The Ameraucana Thread: Where everything and anything about the breed can be discussed (APA, Non-Stan

[Hangtown Farms]

Here is a lavender cuckoo cockerel.Nice dark legs.The barring gene can result in spotted legs but lavender does not have this problem in my experience.This is a project color of mine.Others are also working on this color.I have posted these pics on the lavender thread also.

Here are some new pics.The cock is over 1 year and still has slate legs.He was the first male to not turn to spotted legs.The pullet is 5 months and has been laying about a month.She lays a nice blue egg.I have produced mostly single barred males due to mating back to blacks for type and egg color.I have several cockerels with slate legs but will wait until after 6 months of age to see if they stay slate.I feel I have made good progress.I feel I got a lucky break on the odds.I would not have pursued this project except some said it was impossible.I could not resist.I had to try before I was convinced.As you can see I don't believe impossible.

wow Jerry these are nice.
My Silvers just started to Lay ( have 4 hens)
I am constructing another run as we speak then will be putting my crele penedesenca rooster in with the 4 silver ameraucana hens. He is still a little young.
If you want some eggs Ill send you some in the spring Jerry. Id like to get more silvers as 4 hens is not enough lol.

 

[Hangtown Farms]

I am still looking for Brown Reds if anyone can help me out. will take large fowl or bantam .
prefer large fowl but will take whatever I can get

 

[Nickeechickee]

Tell me about Ameraucanas!!

I had ordered 5 mixed "rare breeds" from Meyer this summer, but a coon got in our garage and killed them all. DH is feeling guilty about it so told me I could order 5 "pet" chickens for this spring. I already have an EE, 3 RIR, 2 barred rocks, and 2 white rocks, the poorest layers will probably become dinner at the end of summer to make room for the new babies. (I say some, but we all know how chicken math works.)

So... since these are to be babies pets and not really production birds necessarily I picked 5 pretty ones (plus a "meal maker", LOL). One of the ones I am getting is a wheaton Ameraucana (hoping for blue eggs, my EE lays green!), so want to know all about them prior to (and it's like 6 long months before they arrive, so...)

 

[Viollettt]

We may have to go back in tomorrow and buy some. Unfortunately, we would have to buy a minimum of six. So frustrating! I really don't want 6.

Yes. What is that about? Is it to stop people from just getting a couple for kicks? Why not make it that you have to buy six unless you have some type of proof that you already have more chickens? I'd love to know the thought process for the "must buy 6" rule.

 

[Outrun Acres]

No but the breeder told me she got her birds from Paul Smith.

 

[Outrun Acres]

I have four Smith roos this year and I am having the hardest time choosing which is the best. I have one black who is so beefy and broad through the shoulders, but his beard is a bit sparse and his tail is a little too high. I have one black who has a wonderful beard and is somewhat largish, but again the tail set is just a little too high. I have two lav roos: one is HUGE and everyone who comes on the property goes gaga over him, but I feel like, again, his tail set is too high and he's just a little too soft-feathered, the second one has nice muff and beard, okay tail set, not too weedy, but just not the wower that his brother is. I really expected to get an amazing black from Paul and Angela, but instead I am left feeling like I should preserve the good attributes of all four roos and see which one or ones I want to keep after I see what they can produce with my nice black pullets from Smith, Blehm and various bloodlines.

It always seems like the girls are no stress, they all look gorgeous with great beards and muffs and beautiful tight feathers, no complaints about tail set.
But choosing a cockerel comes down to splitting hairs. I don't want to get rid of any of the boys, while at the same time, I want to get rid of all of them and find the perfect cockerel.

Jerryse, please let me know, put me on your list, whatever you can. I want to get in on some of those barred ams in the spring. I have the blacks to support the color I can only imagine the uproar they will cause at my local show. We have a lot of ams shown there each year.

Has anyone seen a pic of those Black Azerbaijans? Beautiful. I have such a soft spot for a bearded bird. I'm getting into salmon favs and silkies now too.

I have a nice black cockerel from Smith lines and his tail set is a little too high too. Salmon Favs and Silkies are on my list too. I really love the silkies that I have right now. Even the roosters are extremely friendly.

 

[Outrun Acres]

wow Jerry these are nice.
My Silvers just started to Lay ( have 4 hens)
I am constructing another run as we speak then will be putting my crele penedesenca rooster in with the 4 silver ameraucana hens. He is still a little young.
If you want some eggs Ill send you some in the spring Jerry. Id like to get more silvers as 4 hens is not enough lol.

I'm in agreement. I haven't been on the site for awhile so I'm playing a bit of catch-up. Your barred birds are beautiful Jerry! You do some very nice things with the Ameraucanas!

 

[Outrun Acres]

Tell me about Ameraucanas!!

I had ordered 5 mixed "rare breeds" from Meyer this summer, but a coon got in our garage and killed them all. DH is feeling guilty about it so told me I could order 5 "pet" chickens for this spring. I already have an EE, 3 RIR, 2 barred rocks, and 2 white rocks, the poorest layers will probably become dinner at the end of summer to make room for the new babies. (I say some, but we all know how chicken math works.)

So... since these are to be babies pets and not really production birds necessarily I picked 5 pretty ones (plus a "meal maker", LOL). One of the ones I am getting is a wheaton Ameraucana (hoping for blue eggs, my EE lays green!), so want to know all about them prior to (and it's like 6 long months before they arrive, so...)

I can't remember if Meyer sells true Ameraucanas. But in my limited experience very few hatcheries sell the real deal. Or they will be deemed non-standard birds. Your chick will probably still have a beard and muffs, blue or green legs and lay a blue/green colored egg. It will still be a very nice chicken but probably won't be show quality. Since it sounds like you are purchasing your chickens to be backyard pets it's probably no bigger if your bird doesn't adhere to the standard. They are fun birds and lay beautiful eggs. They come in 8 standard colors and make a very nice yard bird. They are well suited to colder climates due to their small/lack of wattles and small combs.

 

[Nickeechickee]

Yes, I'm getting them mostly as pet "with benefits" LOL. I am a hobby urban farmer I guess would be the best way to describe it. I am really hoping for a blue egg. I have an EE already who lays a light olive egg. She is also beardless, and I love the fluffy faces that some get. I ended up with one of the "partridge" traditional colored EEs, so hoping for a prettier bird this time too.

 

[jerryse]

I'm in agreement. I haven't been on the site for awhile so I'm playing a bit of catch-up. Your barred birds are beautiful Jerry! You do some very nice things with the Ameraucanas!

Thank all of you for your kind words. I will offer chicks and eggs about april. Just too cold here even for egg shipments. Even collecting every 2 hours results in chilled eggs most of the time.