Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[vanalpaca]

http://web.archive.org/web/20051207035940/marsa_sellers.tripod.com/geneticspages/page0.html

http://www.edelras.nl/chickengenetics/

Here are two awesome links for chicken genetics. I'm thinking there is even a chart on down color!

Having read deep into the forum threads at the Ameraucana Breed Club is where I found these links. If you want blue eggs and are at all serious about having even a small flock of true Ameraucanas, I highly suggest you go over there and do some reading.

I found interesting links by reading the history page first, then going to the forum and 'searching' on the names of the folks named in the history. I also searched on terms like 'made black' to see how the black Ameraucana was made, meaning which chicken breeds were used in the breeding programs to obtain the desired traits as listed in the standard.

One hint is that before the LF Ameraucana were truly developed, they got approved along with the Bantam that was being put forward by the group for acceptance. So then a lot of work and development had to occur to get the LF Ameraucana in all 8 colors and get them to produce to type, then egg color was pursued secondarily to get from the greenish blue tinted eggs to the true light sky blue egg that is becoming more widely available today.

I know we all 'just want a blue egg' but it has taken tons of work by serious breeders to get the birds to this point. AND it may take 'a little bit more' work by you the hobbyists to get YOUR Ameraucanas consistently throwing blue eggs. If you breed the wrong birds together, you could be throwing the brown color genes back into the mix, selling blue eggs and the people buying them might be getting green eggs and be very unhappy!

Yeah, and just so you know, I am an absolute RANK BEGINNER in chickens (1 year into them and the Welsummer flock I have) and SOON to be the proud owner (and I hope the order gets filled THIS YEAR) of some of John Blehm's LF stock. So I will continue to research. I hope I didn't ruffle any feathers cause many here are long time chicken breeders.

 

[DMRippy]

Speaking of Egg Color... I just ordered a chart, came very quickly btw. What color are we breeding to? Are any of the 40+ colors ok? If so I want some AMs they lay those purple/pink eggs

 

[Rainwolf]

Speaking of Egg Color... I just ordered a chart, came very quickly btw.  What color are we breeding to?  Are any of the 40+ colors ok?  If so I want some AMs they lay those purple/pink eggs

where do you buy the egg color chart?

 

[Shaffer]

where do you buy the egg color chart?

You can buy one from the Ameraucana or Araucana club if you are a member. Not sure if they sell to non members but if you have a friend in one of these clubs they could purchase one for you possibly.

 

[DMRippy]

where do you buy the egg color chart?

Here no membership required http://ameraucana.org/ClubMerchandise.html

 

[Goose and Fig]

I got mine from the Araucana club- I think it was $4. Its on thick photo paper- not as likely to get tossed out if you have a messy desk like me.

And I am not a member there.

 

[DMRippy]

She was from a BBS flock. Still has a sheen, just not green!

FYI everybody- this spring My Pet Chicken will be selling blue and wheaten ameraucanas.
If they are hatching eggs- forget about it- you'll never get anything to hatch because of the horrible packing job and old eggs, BUT if they are chicks....if its from who I think they are from, they keep EEs in with thier wheatens.
Anybody have more information about this?

My blacks are VERY Green.... All of them really.

 

[DMRippy]

I got mine from the Araucana club- I think it was $4. Its on thick photo paper- not as likely to get tossed out if you have a messy desk like me.

And I am not a member there.

What color are we looking for? Is there a standard range?

 

[Tailfeathers]

You have Easter Eggers (EE's) not Ameraucanas.

Easter Eggers are various colored basically mutt chickens that lay different colored eggs and are sold by hatcheries and feedstores as Ameraucanas, falsely.

Ameraucanas are a purebred breed that come in 8 true-breeding recognized colors and lay only blue eggs. They aren't sold by hatcheries or feedstores despite many claims, and are more rare than EE's. Body wise they look the same but color wise they don't, especially their legs and feet. Also they're not so varied in temperament and productivity.

All the above is almost completely true but not quite. True Ameraucanas may lay eggs other than blue. The SOP contains no requirement for egg color. In fact, I think it was on this thread that I talked about my W & BW's that lay a white egg now. And that was by design. There has also been a lot of talk either on here or the ABC Forum about Ameraucanas laying green eggs and that being due to the presence of brown egg modifier genes in either one or both parents. Often folks are told that only EE's lay green eggs and that is not the case. I think it was Bonnie that I saw recently posted something about there being like 13 different brown egg gene modifiers that a bird could possess. So, one can easily see that it gets pretty complicated.

Also, while I would agree with the gist of the rest of the above, it should be noted for the OP that an Easter Egger is basically either a cross between an Ameraucana, in some cases an Araucana, or another EE carrying the blue egg gene. Having said that, anyone that has attempted to make their own EE's by crossing an Ameraucana with another breed knows that one will wind up with a huge variety of various looking birds from a single mating.

Therefore, there can be a significant variation in body and type as well. I cross my W & BW males over Welsummer females and have been absolutely amazed by the results. On other occasions I have at times just hatched a bunch of eggs that I know were sired by either a W or BW and again be shocked by the variance in full blood brothers and sisters. I've got some birds that had nice muffs, really great blue legs, and even pretty good type - BUT they would never breed true. And that is a key consideration that often gets overlooked and not mentioned. If the variety won't breed true, then you know it isn't an Ameraucana regardless of what it looks like.

If you're looking for true Ameraucanas, Illia said it best when she said, "They aren't sold by hatcheries or feedstores, despite many claims". Go to a trusted source and ask LOTS of questions!

God Bless,

 

[Goose and Fig]

Quote:
My bad- it was $3.

http://www.araucana.net/Araucana_store.htm