Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[MyTDogs]

Ummm...Helloooo out there! Anyone? Anyone?....

Any ideas on the sex of this little blue one? I think this one has the clown face y'all were mentioning...where can I read more about that? Here I thought s/he was cuter than the "plain old" blue ones

 

[MoriahQuilts]

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,

Thank you for posting this. I hadn't thought yet about chicken breeding being subjective, or an art form, yet I did when breeding horses and dogs, but I felt I knew about those, what the desired conformation and personality traits were, and what I liked in each animal. I think I'm so new to this, I'm trying to learn the standard, and just beginning to develop my own preferences for appearance and demeanor. And I like to have the words to describe things quite exactly. I want to know what it means, and what it looks like. I guess the SOP will be on my Christmas list this year too.

Would you explain what this is: "Kenny Troiano wrote in the May or June PP talking about "sex-linked traits"? I don't know what PP stands for. I was just reading an article last night about sex-linked traits. Hubby is laughing at me, trying to understand genetics for chickens as I fall asleep

.

 

[heatherscooby77]

Ummm...Helloooo out there! Anyone? Anyone?....

I think its to young. I can't see the tail feathers. Is it around 4-5 weeks old?

 

[Chicks Galore3]

Hey! how can you tell if your chicken is a true ameracauna or a EE?

 

[Goose and Fig]

Ummm...Helloooo out there! Anyone? Anyone?....
Quote: Going to say pullet on that one. Watch her beard- looks like she may just have a single copy there. Beak looks a bit yellow, but it may be the lighting. I have been taking a lot of pictures at dusk lately and they all have this funny yellow/green tinge.

 

[heatherscooby77]

Hey! how can you tell if your chicken is a true ameracauna or a EE?

There is a lot of useful info here.

http://www.ameraucana.org/faq.html

 

[Chicks Galore3]

There is a lot of useful info here.

http://www.ameraucana.org/faq.html

Thanks!!! I do have amaraucanas, then!

 

[DeannaOR]

My two Ameraucanas are getting bigger =)

 

[100chickens]

In search of good quality blue ameraucanas. Eggs or chicks.

 

[ronott1]

In search of good quality blue ameraucanas. Eggs or chicks.

Hi 100chickens! It's good to have you here and

I hope you find a local breeder with Ameraucanas!

Where are you located?

Ron