Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[PapaChaz]

It may or may not work, but pinless peepers might be a solution. I have them here and sometimes use them in my grow out pen when I notice a beard and muff picker.

what's a pinless peeper?

admitting total ignorance on this one, HAHA

 

[johnderosa1]

Good morning I was told my baby is an Ameracauna ..... but after all my reading I wonder if she really is ... or an Easter Egger (I read it's not common to get Ameracaunas). My Gerty is 2 weeks old ... has tufts by her ears but no collar of feathers. Can you tell by looking at her if she is a true Ameracauna? Or do I have to wait until she starts laying eggs to really find out?

Please note that egg color doesn't make a chicken an ameraucana... They have to meet breed standards and colors as defined in the SOPs... + have to breed true to type and color at least 50% of the time + lay blue(ish) eggs. An ee on the other hand is usually a mix of different breeds that typically lay blue(less often) or green (more typical) eggs. The cool thing about easter eggers is you never know quite what they will look like as adults. The most beautiful chicken I've ever had was an easter egger... She looked like a golden pheasant. Just stunning.

 

[PapaChaz]

Please note that egg color doesn't make a chicken an ameraucana... They have to meet breed standards and colors as defined in the SOPs... + have to breed true to type and color at least 50% of the time + lay blue(ish) eggs. An ee on the other hand is usually a mix of different breeds that typically lay blue(less often) or green (more typical) eggs. The cool thing about easter eggers is you never know quite what they will look like as adults. The most beautiful chicken I've ever had was an easter egger... She looked like a golden pheasant. Just stunning.

totally agree, just because a hen lays a blue egg doesn't completely mean it's an ameraucana. I didn't mean to imply that at all. However, if it's eggs aren't blue, regardless of everything else, then it doesn't meet the standards as set by the APA.

I also agree with your last sentence. I wonder if it's BECAUSE of the varied bloodlines and genetics they carry that can give them spectacular coloring

 

[dstokely]

It may or may not work, but pinless peepers might be a solution. I have them here and sometimes use them in my grow out pen when I notice a beard and muff picker.

I just put my #1 perpetrator in a cage as I caught her in the act as I went to gather my eggs for the 4th time today(already)! She will be going in there from the early morning feedings until time to free range as they are pretty much through laying by then. She lays a beautiful blue egg and these were my first AMs, which of course were EEs. All the AMs are fine, which is wonderful news.

 

[PapaChaz]

I just put my #1 perpetrator in a cage as I caught her in the act as I went to gather my eggs for the 4th time today(already)! She will be going in there from the early morning feedings until time to free range as they are pretty much through laying by then. She lays a beautiful blue egg and these were my first AMs, which of course were EEs. All the AMs are fine, which is wonderful news.

always good to catch em in the act so you know for sure which it is

 

[Sylvester017]

oh I know, and for me, the most readily recognizable feature is the beard and the legs. feather color can change as they age, well somewhat anyway, and of course months pass before we get to see egg color.......and not to rehash what went on for 3 or 4 pages, LOL, but the official 'definition' says 'blue eggs' no mention of green

Many actual Ameraucana breeders say that usually their eggs are pale (or light sky) blue and some have said their birds have layed the bluish eggs w/ somewhat greenish tint to them. Of course pure blue is the ideal but many breeders have honestly stated that some of their "pure" breeds have given them bluish-green eggs. What I used for comparison between an APA Ameraucana egg from my birds and matched them with a friend's EE eggs the Ameraucanas were definitely more bluish than the more greenish-bluish of the EE eggs. Remember that SOP standards are the "ideal" but breeders can experience many of their stock not quite meeting the SOP and cull them. You'll often read breeders who will state they are not happy with egg color and only select the blue-est layers for their breeding pens. So if you get a purebred APA Ameraucana you will get bluer eggs than from an EE but that's not to say an EE cannot also lay as blue an egg as an Ameraucana - it's just not that common with EEs. I believe Whitmore Farms who raise the BBS Ameraucanas honestly admitted his Amer eggs are more bluish-greenish than actual blue but I personally think breeders are very hard on themselves re egg color but that's what makes breeding for SOP such a hobby challenge.

 

[Sylvester017]

I should be so lucky to be one of your chickens. I appreciate your approach, but I have dogs, cats, horses and cattle(70) along with my chickens, vegetable & flower gardens. My husband and I, both retired, are the caretakers. Most of my horses, dogs & kitties are rescue and while they are well provided for, there are no chef prepared meals. Not for my husband either, unless he does the cooking.

Yeah, I'm retired also. Having been raised on a farm as a kid I had to curb the urge to have too many animals and dutifully only got the 5 allowed hens for our yard. Sounds like you have way more livestock than I would care to tackle even if I had the room - been there done that. Kudos for doing the rescues when you have the facilities for it. Too many mistreated unwanted animals in the world and being good stewards of the animal kingdom is commendable! Our hens are more pets than utility so we do pamper and fuss over them but we're not sorry to do it plus it entertains us more than cable TV which we haven't had since we got chickens 4 yrs ago - lol!

 

[dstokely]

Yeah, I'm retired also. Having been raised on a farm as a kid I had to curb the urge to have too many animals and dutifully only got the 5 allowed hens for our yard. Sounds like you have way more livestock than I would care to tackle even if I had the room - been there done that. Kudos for doing the rescues when you have the facilities for it. Too many mistreated unwanted animals in the world and being good stewards of the animal kingdom is commendable! Our hens are more pets than utility so we do pamper and fuss over them but we're not sorry to do it plus it entertains us more than cable TV which we haven't had since we got chickens 4 yrs ago - lol!

The cattle was a business since we bought the farm first. We are slowly cutting down. The horses came one by one, then two by two until I said no. It finally dawned on me that when I'm in my 80's, some will still be with me. We live in a small county with no rescue options for them. Dogs are my love and so are the chickens! I give away most of my eggs to people that could use the help. My Ameracaunas are a bonus to me. Absolutely love them. People love to get the blue eggs with the brown. I would love to get some 4H kids interested in the breed and show in the fair. Maybe next year.

 

[Sylvester017]

The cattle was a business since we bought the farm first. We are slowly cutting down. The horses came one by one, then two by two until I said no. It finally dawned on me that when I'm in my 80's, some will still be with me. We live in a small county with no rescue options for them. Dogs are my love and so are the chickens! I give away most of my eggs to people that could use the help. My Ameracaunas are a bonus to me. Absolutely love them. People love to get the blue eggs with the brown. I would love to get some 4H kids interested in the breed and show in the fair. Maybe next year.

Nowadays (and even during my folks' 1940s farm days) self-sustaining isn't all it's cracked up to be. Eventually the folks sold off the livestock and let the orchards go fallow when they found they were putting more money into the farm then what they were getting back. There was no such thing as "breaking even" and I knew that when I went into chickens 4 yrs ago. I guess that's why raising animals is called a "hobby" and not for profit. Between housing, coop accessory necessities, security, feed, treats, toys, health maintenance products, vet bills, etc. there is no way our 5 hens will ever pay back enough in eggs. I chuckle when I see ppl wanting to sell eggs to "pay" for their chicken investment. I say GL and more power to you if you ever figure how to do that profitably!

Wonderful to get involved with kids. I substituted a class once with kids and 18 years later was not only teaching them but sponsoring their clubs and road trips! They grab your heart and never let go - lol !

 

[PapaChaz]

Many actual Ameraucana breeders say that usually their eggs are pale (or light sky) blue and some have said their birds have layed the bluish eggs w/ somewhat greenish tint to them. Of course pure blue is the ideal but many breeders have honestly stated that some of their "pure" breeds have given them bluish-green eggs. What I used for comparison between an APA Ameraucana egg from my birds and matched them with a friend's EE eggs the Ameraucanas were definitely more bluish than the more greenish-bluish of the EE eggs. Remember that SOP standards are the "ideal" but breeders can experience many of their stock not quite meeting the SOP and cull them. You'll often read breeders who will state they are not happy with egg color and only select the blue-est layers for their breeding pens. So if you get a purebred APA Ameraucana you will get bluer eggs than from an EE but that's not to say an EE cannot also lay as blue an egg as an Ameraucana - it's just not that common with EEs. I believe Whitmore Farms who raise the BBS Ameraucanas honestly admitted his Amer eggs are more bluish-greenish than actual blue but I personally think breeders are very hard on themselves re egg color but that's what makes breeding for SOP such a hobby challenge.

thanks for the info! I'm always up for learning something new. and will be the first to admit I know I'm not the smartest feller in the world. I think I said it a few posts back, but I really hope at least one of my hens DOES give me eggs that are a little on the 'greenish tinted' side of the color chart!