Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[dak]

Ok so first thing to do is get better pictures of their legs....then decide if they go to the EE pen or go to the AM improvement pen when I get a rooster for them....LOL I'm good with the bluer egg but I'd have to have a rooster from a super bright egg to compete with the greener egg.

Thank you for all of your help. Now to see if anyone has commented on up my marans....lol They are far from SOP I'm sure but I really like them and I'd like to know where to start with them too.

Look at the bottoms of their feet. If they are yellow that is a no no. Yellow + Blue (slate) = Green (willow) legs. Thus EE. Since yellow skin is recessive, it means the bird has two copies of the gene. Thus REALLY EE. Every chick out of a green legged bird will be carrying a copy of gene for yellow skin, even if they don't display it.

There are many easy to find sources of quality Black AMs. Better/easier to start with quality stock than to try to eliminate disqualifying faults especially if they are recessive genes.

 

[doubleatraining]

Look at the bottoms of their feet. If they are yellow that is a no no. Yellow + Blue (slate) = Green (willow) legs. Thus EE. Since yellow skin is recessive, it means the bird has two copies of the gene. Thus REALLY EE. Every chick out of a green legged bird will be carrying a copy of gene for yellow skin, even if they don't display it.

There are many easy to find sources of quality Black AMs. Better/easier to start with quality stock than to try to eliminate disqualifying faults especially if they are recessive genes.

LOL I'm sure my hens are going to love getting flipped over on Friday to check the color of their feet.

 

[Tailfeathers]

I'm too tired to go back and try to do a multi-quote with all the applicable posts so I'll say list a couple things here and assume y'all know which ones they apply to.

1) The egg chart referred to is a product of the ABC. It's has nothing to do with the APA SOP and I would be willing to bet a pretty good sum of money that most judges have never even seen one. So using the egg chart to determine if a judge should DQ a bird is irrelevant. In fact, if you look at some of the colors listed on the ABC Egg Chart, they are green. While there may be some truth the the idea that some folks eyes will see various shades of the same color, the chart obviously shows various shades of green - not blue. Ergo, for one to hold that an Ameraucana MUST lay a blue egg or it is not an Ameraucana and thus should be DQ'd at a show if it laid other than a blue, is ridiculous.
2) As I said previously, egg color is only mentioned under the "General Breed Characteristics" in the SOP and there is NOTHING on a judges score card that deals with the eggs so judges aren't going to be giving any consideration to what shade of color an egg is, how large it is, production rate, or any such thing. The reference to "lays a blue eggs" is simply a "general" characterization and is not intended to be specific as evidenced by the fact that it is not a trait a bird is judged on. Not only that, but even in those cases where a specific trait is listed on a judge's scorecard and awarded a certain number of points, there is often some room for a fair degree of subjectivity with regard to that trait.
3) Given all the different traits and genetics behind those traits that it takes to get within the breed standard, it's pretty unlikely you're going to get an EE that looks like an Ameraucana in all the required areas and lays a brown egg.
4) Folks on here might want to do a little bit of talking with some of the founders of this breed and long time breeders about egg color and what true Ameraucanas can lay before they go about telling someone they're cheating or "faking". Not only that but I've personally witnessed EE's being entered into a show by someone unknowingly thinking they have an Ameraucana because "that's what the folks at the feedstore told me". Telling them they're "cheating" or "faking" does NO service to the Fancy. Moreover, I've also witnessed two different judges score birds and they didn't know the difference between an EE and an Ameraucana.
5) I don't remember who it was that said they were going to relegate one of their Ameraucanas to the EE pen because it laid a green egg. IMO you're doing yourself a disservice if you make egg color a priority over many other traits that could and perhaps should be given priority. The brown can be eliminated from the egg while working on other things with the bird as well. I know because I've done it. There are, in fact, some approved varieties today that I understand from those who are breeding them that still lay a pretty green egg.

God Bless,

 

[heatherscooby77]

I'm too tired to go back and try to do a multi-quote with all the applicable posts so I'll say list a couple things here and assume y'all know which ones they apply to.

1) The egg chart referred to is a product of the ABC. It's has nothing to do with the APA SOP and I would be willing to bet a pretty good sum of money that most judges have never even seen one. So using the egg chart to determine if a judge should DQ a bird is irrelevant. In fact, if you look at some of the colors listed on the ABC Egg Chart, they are green. While there may be some truth the the idea that some folks eyes will see various shades of the same color, the chart obviously shows various shades of green - not blue. Ergo, for one to hold that an Ameraucana MUST lay a blue egg or it is not an Ameraucana and thus should be DQ'd at a show if it laid other than a blue, is ridiculous.
2) As I said previously, egg color is only mentioned under the "General Breed Characteristics" in the SOP and there is NOTHING on a judges score card that deals with the eggs so judges aren't going to be giving any consideration to what shade of color an egg is, how large it is, production rate, or any such thing. The reference to "lays a blue eggs" is simply a "general" characterization and is not intended to be specific as evidenced by the fact that it is not a trait a bird is judged on. Not only that, but even in those cases where a specific trait is listed on a judge's scorecard and awarded a certain number of points, there is often some room for a fair degree of subjectivity with regard to that trait.
3) Given all the different traits and genetics behind those traits that it takes to get within the breed standard, it's pretty unlikely you're going to get an EE that looks like an Ameraucana in all the required areas and lays a brown egg.
4) Folks on here might want to do a little bit of talking with some of the founders of this breed and long time breeders about egg color and what true Ameraucanas can lay before they go about telling someone they're cheating or "faking". Not only that but I've personally witnessed EE's being entered into a show by someone unknowingly thinking they have an Ameraucana because "that's what the folks at the feedstore told me". Telling them they're "cheating" or "faking" does NO service to the Fancy. Moreover, I've also witnessed two different judges score birds and they didn't know the difference between an EE and an Ameraucana.
5) I don't remember who it was that said they were going to relegate one of their Ameraucanas to the EE pen because it laid a green egg. IMO you're doing yourself a disservice if you make egg color a priority over many other traits that could and perhaps should be given priority. The brown can be eliminated from the egg while working on other things with the bird as well. I know because I've done it. There are, in fact, some approved varieties today that I understand from those who are breeding them that still lay a pretty green egg.

God Bless,

X2

 

[mstricer]

I didn't think they were that big but this is a store bought Grade A Large egg and one of my AM eggs.

My EE's always lay big eggs like that. My Lavender Am. lays a blue med. egg, not even close to being large. They look like pullet eggs but they are not, they will be year in Feb. I thought one I yesterday was a double yolk, no just one huge, bright yellow yolk. When I cracked it open I imagined what the chicks belly would look like with all that yolk, or are those the chicks that don't have it fully absorbed.

 

[slick4591]

So I start collecting eggs today for a hatch from my Lavenders and splits, then suddenly it dawns on me that I'm not sure if all splits are black in color. I think they are, but I think I need a little reassurance, please.

 

[DMRippy]

So I start collecting eggs today for a hatch from my Lavenders and splits, then suddenly it dawns on me that I'm not sure if all splits are black in color. I think they are, but I think I need a little reassurance, please.

All Lavender Splits are black. 2 copies of Lavender are required to express the color Lavender so a Split is only carrying 1 copy so they are black. NOW not all blacks are splits

 

[chicken fever]

Maybe when you find them, you can let us all know??? 

I think you will find if you look an Ameraucana egg colour card, you will find there are a lot of shades varying from "green" to blue. You might not find the "bright blue" you are looking for in the B/B/S variety but if you do, I'm sure we'd ALL love to hear about it.

I would pm illia on here. She has some amazingly bright eggs!

Any ideas on who I need to start harassing for those eggs? I'd love Wheatens!

 

[chicken fever]

Slick,
Do you have a nice lav roo that needs a new home? If so, PM me

 

[dfdesigns]

We had talked about the infamous "white" wheatens a while back, and here's mine. I thought he was a pullet for the longest time, until he started growing a fabulous set of tail feathers...


Chick #2 in this photo.



A little older, right after I started suspecting that it was not a pullet.


And then here's a bunch taken just today. He has a fabulous crow to go with his fabulous tail...




As you can see, his comb is quite funky. His brother (who is normally colored) has a normal looking pea comb, but this guy's is interesting. It's not thin like a single comb, but it doesn't have three distinct rows like a pea. I won't be breeding this one, but just wanted to share how he grew up.