Ancona Chicken Thread

[bruceha2000]

If this helps...

Here is my pullet AC at 9 weeks old - she hasn't laid an egg yet but she is definitely a she.

Thanks, Bobbie. Looks similar, still holding my breath. Well, OK, I'm not but I still have this "back of the mind' worry. Since the vent sexing process is supposed to be about 90% accurate, I fear the odds are not in my favor. Statistically speaking, I should end up with at least one roo, and none will be living at this house. Will have to find a home for one if we didn't get lucky, and it can't be Freezer Camp either. And, of course, by the time you figure out it is a roo, you have gotten sort of attached unless they have lousy temperament.

I am so happy! My beautiful AC finally laid her first egg! Yesterday I found a small white egg among my layers and wondered if it were possible that at the age of 55 weeks old she FINALLY laid her first.

Geez, I hope none of mine wait that long! I'm expecting all the chickens to get down to business at around 5 months. In theory, the girls are on the dole for another two and a half months, then they need to get to work. Eggs by Thanksgiving!!!

 

[bobbieschicks]

It gets easier to rehome when I know the destination and I know that the families are really wanting a rooster. I post them at high enough prices that I know the people aren't immediately eating them.

AC's delayed laying is unusual - all my other pullets started laying well before her. She has skipped two days now - so I'm hoping she will start getting regular soon.

Thanks, Bobbie. Looks similar, still holding my breath. Well, OK, I'm not but I still have this "back of the mind' worry. Since the vent sexing process is supposed to be about 90% accurate, I fear the odds are not in my favor. Statistically speaking, I should end up with at least one roo, and none will be living at this house. Will have to find a home for one if we didn't get lucky, and it can't be Freezer Camp either. And, of course, by the time you figure out it is a roo, you have gotten sort of attached unless they have lousy temperament.

Geez, I hope none of mine wait that long! I'm expecting all the chickens to get down to business at around 5 months. In theory, the girls are on the dole for another two and a half months, then they need to get to work. Eggs by Thanksgiving!!!

 

[bobbieschicks]

My beautiful AC has been consistently laying for the past week. I guess taking so long to start didn't deter her much.

 

[Del Boy]

Hi all, are there any breeders of exhibition quality anconas on this site. Have you any advice on selecting breeding stock to produce the ideal bird, most importantly do you have separate pullet and cockerel breeding pens similar to leghorn breeders.Also how to the best show birds compare with backyard strains in terms of egg production.
Thanks

 

[elizmartin]

Hi all, are there any breeders of exhibition quality anconas on this site. Have you any advice on selecting breeding stock to produce the ideal bird, most importantly do you have separate pullet and cockerel breeding pens similar to leghorn breeders.Also how do the best show birds compare with backyard strains in terms of egg production.
Thanks

I am sure that you will meet alot of serious and for the love of it breeders here. Yellow House has some incredible Rosecomb Anconas, (Thanks Joseph ! ! ! my group is Wonderful and thriving )...The ideal bird continues to be something to strive for since life is an ever changing species. I would continue to read everything You can find on them in books,& internet and understand the SOP for Ancona's.....Thou they are not as widespread as some of the more popular breeds, You may see them at the larger poultry shows. Most states should have Poultry Orgs. that you can contact to see when major shows are and if any of their members raise them....I am at the beginning of my journey with Ancona's so can not answer male female traits for compensation on lines and am not sure how you mean regarding separate breeding pens since i do not follow leghorns......During the times that i hope to save eggs, i keep boys and girls separate and pair them as i wish to breed. In general i don't flock breed. My Anconas for now are separate from my other birds whom i often pair the fertile hen i am saving eggs from with hens of another egg color so they are a community but i know whose eggs to keep and who to eat.
Cannot answer egg production question at this time....but i will not breed other characteristics without following that since that is supposed to be one of the Ancona's strong attributes.
Best of Luck, eliz martin, Arlington, Wa.

 

[buffalogal]

• elizmartin, so glad to see you finally found someone with chicks. You will love your YH birds.
  

 

[bobbieschicks]

Hi all, are there any breeders of exhibition quality anconas on this site. Have you any advice on selecting breeding stock to produce the ideal bird, most importantly do you have separate pullet and cockerel breeding pens similar to leghorn breeders.Also how to the best show birds compare with backyard strains in terms of egg production.
Thanks

I got my beautiful AC as hatching eggs shipped from Gabbards Farm in Georgia. She must have been from sturdy stock as she was the only one out of 24 different breeds/eggs to survive the shipping in 100+F weather in July. We don't usually have that high of temps it just happened to spike the very few days the eggs were shipped. She didn't start laying until she was over 1 year old (now she lays almost daily - misses one day every two weeks) - I don't know if that's an anomolie or not as their website states their Anconas are their best layers.

She's doing better at laying daily then the Lavender Orpingtons who lay 5 out of 7 days. She rivals my White Leghorn and WL/EE mix for daily production. Her first egg was almost as big as the WLs normal egg. I'm not breeding my chickens - just love to have them in the backyard and for eggs to eat.

 

[AussieRob]

Hi There. I am so new to this and I am sure I am not posting this to the correct spot, and I am sure I am offending sombody by not following some kind of ettiquete that I am blissfully unaware of. But anyway here goes....Hi, my name is Rob and my son is Matthew (12), and we come from Brisbane Australia. We have just started down the road of chicken owners. We have what we believe are 4 Hens and 1 Rooster (All 14-16 weeks old). But after reading through this entire thread (which was a fantastic find) and looking at all the wondeful pictures I am not sure if our Rooster is really a Rooster at all. It would be great if it were a Hen because we are not allowed to keep Roosters where we live and we were planning to try and find (him) a new home very soon. Does anyone have any opinion on what this might be? In our flock we have a couple of Ancona's. This is the one we thought was a Rooster because it is the only one sporting a comb but now I see that the Hens also have combs (yes I know but I am just knew to this....lol).....


Rooster or Hen????

 

[Amyable]

Rob!! I'm afraid you've got yourself a boy there. The combs on both sexes are large, but the boy's combs stand up straight while the hen's combs typically fall over at the back. Also, see his long neck (hackle) feathers on the nape of his neck, long tail feathers, large wattles, and long legs - all shout 'I'm a dude!' He is a nice looking dude too, a shame you can't keep him. All the Ancona roos I've had were early crowers, starting at about 3 months. You should be hearing that cockadoodledoooooo very soon.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Hi There. I am so new to this and I am sure I am not posting this to the correct spot, and I am sure I am offending sombody by not following some kind of ettiquete that I am blissfully unaware of. But anyway here goes....Hi, my name is Rob and my son is Matthew (12), and we come from Brisbane Australia. We have just started down the road of chicken owners. We have what we believe are 4 Hens and 1 Rooster (All 14-16 weeks old). But after reading through this entire thread (which was a fantastic find) and looking at all the wondeful pictures I am not sure if our Rooster is really a Rooster at all. It would be great if it were a Hen because we are not allowed to keep Roosters where we live and we were planning to try and find (him) a new home very soon. Does anyone have any opinion on what this might be? In our flock we have a couple of Ancona's. This is the one we thought was a Rooster because it is the only one sporting a comb but now I see that the Hens also have combs (yes I know but I am just knew to this....lol).....


Rooster or Hen????

You have a beautiful AC - my guess is boy because of the size and color of the comb. That is about what my White Leghorn roosters looked like at that age and they are closely related in breed.

My pullet AC looked like this at 16 weeks old


And looked like this when she finally started to lay - she was over a year old!