Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[HaplessRunner]

Can anyone help sex these 2? I think they ...or one at least...is a Splash Wheaten and the other maybe a Blue Wheaten(the smaller of the two has some blue spots on its shoulder feathers )? They're about 8-9 weeks and were sold as pullets, but now I'm noticing their bellies getting some darker feathering and I think they have 3 rows of peas, legs look about the same size...I don't know if the tail feathers are long or not...I old have two!

We just started putting them alongside the older birds and I really don't want to start the process over if they're both cockerels!


I forgot to mention their combs are pinkening a bit as well...are their any dead give aways for sexing Splash Wheatens?

For that age, the combs in the pictures and in your description seem like cockerels to me. I will defer to others with more experience. Just my impressions.

 

[lonnyandrinda]

Can anyone help sex these 2? I think they ...or one at least...is a Splash Wheaten and the other maybe a Blue Wheaten(the smaller of the two has some blue spots on its shoulder f

I would say the one on top is definitely a male. The other may be a female? But I only have blue and black Ameraucanas I am not familiar with the Wheatens in particular.

 

[pips&peeps]

They look like pullets to me. The best way to determine what color they are is to extend the wing and look at the color of the feathers hidden. Like the pictures below:

 

[NewbeeDoo]

I had NO idea that's how you knew what color they were! Thank you so much for that helpful tid-bit!! If they're Blue Wheaten, will their hidden feathers be blue, Wheaten would look like the picture and what color would Splash Wheaten be...white? Thank you again for the help! I'm learning so much from you all!

They look like pullets to me. The best way to determine what color they are is to extend the wing and look at the color of the feathers hidden. Like the pictures below:

 

[mabhera]

Clare, your points are valid but I will tell you, if I can't come to somebody's place and look at their conditions and birds, I wouldn't buy from them. I don't care who they are. As MCM said above, one can sound like a real know-it-all on the phone but when you see one's set up, facilities, and birds themselves, that can tell you a whole lot more. I've been to quite a few "breeders" places and I can tell you one look at filthy conditions, waterers that look like they've never in their life been cleaned, birds running around with legs swollen with scaly leg mites, etc. sent me looking elsewhere. There are lots of other reasons to personally visit one's farm but anyone can go online or read books and find out all that stuff.

As for Disease - it's not all that hard to take good, effective, and simple precautionary measures. Mainly, ask visitors to not wear their "chicken clothes" when they come and if they come with their work, rubber or other boots that they wear in their chicken yard, just do a good oxine or chlorine foot wash. Moreover, I would submit that one is just as likely to pick up a disease at a show (which isn't all that likely but with the gaining popularity in backyard poultry is becoming increasingly more so because of innocent beginners not knowing better) as it is from someone serious about getting good breeder birds coming to your place.

Asking good questions - and a LOT of them - is definitely something one should be doing. But it can never take the place of seeing the breeders place with your own two eyes.

P.S. I encourage people to come to my place. I want to visit with them, answer their questions, and begin to build a relationship with them. It'll pay off in the future.

God Bless,

When I started to sell birds I used your method because I wanted to be of use to the buyers and answer all their questions. I feat I had nothing to hide so I welcomed all. Most of the buyers were males so that started to worry me. I'm a woman and I live alone. I few months later I was a victim of a thief. I lost many birds and I still wonder if they are ok or ended up in some small cage with no attentions. Finnally I got my order of John Blehm Ameraucanas and they are growing great. My peachick blue weathen rooster and girl are getting near to start breeding. I feel so good about my birds I get scared they can be stolen.They are valuable and I wont be able to replace them again ...this hobby is getting pricey. SO NO....no more people over my house to see the birds. I'm not risking my life or my birds to satisfy some costumers curiosity . I'm am responsable for my and theirs well being. I have evidence about where I got my birds and I can show pictures. If that is not enough for somebody well I'll have to respecfully decline to sell them any. I'd wish him/her good luck in their quest for ameraucanas, point them out directly to John Blemh and hope they are willing to pay what I did so they get their birds directly from my source and maybe they get a chance of seeing his breeding pens .
I cant put the costumers "needs" first than mine or my birds.

BTW when I was robbed I was in such a panic that every time I had to go to work I left my blue weathen amearaucanas in a cage inside my house...even now 6 months later Their cage is hidden under a tree and far away from all my other poultry. My ameraucanas coop has a big lock. I installed security cameras and I still think I can be robbed again.
Is a personal option you make to bring people over. Is your personal risk also.

 

[dak]

When I started to sell birds I used your method because I wanted to be of use to the buyers and answer all their questions. I feat I had nothing to hide so I welcomed all. Most of the buyers were males so that started to worry me. I'm a woman and I live alone. I few months later I was a victim of a thief. I lost many birds and I still wonder if they are ok or ended up in some small cage with no attentions. Finnally I got my order of John Blehm Ameraucanas and they are growing great. My peachick blue weathen rooster and girl are getting near to start breeding. I feel so good about my birds I get scared they can be stolen.They are valuable and I wont be able to replace them again ...this hobby is getting pricey. SO NO....no more people over my house to see the birds. I'm not risking my life or my birds to satisfy some costumers curiosity . I'm am responsable for my and theirs well being. I have evidence about where I got my birds and I can show pictures. If that is not enough for somebody well I'll have to respecfully decline to sell them any. I'd wish him/her good luck in their quest for ameraucanas, point them out directly to John Blemh and hope they are willing to pay what I did so they get their birds directly from my source and maybe they get a chance of seeing his breeding pens .
I cant put the costumers "needs" first than mine or my birds.

BTW when I was robbed I was in such a panic that every time I had to go to work I left my blue weathen amearaucanas in a cage inside my house...even now 6 months later Their cage is hidden under a tree and far away from all my other poultry. My ameraucanas coop has a big lock. I installed security cameras and I still think I can be robbed again.
Is a personal option you make to bring people over. Is your personal risk also.

I see you're in PR, so it must be doubly difficult to obtain good stock. I am pretty sure John B. doesn't allow just anybody onto his property either.

 

[Chicken Love]

Hi there, I'm wondering if it's "legal" to breed a blue splash with a wheaten and have it still be an accepted color. I'm just getting into the wheatens and have only bred blues and blacks before.

Thanks in advance.

 

[islandgal99]

Clare, your points are valid but I will tell you, if I can't come to somebody's place and look at their conditions and birds, I wouldn't buy from them.  I don't care who they are.  As MCM said above, one can sound like a real know-it-all on the phone but when you see one's set up, facilities, and birds themselves, that can tell you a whole lot more.  I've been to quite a few "breeders" places and I can tell you one look at filthy conditions, waterers that look like they've never in their life been cleaned, birds running around with legs swollen with scaly leg mites, etc. sent me looking elsewhere.  There are lots of other reasons to personally visit one's farm but anyone can go online or read books and find out all that stuff.

As for Disease - it's not all that hard to take good, effective, and simple precautionary measures.  Mainly, ask visitors to not wear their "chicken clothes" when they come and if they come with their work, rubber or other boots that they wear in their chicken yard, just do a good oxine or chlorine foot wash.   Moreover, I would submit that one is just as likely to pick up a disease at a show (which isn't all that likely but with the gaining popularity in backyard poultry is becoming increasingly more so because of innocent beginners not knowing better) as it is from someone serious about getting good breeder birds coming to your place. 

Asking good questions - and a LOT of them - is definitely something one should be doing.  But it can never take the place of seeing the breeders place with your own two eyes.

P.S.  I encourage people to come to my place.  I want to visit with them, answer their questions, and begin to build a relationship with them.  It'll pay off in the future.

God Bless,

X2. If I don't get to see them, I don't buy. I don't mind putting on the visiting farm boots or wearing coveralls. And I would never get to meet and learn from people like tailfeathers if they didn't let me on the farm. After being involved with the dog world, I am always suspicious of folks who won't let me see the parents of what they are selling cause it makes me wonder what they are hiding. While I'm all for bio security, to me those precautions doesn't mean no visitors, only better prepared and sanitized visitors. And I have dogs to keep the thieves away. 3 seconds to get to the fence.

 

[CibolaChooks]

Breeding coops.jpg (940×768) Chick Hatchery offering the best day-old chicks

hey everyone this is a picture from chick hatchery John Blehm hatchery. Now hes one of the very best but when i look at this pic i see his pens numbered 19 and 22 has wheaten males in them. Is it normal practice to also breed the wheaten males back to black hens.

Im new to the wheatens, can you breed them to a black hen just like you breed allot of lines back to black. the reason i ask and what maid me notice johns photo is I lost all my wheatens to coyotes except for two roos a blue wheaten and a reg wheaten. I have a few black pullets left and Possibly one blue pullet. Whats the hatch ratio and color when you breed the wheaten male to a black hen. And what do you get when you breed one back to a blue.

 

[sandiklaws]

When I started to sell birds I used your method because I wanted to be of use to the buyers and answer all their questions. I feat I had nothing to hide so I welcomed all. Most of the buyers were males so that started to worry me. I'm a woman and I live alone. I few months later I was a victim of a thief. I lost many birds and I still wonder if they are ok or ended up in some small cage with no attentions. Finnally I got my order of John Blehm Ameraucanas and they are growing great. My peachick blue weathen rooster and girl are getting near to start breeding. I feel so good about my birds I get scared they can be stolen.They are valuable and I wont be able to replace them again ...this hobby is getting pricey. SO NO....no more people over my house to see the birds. I'm not risking my life or my birds to satisfy some costumers curiosity . I'm am responsable for my and theirs well being. I have evidence about where I got my birds and I can show pictures. If that is not enough for somebody well I'll have to respecfully decline to sell them any. I'd wish him/her good luck in their quest for ameraucanas, point them out directly to John Blemh and hope they are willing to pay what I did so they get their birds directly from my source and maybe they get a chance of seeing his breeding pens .
I cant put the costumers "needs" first than mine or my birds.

BTW when I was robbed I was in such a panic that every time I had to go to work I left my blue weathen amearaucanas in a cage inside my house...even now 6 months later Their cage is hidden under a tree and far away from all my other poultry. My ameraucanas coop has a big lock. I installed security cameras and I still think I can be robbed again.
Is a personal option you make to bring people over. Is your personal risk also.

Time to get a couple big LSG dogs