Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[LaPoulet]

I see mstrawn3 viewing. Max, is that you? I'd love to see you start posting here. Miss Ameraucana is growing out a bunch of your chicks right now, and she's not shy about posting pictures

 

[LaPoulet]

I see mstrawn3 viewing. Max, is that you? I'd love to see you start posting here. Miss Ameraucana is growing out a bunch of your chicks right now, and she's not shy about posting pictures

I got them from Max Strawn in Texas.

 

[DnDFarm]

I got them from Max Strawn in Texas.

Nice!

 

[StarMeKritten]

Are they really hard to handle? I'm hoping to add silvers next year but personality is important to me. I really like the color on the hens.

Overall the Ameraucana breed is a docile one, but within the breed my experience has been that buffs are the most docile and silvers the least (or the flightiest).  None are generally hard to handle, but my chickens are only caught and handled when needed.  There are some folks that are more into exhibition and handle their birds often to make them even more docile for show. 
The genes play a role and then environment does also when it comes to temperment. 

I got silvers from fowlstuff last spring and they were a little flighty as chicks, but as adults they come running to me..I can pick most of them up in the yard and I don't treat them as pets...

I'm a little surprised to hear that the silvers tend to be flightier. I have mine in the brooder with wyandottes and a few Silkies and the silver ameraucanas are actually the friendliest of the bunch. They are always the first to greet me and fly up on my hands. When I try to take chick photos, they are always the ones jumping up in front of my camera to investigate while the others run and hide. They really crack me up. I'm loving their personalities.

Hello Amanda! Welcome to BYC 

I live in berks county and have purchased layers from Pickering several times in the past. As much as I love the store, the Ams they sell are in fact, Easter eggers. Regardless, I loved all my hens from them! They were all fabulous layers and the egg color one them was gorgeous. If I can find any pics of them, I'll post them! In the meantime, if you're looking for true Ameraucanas, I can help you out connecting you with local breeders in the area. 

I love Berks county. I lived there for almost 10 years...

 

[FowlStuff]

I'm a little surprised to hear that the silvers tend to be flightier. I have mine in the brooder with wyandottes and a few Silkies and the silver ameraucanas are actually the friendliest of the bunch. They are always the first to greet me and fly up on my hands. When I try to take chick photos, they are always the ones jumping up in front of my camera to investigate while the others run and hide. They really crack me up. I'm loving their personalities.
I love Berks county. I lived there for almost 10 years...

Just goes to show you how extra docile the other varieties of Ameraucana are.

 

[StarMeKritten]

Just goes to show you how extra docile the other varieties of Ameraucana are.

Very true!

 

[Saris]

I saw some veins on a day 4 candle in my Lav and Choc eggs! Oh I'm so stoked!!!!

 

[DnDFarm]

Just goes to show you how extra docile the other varieties of Ameraucana are.

One thing I found out, quite by accident, is that a grow out pen works wonders for taming juveniles. With my new breeder quality flocks, I had to build two 6x12 grow out pens to hold them until I culled or moved them to the big pens. Chicks have been hand tame in the house, then would get very flighty in the outdoor brooders. Growing them out in the smaller pens has given them room to not feel threatened, but not so much that they can run away. They learn quickly where their food and water is coming from, and there is room for me to sit with them. After 3 or 4 weeks, I'm shooing them out from under my feet, and several are perching on me. I know a lot of you have very tame birds, but I haven't had birds this calm since I only had 4

 

[marchick]

I just thought I would post a couple pictures. They have filled out since my last posting. I am not sure how old they are! The hens from that batch have been laying about a month.

 

[LaPoulet]

I just thought I would post a couple pictures. They have filled out since my last posting. I am not sure how old they are! The hens from that batch have been laying about a month.

They are beautiful!