Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[ChicksterJo]

When do the pullets' combs start turning pink? My Ameraucanas' combs are sometimes pink, sometimes pale. It is confusing the heck outta me!! Their combs are not getting larger however, and today marks the beginning of their 14th week (I think). The three I have all sound the same, so either they're all boys, all girls, or a couple are just playing tricks with me.
It's hot today - already in the high 80s, low 90s right now - so here they are dust bathing with the others. They get a little pecked sometimes but they just learn to move farther away. Their dust bathing hole is pretty big now, so lots of room for everybody.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Hi Chickster! I grew up in Lancaster!

 

[ChicksterJo]

Hi WhiteMountainsRanch, that's cool to know! We just moved here around 4 years ago but I grew up in the San Fernando Valley. Nice to meet you

 

[Hens and Roos]

Quote:
our Wheaten Ameraucana pullet is 5.5 months old and her comb and face is red and has been for a couple weeks now, a sister bird from the same hatch that a friend has started laying last week so we are hoping ours won't be far behind.

 

[SteveH]

Quote:
Squirrel, wry, and split tail are the DQs. I think she may need more time to grow a tail before evaluating. Judging by comb color as it appears on my monitor, she isn't near POL yet either.
The cockeral's tail appears to be pictured while he's in the process of turning directions, but if it's actually wry he shouldn't be bred irregardless of other qualities IMO.

 

[flower]

JUST2 ROSEY I had a Dominique rooster that had a wry tail and he was a sweet boy but I culled him. I started to notice that the tail was more turned very gradually till it finally stayed that way. He knew that I had my eye on him because he used to make himeself scarce when I was in the yard.

 

[ChicksterJo]

My Marans was holding her tail one way for a few weeks and I thought it would stay that way..until all of her tail feathers fell off and now that she's done molting she holds her tail correctly most of the time unless she's wagging it.

 

[just2rosey]

Thanks Steve and Flower,

I think I will end up putting the Wheaton in the freezer, I have been so obsessed with looking at combs to see if I have any pullets in my sea of roos, that I am sure I over looked the wry tail developing. The pullet has a tail, she just rarely puts it up, it is nearly always low. I know the breed standard is 45 degree, I guess I will test hatch a few of her babies next spring and see what I get. As long as she lays eggs regularly she is a keeper, even if her babies aren't show quality, they should be dinner quality.. My daughter will have others to chose from for show, so we may not show her beyond the county fair.

 

[Illia]

Quote:
If it is for sure not a possible frizzle, then the curling is from spending too much time indoors. Often chicks, or even older pullets/cockerels will get a frizzled effect from either nutrient deficiency or spending too much time indoors. It would be awesome if that was a frizzle though - Frizzled Am's are very rare.

And,

everyone again. I'm down now to just owning one blue Ameraucana hen (she'll always be my prize girl) and a few Buffs and Wheaties for my Buff program. I've gotten several chicks from the flock, but many got sold from being either clean-faced or having a muffs/beard allele missing. My few keepers sadly died though, and now I just have ONE chick. Waiting on more to hatch. My one chick though is adorable - Looks like a full grown wheaten hen in color (light brown top, white bottom) so it's quite likely a Buff x Wheatie.


Also, on the topic of Buffs - I had an interesting accident at first. My first Buff eggs I hatched out were ALL mutts. (turns out a frizzled bantam actually CAN mate with a fullgrown hen. . . ) and ended up being frizzled and smooth feathered Cochin crosses, however, about 50% of them were a buff color with black smudging, the other 50% were, no joke, a khaki color. Solid khaki. It wasn't dun - Dun is a nice dark brown color. These were an outright sooty grayish dusty color. They were very beautiful, but I sadly don't have pics of them. They were sold before I could get photos, but I really do hope to see them again sometime soon. (by that I mean visit the new owner's place)


ETA - the accidental dad was pure solid black.

 

[ParadiseFoundFarm]

Is there anyone on this thread in New Iberia, Louisianna or nearby who can hatch some Am Eggs for me?
My new Daughter in law loves my Ams and wants some of her own. I was hoping to find a BYCer and AM
fan to hatch some eggs for her from my stock.