Cons: They lay less often than Sex-Link and others
The egg color is a big hit, especially with children. Easy-going, bottom of pecking order, probably because they are the smallest in my flock. One stays within the pen, the other kept flying out, eventually to her demise. Likes to hide eggs, must be the Easter egg influence.
I purchased Coco last year and she is my favorite bird. She may be a little moody but she is the most beautiful bird I have ever seen. She looked like a little owl when I first bought her and she is as gorgeous now. Although she is the dominant girl in my hen house, she is great with me and my little kids. I purchased 2 more this year.
My first rooster was an EE, and he was a mean guy -- atacked me from behind, raped my hens, and was a general pest. He was pretty, but he had to go -- and then he was tough to boot! Never again!
Pros: great personality, good foragers, great eggs great variety
Cons: you never know what color egg you will get :- )
I love my apparent Easter Eggers. I have been mistaken about what kind of chicks these are. I just hatched several chicks and these came from blue or greenish eggs. I just love the little blondie, although she has red feathers coming in down the front with a beautiful blonde head. They change so quickly. I also hatched several Kacoo Marans so I might be able to get some of those olive eggs. I have a beautiful black Easter Egger that I noticed was developing her bearded area. Thank you lllia for letting me know. I appreciate all the educational information I can get.
He was left in a dog crate along with another young rooster. They were bought for kids for Easter and the kids were bored with them so they were left to live in a dog crate. He has come along way. He tries to stand up against the dogs and come at me once.. He no longer comes at me but my dogs are on the inside back yard and I guess it makes him feel tuff.
I own one bantam wheaten and she is just a sweetie.
No, she doesn't sit on my lap, but she DOES come to my whistle (most of the time.) She allows me to pick her up sometimes, and she will "cuddle" once I'm holding her. Taffy is VERY independent, although not the "head Hen", and NO ONE gives her grief.
Maybe it's because she's bantam or her color, but the only time she has been flighty (although she CAN fly quite well) has been after her chick was hatched. She settled back down after about a week. Unless she's molting, she lays eggs regularly and with great efficiency. No fuss, no bother.
I REALLY want another buff or wheaten. They seem to have such wonderful personalities.
I did raise her from a chick, so that may be one reason she's so friendly. But whatever it is, I'm sure glad I have her!
Pros: beautiful, BLUE eggs, yard candy, roos not aggressive, good foragers, broody often, cold/heat tolerant, rare
Cons: small size, broody often
After having these birds for a few years I've edited my review: Ameraucanas are great birds and I adore them! They're great for someone who's going to keep them for showing, breeding, or pleasure. I dont think they'd be very good for meat because they're a little on the small size. I love their medium sized blue eggs though! Nothing compares! Our line of ameraucanas is very broody, which can either be a good thing or a bad thing depending on whether you have a roo to fertilize their eggs or not. They also make good mommas. If you dont have a roo or dont want to hatch chicks them being broody so much might be a pain, but I love that they go broody and take advantage of it every time! My ameraucanas are very friendly if handled when they're young. (of course food training helps) Once they're big they seem to kinda do their own thing but they'll come over and eat out of my hand. All of our roos are human friendy and have never shown any signs of aggression towards humans. Our roos will actually eat out of your hand too! They're beautiful birds to have running around the yard and I highly recommend them!
Our Ameraucana is slightly larger than most of the other birds, and fits in well with the other birds. We love the unmistakable Americauna tufts arounf her eyes and the blue eggs she lays.
Our Blue Ameraucana took the opportunity to challenge for the leadership role as soon as she was moved into a new coop. She was very aggressive with the other hens and would even peck their feathers out at night while on the roost. Separation for days or weeks didn't help. We finally had to give her away. She was extremely flight and wanted nothing to do with two-legged creatures. Her eggs were small and blue and fairly regular. Caught her more than once on top of the coop with her beak in the air trying to crow like a rooster. On the positive side, she DID try to protect her flock, very aggressive with cats and squirrels. Would not get another though as most of this behavior seems to be standard according to others we've spoken to about it.
Pros: Beautiful, Friendly, Fun, Great Personalities
Cons: Can be Shy
I love my Ameraucana's! They like to be petted, not as cuddly as my other chickens, but allow affection. A little more shy than my other chickens, as well. Takes them a bit to relax around you each day, but they do.
I have only one Ameraucana, but she is a ball. She is on the larger size, and is lacking any kind of beard, muff, etc. She gives me about 5 eggs per week at 9 months old. She is very flighty most of the time and was hard to tame down. She is the bottom of my pecking order of 12. She has a very docile temperment, shy, but when you are quiet with her she will come over and pick at your shoes, pants, jump on your shoulders. All around a great bird.
Cons: confusion with Easter Eggers gets ideas and prices mixed
Like most people I started with Easter Eggers thinking they're the same as Ameraucanas, then started my first Ameraucanas with several small flocks/lines of Blue, Black,and Splash birds. They averaged from poor to decent layers, temperaments were okay but slightly shy. The boys were GREAT though, always friendly and talkative but a bit of drama queens when it came to handling. They don't freak physically but they make a slight screamish sound, it's kinda cute.
I then expanded myself into Wheatens, Blue Wheatens, and Buffs after the BBS flock and got into much more friendly, better layers of even brighter blue eggs. Loved them.
In general I think Ameraucanas are an awesome breed, but the confusion of them vs Easter Eggers gets almost tiring in that so many people just don't fully understand what you mean when you're describing them, and the other thing is, I shyly have to admit - Araucanas, the other blue laying breed, have much more desirable characteristics for me. That doesn't make Ameraucanas "un-cool" though, as their having a tail and more availability is nicer, plus their Buff color is just amazingly beautiful.
So in the end my thought is always this - ANY flock must have, if not an Ameraucana, some sort of colored egg layer, but honestly I think Ameraucanas need more recognition out there than their much confusing rival, the Easter Egger. If not a neat blue egg layer with great cold tolerance, the roosters especially make wonderful pets and show birds.