs too greenish, eggs too small, ginger colored wheatens, seriously, I've seen it all. We all have to realize that and then continue to try and improve the breed. Don't allow anything that is not up to standard reproduce and cull, cull, cull. It's what I'm learning. I've got 15 good looking females at present (8 W/7 BW), a decent male and an awesome male. We'll see what I get in my two hatches this year.

I'll keep the best and rehome those I don't want and then look at my older birds to see which ones end up in the crock pot or rehomed.
I would say with this breed, all guarantees are off... it's just too new.

Oh and BTW.. yes you are 'lucky'/blessed and who did you get your birds from?!!

 

[ParadiseFoundFarm]

Dear Mahonri:

My breeder is never mentioned on this thread and I don't know if he follows BYC but here is his info from ABC:
Meredith, Wayne
W312 S 5626 Dable Rd.
Mukwonago, WI 53149
(262)968-3547
[email protected]
He's been super patient with me and very informative. He always had time to answer my (stupid) questions early on before I joined BYC and could look up or ask question on the forum. The birds I got from him were: 27 day old Wheaton/Blue Wheaton chicks. 10 became hens. 2 became Blue Wheaton Splash Roos and are still developing their colors. 3 became Blue Wheatons. They ALL have great faces, combs and tail sets.
He does not offer Mereks vaccine but I had no trouble doing it myself as I did with the rest of the optional vaccines.
He is, in my opnion, a knowlegable, patient, honest man.

Edidted for spelling

 

[Tailfeathers]

Quote:
Here are some of the questions I ask and some of the things I look for when buying chicks:

1) Are these straight-run or will you be sexing them? If not sexed, would you offer an exchange of a rooster for a hen should I get more than one rooster?
2) Should I be concerned about vaccinating them for Mareks or any other disease?
3) Do you offer any kind of guarantee should a bird die within a particular timeframe?
4) Do your hens all lay the nice color (ie. blue for Ameraucana or reddish-brown/terra cotta for a Welsummer) looking egg?
5) Do you know if any of your previous sold birds have ever been showed and, if so, have they ever won anything?
6) Is there anything else you can tell me that maybe I should know or should’ve asked?

Here are some questions I would ask before I bought eggs from a particular breeder:

1) Where did you get your (breed name) from?
2) How long have you been breeding them?
3) Can you tell me a little bit about your breeding program? For example, what does it consist of? How do you go about it? What, if anything, are your goals and what are you striving for?
4) Have you shown your birds, and if so, how have they done? Do you know if any of your egg customers have ever shown their birds, if so, have they ever won anything?
5) Can you provide a close up picture(s) of the parents and can you provide a close up picture(s) of a representative egg?
6) Have you experienced any problems with Mareks, Lymphoid Leucosis (LL), Newcastle’s, MG (in particular), or any other disease that could be transmitted through the egg or genetics? I got a rooster many years ago that died from LL less than two weeks after I bought him. Evidently there is no prevention nor cure for LL but rather it is something passed down from the mother to the progeny and the best prevention is having bred resistance to the disease. The incubation period for LL is 6-10 months so it would be some time before I would find out if I have a problem. That’s why I ask.
7) Do you offer any kind of guarantee regarding fertility and/or the packaging so eggs arrive intact?
8) Do your hens all lay the (specific color) eggs that are relatively the same in color?
9) When collecting hatching eggs for sale, do you identify each egg from a particular set of parents or just collect as a group?
10) Is there anything else you can tell me that maybe I should know or should’ve asked?

One other thing I would consider doing is asking questions on BYC and other poultry sites about the experiences others have had with this particular person. For example, last year there was an individual who quickly acquired quite a bit of popular acclaim because of the prices they were charging for their hatching eggs. However, once those eggs started hatching there were a lot of "surprises" that popped out and a whole new discussion followed.

Keep in mind that you will most likely never find anyone who does not have at least one or two complaints against them but I'd be leery of of anyone who has numerous complaints. And even in the case of 1 or 2, I'd look closely at what those were.

The other thing I'd recommend is to educate and inform yourself a little about what a "breeder" is. For me, personally speaking, a true breeder is much more than someone who throws a bunch of birds in a pen in order to sell eggs as a means to help pay the feed bill. I know for myself that I can only manage four breeds and usually only 1 or 2 of them in a given year. By "manage" I mean focus specifically on making improvements towards the SOP. I personally question how anyone can advertise chicks and/or hatching eggs from 15-20 different breeds and be simultaneously exercising good QA/QC.

Hope that helps.

God Bless,

 

[Goose and Fig]

Quote:
You're good. I wouldn't worry about Wayne's birds- you are fortunate to have them- and so many! There are enough established breeders out there now that if you add a few different lines you'll be set.

 

[ParadiseFoundFarm]

Thanks Happy Mountain!
I watch for your posts as much as I watch for Pips & Peeps' post ( although I don't always understand Pips' gnenetics lessons).
Why would you think I need to search for another breeder since I had so much luck with this one? Because of possible inbreeding (full siblingss to eachother) on my own farm I am guessing? I don't know if Mr Meredith raises other than Wheatons, but I was thinking of some other than Wheatons to add to my beautiful yard art.
I have 1 perfect Wheaton Hen. She looks exactly like the picutre on ABC. I named her "Dina" after my sister (they both have attitudes - perfect & they know it).
This breed is so sweet and tame just as advertised- almost like pets!
One wheaton splash hen searches me out to be her warmblooded perch. Hops on a shoulder whenever she gets to opportunity.
The boys are well behaved.

 

[ParadiseFoundFarm]

Dear Tailfeathers:
By your reponse I hope I didn't give you the impression that I wanted to become a breeder!
No, to make money from your passion is great but I would have to be VERY much more experienced and educated to think that I would be able to add to the progression of the breed. Smart enough to know I don't really know s**t.

 

[Tailfeathers]

Years ago when trying to trace down the origins of the Ameraucana, I was told by a few folks that most Wheatens and Blue Wheatens can be traced back to Wayne.

No PFF, I didn't assume you were wanting to become a breeder but rather was just trying to answer your questions as best I could at the time. Having said that, don't let inexperience keep you from it! We all had to start somewhere I trust me I started from scratch with NO knowledge at all. It was a total learning experience then and I'm still learning every day.

Believe me when I say I'm not the brightest bulb in the socket and that if I can do this anyone can.

Oops, almost forgot. One other thing, when looking to buy from a breeder I would recommend going to the appropriate Breeder Club and seeing if they have a list of their breeders. However, be forewarned, just because someone is listed as a breeder by the Club may not mean they are a reputable breeder. There has been some discussion this year about how ABC can do better at policing its members and those listed as breeders.

God Bless,

 

[Goose and Fig]

Quote:
You want to incorporate another bloodline into your flock so they have more genetic diversity. It could be as simple as adding one rooster from a different breeder. Roos are pretty easy to come by too

 

[MMPoultryFarms]

The only Problem with my Pure Ameraucana's are there mixed in with a few EE muts But you get the Idea.

and I pick of my roo Just for fun all I have are 12 Pure hens. rest are mixes. or EE's soI tried to limit them photos best i could.

And there Growing there tails back slowly but surely as well.

 

[Illia]

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Umm, it looks like I see three black cockerels in those photos.