Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[Jasper_899]

Hello, I have been lurking on this thread for a while and have learned so much about ameraucanas. I have been in love with the breed for a few years now, but never had the money to get some nice birds where I live. Not many breeders in AK and shipping eggs is a huge risk. I finally got some young started birds from a breeder and was also fortunate enough to find a back yard breeder about 300 miles from where I live who has wheatens and blue wheatens.

I was skeptical on the wheatens, but the pictures looked pure. I ended up with a wheaten cockerel and two blue wheaten pullets. From most of the information I have gathered, wheatens tend to be a little difficult to breed.
I was planning on just sticking with BBS, but this trio looks somewhat promising in my opinion.
I wanted to get the opinion of some of you ameraucana experts out there.

We just had a APA judge for our local fair and she said my birds aren't too bad. She especially liked the lighter blue wheaten pullet.
I would like to see what you all think of these three before I post my BBS since they all look identical right now.

Here is the cockerel a few days after picking him up:



And here he is during the show:


I'm not sure on his age, but I'm going to guess he is somewhere around 4-5 months. His beard has just started turning black and started crowing 3 days ago.

And now for the pullets:



Number 2:




Any and all honest opinions would be great! I have so much to learn, but I feel like I am starting to understand a little better.
Thank you!

 

[Angelicisi]

Beautiful birds! I just started on the wheatans...I love them! Good luck, welcome and keep us updated Do you have eggs yet?

Hello, I have been lurking on this thread for a while and have learned so much about ameraucanas. I have been in love with the breed for a few years now, but never had the money to get some nice birds where I live. Not many breeders in AK and shipping eggs is a huge risk. I finally got some young started birds from a breeder and was also fortunate enough to find a back yard breeder about 300 miles from where I live who has wheatens and blue wheatens. I was skeptical on the wheatens, but the pictures looked pure. I ended up with a wheaten cockerel and two blue wheaten pullets. From most of the information I have gathered, wheatens tend to be a little difficult to breed. I was planning on just sticking with BBS, but this trio looks somewhat promising in my opinion. I wanted to get the opinion of some of you ameraucana experts out there. We just had a APA judge for our local fair and she said my birds aren't too bad. She especially liked the lighter blue wheaten pullet. I would like to see what you all think of these three before I post my BBS since they all look identical right now. Here is the cockerel a few days after picking him up: And here he is during the show: I'm not sure on his age, but I'm going to guess he is somewhere around 4-5 months. His beard has just started turning black and started crowing 3 days ago. And now for the pullets: Number 2: Any and all honest opinions would be great! I have so much to learn, but I feel like I am starting to understand a little better. Thank you!

 

[Alaskan]

Oh wow! They are wonderful!

Have you ever found a list of breeders in AK?

I am planning to buy chicks from Duane Urch next spring......I was going to get three breeds, standard sized Dominique, and Hamburg, and bantam Wheaten Ameraucana

 

[jerryse]

Here's the blue Wheaten cockerel I was discussing earlier. He was hatched April 1 and the pictures were taken today.

I think he is a really nice bird. His blue color is gorgeous and the lacing is really, really pretty. I don't know if that shows up in the pictures below.

I spent some time looking at him today and have a few concerns. First problem is his comb.

I notice he has red/orange in the blue feathers of his chest and his fluff or stern.

He has a lot of black striping in his hackle feathers, but it seems the new feathers replacing those old feathers have little or no black striping. You can see on the comb shot, he has almost no black striped feathers. He seems to be losing the black-striped feathers from his head down. Does he have a correct shade of red/orange on his head? Should that color extend all the way down his neck?

You can't see it in these pictures, but his tail set is (I think) slightly high. Definitely not a squirrel tail, but I don't think it is correct.

His feathering is kind of ratty, but I think he is molting.

He was not at all happy being photographed in my sun room and was almost overheated when I brought him inside, so he had every reason to not be thrilled with me. That said, he is not as "nice" a temperament as the blue bird that I've sent pictures of to the group.

I have no intention of breeding Wheatens. If he were a special bird, I would raise him up and try to find him a home with a breeder. Otherwise, he goes to freezer camp. I just don't want to send a spectacular individual to freezer camp because I can't see it.

Thanks for any comments.

I think you found enough issues to say he is not a special bird.In spite of his flaws he is a nice looking bird.

 

[jajeanpierre]

I think you found enough issues to say he is not a special bird.In spite of his flaws he is a nice looking bird.

I'm really nit picky. How bad is his comb? Is that orange color in his chest and fluff/stern considered "leakage"? How serious a fault is it? I won't feel guilty sending him to freezer camp. He's a really nice looking bird and his blue with the beautiful lacing is really lovely. Next, I'll go through the two wheaten cockerels I have. One is so gawd awful ugly--he reminds me of a wilderbeast, lol! Thanks for your comments. I sent pictures of the blue cockerel to the breeder, Paul Smith, and he thought he was a nice bird at this stage, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[Quechicks]

Good morning everyone. New on byc. I live in Quebec and raise Chantecler Silkies and Améraucana. I hatched my first eggs last marsh and got my girst aneraucan chicks...a bkack pullet the father was lavander et the mither was black. She is (in my opinion ;-)) the most beautiful bird jhahaha but honestly I would like to have your opinion since I would like to show here but don't want to look stupid if she has a "big" default. Doesn't look like it regarding the SOP but Since it is in English I could have miss sometings...

Thanks for your help...

Isabelle

 

[jerryse]

I'm really nit picky. How bad is his comb? Is that orange color in his chest and fluff/stern considered "leakage"? How serious a fault is it? I won't feel guilty sending him to freezer camp. He's a really nice looking bird and his blue with the beautiful lacing is really lovely. Next, I'll go through the two wheaten cockerels I have. One is so gawd awful ugly--he reminds me of a wilderbeast, lol! Thanks for your comments. I sent pictures of the blue cockerel to the breeder, Paul Smith, and he thought he was a nice bird at this stage, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

The comb is really not bad.I would probably have missed it as it is not crocked in the usual way. I do not have much experience with the wheaten colors.

 

[ChickNmamma]

Good morning everyone. New on byc. I live in Quebec and raise Chantecler Silkies and Améraucana. I hatched my first eggs last marsh and got my girst aneraucan chicks...a bkack pullet the father was lavander et the mither was black. She is (in my opinion ;-)) the most beautiful bird jhahaha but honestly I would like to have your opinion since I would like to show here but don't want to look stupid if she has a "big" default. Doesn't look like it regarding the SOP but Since it is in English I could have miss sometings...

Thanks for your help...

Isabelle

Pretty girl, Isabella. Your bird would be called a "Split" genetically (Split to lavender, carries one copy of the gene and can produce Lavender chicks when crossed to another Split or a Lavender), but you can show her as a Black because that is what she looks like. Love her fluffy face!

 

[jajeanpierre]

Is it possible to get a cockerel into show condition while still allowing him to free range? He's a blue, so is suspect sun bleaching would rule that out. I'm in Texas and am aiming for shows after October.

I've just started free ranging them. My pit bull-type dog has been really good with them. The mini Dachshunds, after a killing spree while in the care of my son while I was on vacation, are leaving them alone. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that the cockerels are so much bigger than the little Dachshunds now. (Dachshunds are not outside without supervision when the chickens are out.) I've been letting my parrots out to fly while I take care of the chickens in the morning. The macaws are excellent at alerting to avian predators. Between the macaws and the big dog, the chickens are probably reasonably safe outside. The macaws have been quite interested in the chickens. I had been hoping to be able to house the chickens in the aviaries so they could clean up the very expensive organic parrot food that the parrots throw on the ground. The other day, the big scarlet macaw went to ground near the chickens. Two of the cockerels (4.5 months old) fluffed up their hackles and flew at the bird. It was pretty funny. Not sure how safe any of the birds will be if housed together.

 

[Quechicks]

Thank you. The picture doesn't give her justice. She has a lot of green...well I guess I will bring her to shows..yahooo.

Jerryse...about the comb...is it ok or not. I'm not sure I understand it right ;-)