Alas, I have to part with some roosters. I love roosters, and I love these guys. They are true blue wheaten ameraucanas, and they are nice fellas. Unfortunately, because I hatch my own, I can't keep all the roosters I hatch. Recently, we've had bobcat attacks at our farm (some of you may remember), and I've had to keep the chickens locked up until we find a way to deal with the problem. The more than usual close confinement is forcing me to get rid of these guys before I wanted to.
Their names are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. They are 5 months old, so right in their randiest stage, not the best time to keep them confined closely with the young pullets who haven't begun laying, yet. Still, they don't fight with one another, and have never shown any aggression towards humans.
Their crowing habits could easily change in a new environment, but they have never yet crowed at night. They do, of course, begin quite early in the morning. My roosters don't in general tend to be big crowers to my mind, but I suppose it would depend on your definition, too. Someone else may think the fact that they crow on and off for a half hour in the mornings and occasionally throughout the day to be awful.
Guildenstern has unusual coloring for an Ameraucana. What is meant to shade from red to orange on him shades from red to blonde. I would assume this is some genetic sport. I have asked a few Ameraucana gurus, but no one seems to know why this is so. I'm told that if he had a red diluter gene, the whole feather would be pale, not just the tip. I'm not sure what sort of chicks he would throw--if that would be passed on or not. He is the friendliest of the two, however.
Here is Guildenstern:
Rosencrantz is the typical blue wheaten. He was friendly as a chick, and liked to have his back stroked, but he hasn't perched on my arm for some time. I guess he thinks he's too old for that, now.
Here is Rosencrantz:
If you have Wheaten Ameraucana hens, these boys would make very nice roosters for you. If you have a mixed flock of various breeds of hens, they would still make very nice roosters for you, and would add the blue egg gene to any of your hens' offspring, meaning any daughters of theirs would lay blue or green eggs.
I'm afraid I don't show birds, so I can't speak for "show quality." I would say without hesitation that because of Guildenstern's color shift, he would not be appropriate for show. Rosencrantz would be a better bet, but you'll have to have a look at the photo and make your own judgment. Because of their age, they still have a bit of juvenile feathering, but their full, mature plumage should be in, soon.
I will NOT ship. They will be free to a good home, however I'm afraid I will also ask you questions about your set up to make sure their prospective home will be a good one--I love them!--so if you are not comfortable answering those questions, please do not respond to this post.
I always recommend you quarantine any new, mature birds you bring into your established flock, even my own. My birds are all healthy, but what if they get exposed to something the day before I bring them to you and haven't shown any symptoms, yet? What if the stress of moving house allows something they have been fighting off to take hold and make them sick?
These birds have not been vaccinated for Marek's disease, and have been free ranged their entire lives until recently, when the bobcat showed up! Now we let them all out for three hours or so in the evening when we can both be out with guns to watch them. It would be rather comical, if it weren't so dire, but we march around the ridgetop carrying guns and guarding the chickens while they happily graze the windfall pears.
I hope I haven't left anything out. Please feel free to ask me if you have any questions.
Their names are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. They are 5 months old, so right in their randiest stage, not the best time to keep them confined closely with the young pullets who haven't begun laying, yet. Still, they don't fight with one another, and have never shown any aggression towards humans.
Their crowing habits could easily change in a new environment, but they have never yet crowed at night. They do, of course, begin quite early in the morning. My roosters don't in general tend to be big crowers to my mind, but I suppose it would depend on your definition, too. Someone else may think the fact that they crow on and off for a half hour in the mornings and occasionally throughout the day to be awful.
Guildenstern has unusual coloring for an Ameraucana. What is meant to shade from red to orange on him shades from red to blonde. I would assume this is some genetic sport. I have asked a few Ameraucana gurus, but no one seems to know why this is so. I'm told that if he had a red diluter gene, the whole feather would be pale, not just the tip. I'm not sure what sort of chicks he would throw--if that would be passed on or not. He is the friendliest of the two, however.
Here is Guildenstern:
Rosencrantz is the typical blue wheaten. He was friendly as a chick, and liked to have his back stroked, but he hasn't perched on my arm for some time. I guess he thinks he's too old for that, now.
Here is Rosencrantz:
If you have Wheaten Ameraucana hens, these boys would make very nice roosters for you. If you have a mixed flock of various breeds of hens, they would still make very nice roosters for you, and would add the blue egg gene to any of your hens' offspring, meaning any daughters of theirs would lay blue or green eggs.
I'm afraid I don't show birds, so I can't speak for "show quality." I would say without hesitation that because of Guildenstern's color shift, he would not be appropriate for show. Rosencrantz would be a better bet, but you'll have to have a look at the photo and make your own judgment. Because of their age, they still have a bit of juvenile feathering, but their full, mature plumage should be in, soon.
I will NOT ship. They will be free to a good home, however I'm afraid I will also ask you questions about your set up to make sure their prospective home will be a good one--I love them!--so if you are not comfortable answering those questions, please do not respond to this post.
I always recommend you quarantine any new, mature birds you bring into your established flock, even my own. My birds are all healthy, but what if they get exposed to something the day before I bring them to you and haven't shown any symptoms, yet? What if the stress of moving house allows something they have been fighting off to take hold and make them sick?
These birds have not been vaccinated for Marek's disease, and have been free ranged their entire lives until recently, when the bobcat showed up! Now we let them all out for three hours or so in the evening when we can both be out with guns to watch them. It would be rather comical, if it weren't so dire, but we march around the ridgetop carrying guns and guarding the chickens while they happily graze the windfall pears.
I hope I haven't left anything out. Please feel free to ask me if you have any questions.
