Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[MrsBachbach]

Ack! A dilemma. I have come across my first aggressive rooster. It is a real surprise as he seemed very easy going up until a week or so ago. He's a splash Ameraucana of excellent type, a big, heavy boy that I really want to breed. He doesn't get along with any of my other roosters...no big deal...he just won't be penned with them. But he pecked myself and my husband both once hard enough to draw blood last week and today when I was heading him back into his pen after letting him out for a few minutes and he attacked my legs. I kicked him reflexively before I even knew what I was doing, and when he came at me again then next second I kicked him again. Later, as I was standing next to his pen doing some cleanup I realized he was throwing himself at the wire trying to get at me...so obviously the kicks did not deter him.

I'm familiar with various rehabilitation techniques (carrying around, etc.) but honestly his aggression is so unexpected (he doesn't give any warning) and has escalated so fast that I'm pretty sure that he's soup in the long run. My question is, can/should I still breed him? I have two White Am hens and a White Am rooster and they are all rather small. I was hoping to use the Splash to split against the Whites and breed some of that size into future Whites. However, will he pass on the aggression too? What has been your experiences with this dilemma? I always thought that I wouldn't breed aggressive roosters until this moment.

Edit: There are two things that may be influencing him today. One is that I'm wearing a coral pink dress that was fluttering around my legs...do roosters attack the color red like bulls? And the other is that his pen is right up against his rivals. Might he calm down if he's out of sight of the other roosters?

My roosters are penned next to each other, it doesn't cause them to attack me. I don't know about the fluttering dress though. I've had curious hens and roosters who have pecked at my pants legs. Just trying to see if the color was edible though, not aggressive behavior.
My question is why you would cross a splash to a white? Those two colors should not be mixed, you would have an EE. Unless, that is your intention.

 

[MrsBachbach]

NOOOOO!!!! lol My favorite has no tail...

If that's them in your avatar, I would guess the two larger ones are males and the smaller one, female. You won't have long to wait to find out though. Wheatens can be sexed fairly early because the males start coloring out darker than the females. A few more weeks and you may be able to tell.

 

[magdelaine]

My roosters are penned next to each other, it doesn't cause them to attack me. I don't know about the fluttering dress though. I've had curious hens and roosters who have pecked at my pants legs. Just trying to see if the color was edible though, not aggressive behavior.
My question is why you would cross a splash to a white? Those two colors should not be mixed, you would have an EE. Unless, that is your intention.

Since white is recessive, the chicks will be white splits. If I breed them back to white birds, 1/4 of those will be true whites and I can go on from there.

He was still charging and attacking me this morning (no red dress), so I picked him up and carried him around for half an hour. While doing this, he tried attacking my hand so he clearly wasn't getting the message. I held him upside down by his feet and he managed to curl up and peck at my hand while I was holding him, but I gave him a shake and he finally relaxed. He's a very fierce fellow. After all this, he seemed to re-think things a bit. I've been able to do stuff around his pen and feed him some treats and he hasn't charged me again.

I've got the white girls with him now, and in two weeks I'll start collecting eggs. After that, I'm going to re-home him. I won't ever be able to trust him again, and I've got quite a few mellow fellows so I know it doesn't have to be like that. He just got it in his head I was a rival rooster.

 

[TamiHunter]

If that's them in your avatar, I would guess the two larger ones are males and the smaller one, female. You won't have long to wait to find out though. Wheatens can be sexed fairly early because the males start coloring out darker than the females. A few more weeks and you may be able to tell.

That's them! I can't wait to find out. Ya, a couple more weeks and i should be able to tell for sure. Sad because I will have to get rid of the boys. :-(

 

[MrsBachbach]

That's them! I can't wait to find out. Ya, a couple more weeks and i should be able to tell for sure. Sad because I will have to get rid of the boys. :-(

Are those your only chicks? You don't want that girl growing up alone! You need to get her some company if you are getting rid of the boys. You wouldn't want to raise her alone with those boys anyway. She needs a female friend.

 

[TamiHunter]

Are those your only chicks? You don't want that girl growing up alone! You need to get her some company if you are getting rid of the boys. You wouldn't want to raise her alone with those boys anyway. She needs a female friend.

No worries! I have other young ones. ;-) She will not be lonely.

 

[chrissyr]

Anyone in northern ca have my blue or splash cockerels? Or ship? You can PM me thank you

 

[tigercreek]

Someone on this thread was working on true blue lacing a last year and I can't find her...are you still here?? Anyone else with blue lacing???
I would like to get a head start on blue silver if anyone would share their progress...thanks!

 

[Sswanee48]

I have a couple of pictures I want to post and see if anyone can tell me what they think about them. I was told that the chicken is an Ameraucana and that she laid blue eggs and I have never gotten a blue egg from her. Maybe something close to pink but no blue or green. Anyone have any thoughts what she is. I had an egg this morning that was so light it looks white and she might have laid it. Not sure. Just curious what anyone thinks. That is the best picture I have of her.

 

[Olive Oil]

I have a couple of pictures I want to post and see if anyone can tell me what they think about them. I was told that the chicken is an Ameraucana and that she laid blue eggs and I have never gotten a blue egg from her. Maybe something close to pink but no blue or green. Anyone have any thoughts what she is. I had an egg this morning that was so light it looks white and she might have laid it. Not sure. Just curious what anyone thinks. That is the best picture I have of her.

Probably an Easter Egger which is a mixed breed. Usually some Ameracauna in there. Her comb looks pea like to me which indicates some Ameracauna. They can lay almost any egg color, usually blue, green, or pinkish. Many people sell Easter Eggers as Ameracaunas. Sometimes they know better, often they don't.