Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[ronott1]

Hello everyone we are new to byc and just getting started with our ameraucanas all of our birds are 12 weeks or younger, we hatched them all. We have wheten, sliver,white blue wheaten, blue, blue splash, and lavender(i know last 2 colors are recongized yet) but our goal is have a flock of good pure ameraucanas no color preference, and a small of flock of show quality blue ameraucanas, we just got a gorgeous 3 month blue pullet from a friend that used to show them and this was the last one out of her flock she had left.....i've gotten some good young ameraucanas to start flock with, but we are looking to learn and a breeder of show blue ameraucanas to look into purchasing some eggs from........So if their is anyone that has blue ameraucanas or knows someone please let us know.......Thanks

Pictures please!

Ron

 

[DirtyAnkleAcres]

I will post pics tomorrow, i have some young blues that could be show quality but friend of mine i got my nice new pullet from explained to me that the only thing that might keep them from being show quality is that guy i get my eggs from(he has blue,black, and splash) is that his current roo has to much "leaking" i think she called it and it would pass on.......i know he's going to be switching to a solid blue roo real soon

I'm still learning and doing my homework so all the help, info, breeders that might have what i want will be much appreciated


Also, when takes pics of my guys/girls what or how should i take them? 1 pic of whole bird and 1 pic of their face??

 

[Tailfeathers]

I think part of the problem is folks figure this is something they can learn overnight. Just get the right book and I'll be an expert. It doesn't work that way. Reading helps but you have to breed the birds, over and over, see the good ones, and the bad ones, and continue to learn. Over many years - and even then, I think the good ones keep learning. I think you also have to get out to the shows - especially the big ones, where you can see Jean's birds, and Harry's birds, and John's birds, and all the other breeders with more or less experience. I think it also helps to look at birds that aren't Ameraucanas. You have to develop an eye and decide for yourself what you like and don't like. What works and doesn't work. So for me, I just keep plugging away at. Attend clinics, attend shows, join the clubs, read what I can - some good, some probably worthless, but eventually some stuff starts to make sense to me and I'm starting to form a plan of direction. I'm sure I'll produce more bad than good at first but I fully intend to keep reading, asking questions, and learning from whomever is willing to direct me.

And, most importantly, LOVE the learning process. Chicken breeding and showing is highly subjective. It is truly an art form. Of course, you need to learn the basics just like with any art, but as such, it will always be more of a journey, much more than a destination.

Well said! I just made it through another 10+ pages and am caught up again. So many good posts, questions, and comments I'd like to comment myself on but so little time.

I have been breeding the WBS variety exclusively now for over 5 years. I've read everything I can read and continue to do so. I also glean everything I can from the "Old Timer's" who know a whole lot more than me and I'm not the least bit ashamed to say, "I don't know. Can you help me?" I honestly don't see a time when I would ever stop learning. Maybe that's because I'm not the brightest bulb in the socket but from the folks I've talked with and the things I've read, even the best keep trying to learn. There are some basic principles that never changed and I try to always apply those but then there are things like Kenny Troiano wrote in the May or June PP talking about "sex-linked traits" that was a real eye-opener. V

BarnGoddess (forgive me but if I knew your name at one time, I've forgotten) hit the nail square on the head. She covered all the bases. Chicken breeding is highly subjective and the SOP allows some room for a personal touch or preference. I've written fairly extensively on this thread, and others, before about breeding so I'll leave you to search for that if interested but perhaps most importantly is starting out with a plan, following it, modifying it if necessary, and consistently working toward a specific objective.

On a totally separate note, somebody several pages back said that what makes an Ameraucana is Type & Color. Not true. A true Ameraucana is a breed. Not unlike any other breed. So I would submit it is genetics that make an Ameraucana. Remember, in order for a breed to be accepted by the APA there are specific requirements which must be met. It would be good to look those up. There are a minimum number of birds that must be held for a minimum number of years (I believe 5) by a minimum number of breeders (Again, I believe 5) and those birds MUST BREED TRUE to an agreed upon set of standards with great conformity.

Theoretically I would imagine it is possible for a bird to "look like" a particular variety of Ameraucana but not actually be one and not breed true. For example, I have an Easter Egger Cockerel that looks pretty doggone close to an actual Wheaten Ameraucana. I just happened to know it's not. Based on some of the shows I've attended, I have no doubt that one could quite possibly get by with not having the bird DQ'd at a show - BUT that does NOT make it an Ameraucana.

I would strongly encourage everyone to realize what went into getting this wonderful breed established in the first place. Let's not negate or detract in any way from all the time, expense, and just flat doggone good old hard work that MANY made in order to get this breed approved and accepted into the ABA and APA.

Oh, almost forgot. Here's an interesting little tidbit that many might find humorous and/or interesting. At a church picnic yesterday one of our elders was telling a bunch of us about his goats and other animals. At one point he happened to mention that he made a bunch of money selling "Pugadors". For thos who don't know, that's a cross between a Pug and a Labrador. Evidently, so-called "Designer Breeds" like Pugadors, Min-Pins, etc. command a huge price and there's supposedly a big market for them. Well, it got me to thinking about EE's. Basically those "Designer Breeds" are mutts. Cross-breeds. So are EE's! Wouldn't it be ironic if EE's started commanding a big demand over true Ameraucanas?!

God Bless,

 

[ronott1]

I will post pics tomorrow, i have some young blues that could be show quality but friend of mine i got my nice new pullet from explained to me that the only thing that might keep them from being show quality is that guy i get my eggs from(he has blue,black, and splash) is that his current roo has to much "leaking" i think she called it and it would pass on.......i know he's going to be switching to a solid blue roo real soon

I'm still learning and doing my homework so all the help, info, breeders that might have what i want will be much appreciated


Also, when takes pics of my guys/girls what or how should i take them? 1 pic of whole bird and 1 pic of their face??

Your are already ahead of the game since you know the difference between an EE and an Ameraucana.

Take a picture of the side, front and close up of the head to see the face and comb. The pictures should get the legs and feet too. That should help with Gender for the older ones.

They may be a bit too young to figure out which ones to use for breeding, but I bet someone on here could help you figure out if that Roo looks like he will have color leaking.

Welcome!

Ron

 

[DirtyAnkleAcres]

Here is a pic of the roo and some of the hens(parent stock to mine) i don't own this roo, yet but i will have the chance to buy him soon as he is replacing him with a solid blue roo, but he is father of alot of my younger ones i've hatched so far, and that is another reason i want to find other blood to breed him too, if he is quality enough?? . I know he's Ameruacana and it isn't a good pic, but you can see some of the parent stock which i've gotten most my blues out of so far........what does everyone think?

 

[Coopacabana]

I have a dozen blue wheaten eggs in the incubator!!!!!

 

[DirtyAnkleAcres]

I have a dozen blue wheaten eggs in the incubator!!!!!

Nice!!! i have 3 dozen in one of my incubators at the moment as well, the pics above your post is of some of the parent stock my eggs came from.......good luck with your hatch

 

[pips&peeps]

I wouldn't pay a dime for that bird, sorry. Besides the color leakage, his tail is set way too high and his back is too short.

A lot of times the daughters of a cock bird with leakage will not show it, but their male offspring will the next generation. Leakage is hard to get rid of and you must cull hard when you see it.

 

[DirtyAnkleAcres]

I wouldn't pay a dime for that bird, sorry. Besides the color leakage, his tail is set way too high and his back is too short.

A lot of times the daughters of a cock bird with leakage will not show it, but their male offspring will the next generation. Leakage is hard to get rid of and you must cull hard when you see it.

Thanks for replying and yes that is same thing a friend told me too, so i'm going to pass up offer to buy him, and continue to search for good blue stock.

 

[aaggjg]

So I hatched 4 Wheaten/ Blue Wheatens from Peachick about 3 months ago ... I guess I got 2 Boys & 2 Girls? These are my first Wheatens ever ... I love my 1 Black Ameraucana hen Mole Negro so I know I can't go wrong adding the Wheatens!


Sorry my pictures are not very good of the lighter birds ... One is really pale def a girl... the other golden one has darker golden feathers around her neck... I still think girl right .... and well then there are the sweet boys if only I could keep them