Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[Cloverleaf Farm]

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All the chicks I've ever hatched have changed eye color, I assume the W/BWs are the same. They usually start out yellow or greenish and then change as the birds mature.

 

[Noncentzter]

Thanks! Guess I'll wait on a couple of young roosters to see if they change eye color...cuz they were headed for the chopping block! LOL

 

[VioletBlueIvy]

Hello! I am just getting going with Ameraucana's, I hatched some shipped eggs and got two chicks from those. Then I just went ahead and split an order with my mom and got 5 more. They are blue/black/splash.

BUT
Now I am pretty bummed because I have two chicks that are tiny, I mean tiny! If the hatchery had bantam ameraucanas I would assume thats what they were, they are so small, and two more have deformities. One has a crooked face, her beak bends off one way. Another has a crossbeak.

Is this a problem that is common to the breed/color variety/certain lines? Or am I just really unlucky?
I thought I would be able to breed these, but with a crooked face from the hatched two, and a crossbeak in the new group?

I really appreciate any input!

 

[Cass]

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Hope they are roos and taste good? (oh, and that you have another roo that you can breed)

 

[klf73]

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If the tiny ones came from a hatchery they are Easter eggers...hatcheries don't sell true ameraucana

 

[VioletBlueIvy]

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If the tiny ones came from a hatchery they are Easter eggers...hatcheries don't sell true ameraucana

Yes, I shouldn't have said 'Hatchery' they came from Hodges Farms, they are definately true Ameraucanas. Well, mini ones anyway. Seriously, they are only a tad bigger than my almost week old EE's. They are at least three weeks. I ordered 6 Wheaten Marans, 2 Wheaten Am's and 4 Blue Am's. They shipped 13 chicks. 5 blue/black chicks, and the rest Wheaten Marans. They refunded for the Wheaten Am's. I looked on their website and didn't see any bantam Am's.

 

[Goose and Fig]

It sounds like "failure to thrive". It just happens sometimes. They might survive to be small birds, or they might not survive at all. I've never had an FTT bird grow to be full size.

I got some blue copper marans from them a year ago. I had some blue ams thrown in as extras, none of them lived past 2 months. The marans did amazing though and they were all brooded together.

 

[stonecottagefarm]

Question about the wheaten ameraucana chicks: I hatched a bunch of eggs from another farm and some hatched out the typical white/yellow color with the slight black wing tips. But some hatched out with other markings such as a single strip on head or back and one even hatched out all black! Some did hatch out looking like wheaten chicks.

Whenever I hatch from our own wheaten birds, I have never had this happen. I need to decide today if we should keep any of these or sell them as Easter Eggers. What are your thoughts? I got these to add genetic diversity to our flock but I really REALLY want to be sure I am only using purebred ameraucanas.

All the eggs were a light mint blue, even the one that hatched out a black bird (which does not even look ameraucana, more like a black australorp possibly).

What would you do? I can take photos if needed.

 

[pips&peeps]

Looks like you got some easter eggers. I too got some eggs from someone this year and the chicks hatched out with stripes. Needless to say they all featered in like ee's and were cockerels. I have already culled them all and moved on.

"Genetic Diversity" is not such a great thing in my opinion anymore, I've had more problems getting stock from other breeders than I would have had with just waiting to replace something with my own birds.

 

[stonecottagefarm]

pips&peeps :

Looks like you got some easter eggers. I too got some eggs from someone this year and the chicks hatched out with stripes. Needless to say they all featered in like ee's and were cockerels. I have already culled them all and moved on.

"Genetic Diversity" is not such a great thing in my opinion anymore, I've had more problems getting stock from other breeders than I would have had with just waiting to replace something with my own birds.

Thanks Pips, my husband isn't going to be happy. We'll keep our own chicks and give the rest away as easter eggers. It's not even worth the headache they may cause down the road. I have lots of backyard flock owners that will be happy with them and keep them as pets.

FRUSTRATING! This is not my first experience like this. Ranted all morning to husband about how I am tired of other breeders bragging one thing and delivering another. Sigh.

My roo and hen that I have came from you (raised by someone else) and they have been hatching the best chicks. Every single one consistent and the same. They are from your earlier generation flocks I was told. So grateful for breeders like you.​