Ameraucana/Marans/EE's General Questions.

[Pumperkinz]

Hi all,

Long time not chat, but moved across from Florida to Upstate New York (Outside of Albany area) and starting back up our farm from where I had some Marans/Welsummers before.

I've been a long time fan of the Ameraucana breed, and have never raised them before and just had a few basic questions before I get some at the beginning of the year.

1. Any specific things to watch out for when getting them from Big Hatcheries? (How to watch for Crossbeak early, etc).
2. Are Ameraucana's/EE's pretty good at scavenging around with or without a rooster?
3. Any other advice for my first time being in a place where it snows/gets colder then 30 degrees would be super grateful as well!
4. How long would you keep the chickens in locked up and not let them out in the weather. I know in the past it was as soon as they got their second set of feathers it was fine to let them out in the weather in FL, but I'm a little more weary with it easily getting down in single digits here. (3-4 months+?)

Just to give some more background I have my coop being built that's a 5x8 Quaker w/ 8 nest boxes and I'm going to insulate it once it's finished.

I previously had a bunch of great experience with the Marans in FL and am looking to expand on my chicken experience so I appreciate any and all help!

Thanks in advance!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I wouldn't worry a great deal about problems with getting a breed from a big hatchery. First of all, hatcheries go about things differently from one another. Some have their own birds, some contract with individual breeders to provide the chicks/eggs. Other than things like crossbeak which is a genetic anomaly, You won't be able to see a lot out of the egg that is problematic. Just be on the lookout for healthy vigorous chicks. That is the most important thing to start with.
More importantly about your questions are those on change of venue, meaning, climate.
If I can give you what I consider to be the most important bit of information, DON'T lock your chickens up due to temperature.
You are from Florida and you will definitely feel the change. But your chickens won't be from Florida and even if they were, it wouldn't matter to them because when they go to roost at night, they are wearing the same down parka and winter gear they wore outside all day. You don't wear your warmest outfit to bed. The most important thing to provide your birds for their health is the most fresh air you can provide. That means forgetting the temperature and rather opt for a steady supply of fresh air. Closing up a coop with warmth in mind will deprive them of the oxygen they need for health.
Further, I have a take on insulation. What will you gain with insulation if it isn't a heated building. The chickens aren't producing enough warmth to appreciably change the internal building temp. Their body heat is being held inside their wrap of feathers, not moving into the building. An unheated building at night unless packed tight with chickens won't be more than a couple degrees warmer than the ambient air. If it is, it isn't getting enough fresh air and the humidity will be sky high.

 

[Pumperkinz]

I wouldn't worry a great deal about problems with getting a breed from a big hatchery. First of all, hatcheries go about things differently from one another. Some have their own birds, some contract with individual breeders to provide the chicks/eggs. Other than things like crossbeak which is a genetic anomaly, You won't be able to see a lot out of the egg that is problematic. Just be on the lookout for healthy vigorous chicks. That is the most important thing to start with.
More importantly about your questions are those on change of venue, meaning, climate.
If I can give you what I consider to be the most important bit of information, DON'T lock your chickens up due to temperature.
You are from Florida and you will definitely feel the change. But your chickens won't be from Florida and even if they were, it wouldn't matter to them because when they go to roost at night, they are wearing the same down parka and winter gear they wore outside all day. You don't wear your warmest outfit to bed. The most important thing to provide your birds for their health is the most fresh air you can provide. That means forgetting the temperature and rather opt for a steady supply of fresh air. Closing up a coop with warmth in mind will deprive them of the oxygen they need for health.
Further, I have a take on insulation. What will you gain with insulation if it isn't a heated building. The chickens aren't producing enough warmth to appreciably change the internal building temp. Their body heat is being held inside their wrap of feathers, not moving into the building. An unheated building at night unless packed tight with chickens won't be more than a couple degrees warmer than the ambient air. If it is, it isn't getting enough fresh air and the humidity will be sky high.

This makes perfect sense. In florida I would still allow great air flow/ventillation but not have to worry about heat. But it makes sense and I'll keep it noted. Thanks for all the advice!

 

[NatJ]

1. How long would you keep the chickens in locked up and not let them out in the weather. I know in the past it was as soon as they got their second set of feathers it was fine to let them out in the weather in FL, but I'm a little more weary with it easily getting down in single digits here. (3-4 months+?)

If chicks have a place to warm up (broody hen, heat lamp, heat plate, etc) it is fine to let them run around in below-freezing weather from a very early age. In the first few days, the chicks will mostly stay near the heat (or under the hen), but chicks just a week or two old will go play in cold weather, then come back to warm up, then go play again.

You can probably give them access to outdoors just as young as you did in Florida. Don't shove them outside if they want to stay in, but do open the door and let them make their own choice.

What season are you planning to raise the chicks, that you are expecting single-digit temperatures while they are young?

Just to give some more background I have my coop being built that's a 5x8 Quaker w/ 8 nest boxes and I'm going to insulate it once it's finished.

You can probably brood the chicks right in the coop: just put a heat lamp (or other suitable heat source) in one corner (rather than brooding them somewhere else and then deciding when to transfer them to the coop.) Just check with a thermometer before the chicks arrive, to be sure the heat source is making it warm enough (and be sure the opposite corner is plenty cool, so the chicks can get away from the heat on warm days.)

 

[EggSighted4Life]

1. Any specific things to watch out for when getting them from Big Hatcheries? (How to watch for Crossbeak early, etc)

If you want true Ameraucana.. make SURE you buy a specific color. Black, blue, splash, lavender are some I've seen readily available.

Otherwise anything else may be considered EE (may be non bearded) and should not be referred to as Ameraucana or even AmerIcana.. although most hatcheries doing this disclose it.., it's very hard for any average person to discern.

Happy adventures at your new location!

 

[Pumperkinz]

If you want true Ameraucana.. make SURE you buy a specific color. Black, blue, splash, lavender are some I've seen readily available.

Otherwise anything else may be considered EE (may be non bearded) and should not be referred to as Ameraucana or even AmerIcana.. although most hatcheries doing this disclose it.., it's very hard for any average person to discern.

Happy adventures at your new location!

For sure after my initial research I noticed a bunch of EE which are great little birds from what I hear. But I ended up getting a few black ones as I didn't want to spend a ton of money just for the lavender Amerucana's. But we will see I'm hoping for some pretty blue eggs .