Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[Miss Ameraucana]

Here's another pic of the darker female, that's mud on her beak.

 

[Miss Ameraucana]

Lastly, I've thought this was a boy. But it's always been more sweet and gentler than the boys so it's not the first time I've wondered.if it's a girl ..the comb is not quite the same as the boys. I don't see 3 rows when looking head on. What do you all think?

 

[Sylvester017]

Our very sweet Blue Wheaten Ameraucana (my avatar as a 5-mo pullet) turned 3-yrs-old recently and after not laying for 7 months started laying her pastel blue eggs again. But our sweet timid girl has turned into an aggressive witch these past couple weeks. She's been picking feather-ripping fights with our littlest Silkie and hassling her in the coop -- the little Silkie tried to defend herself but now cowers from her. Then the Amer started pecking at our youngest bird -- a 11/2 yr old Breda.

We've been teetering on the fence to keep the Amer because she's been a sweet non-combative flockmate for 3 yrs but suddenly she is such a pill we're afraid she'll injure one of the others and that her meanness will be contagious with the flock. I was willing to keep her while she was a sweet flockmate in spite of poor production but now we're afraid she'll be too aggressive -- she's our largest chicken. We lined up a home for her with friends who lost 3 birds to a stray dog and they have 2 EEs left after that attack. They've reinforced their coop/run after the dog attack and are happy to take her since Amers and EEs are so similar. They don't mind that our Amer is not a prolific layer since they are accustomed to the sporadic laying pattern of their own EEs. I'm so thrilled that she will have flockmates of her own kind -- she seemed like an odd loner in our flock.

We had a White Leghorn that was a sweetie for 3 yrs and after her 3rd year she started being aggressive toward her flockmates that we decided to re-home her with a friend's egg-layer flock where she quickly worked her way to alpha. What is it with the number 3-yrs that large fowl start showing their aggressive nature? Our old Silkie bantams don't bother anyone.

 

[EastNashChick]

Our very sweet Blue Wheaten Ameraucana (my avatar as a 5-mo pullet) turned 3-yrs-old recently and after not laying for 7 months started laying her pastel blue eggs again.  But our sweet timid girl has turned into an aggressive witch these past couple weeks.  She's been picking feather-ripping fights with our littlest Silkie and hassling her in the coop -- the little Silkie tried to defend herself but now cowers from her.  Then the Amer started pecking at our youngest bird -- a 1[SUP]1/2[/SUP] yr old Breda. 

We've been teetering on the fence to keep the Amer because she's been a sweet non-combative flockmate for 3 yrs but suddenly she is such a pill we're afraid she'll injure one of the others and that her meanness will be contagious with the flock.  I was willing to keep her while she was a sweet flockmate in spite of poor production but now we're afraid she'll be too aggressive -- she's our largest chicken.  We lined up a home for her with friends who lost 3 birds to a stray dog and they have 2 EEs left after that attack.  They've reinforced their coop/run after the dog attack and are happy to take her since Amers and EEs are so similar.  They don't mind that our Amer is not a prolific layer since they are accustomed to the sporadic laying pattern of their own EEs.  I'm so thrilled that she will have flockmates of her own kind -- she seemed like an odd loner in our flock. 

We had a White Leghorn that was a sweetie for 3 yrs and after her 3rd year she started being aggressive toward her flockmates that we decided to re-home her with a friend's egg-layer flock where she quickly worked her way to alpha.  What is it with the number 3-yrs that large fowl start showing their aggressive nature?  Our old Silkie bantams don't bother anyone.

I don't know. my girls are coming up on two years and haven't seen that type of behavior. I know the pecking order adjusts with every new bird addition. If anyone else has experience with this issue I would love to hear!

 

[MrsBachbach]

Here's another pic of the darker female, that's mud on her beak.

You can't tell just by looking at them that way. You need to spread their wings or tip their rear up and look at underside of tail feathers. Grayish color in tail or wings is blue, black is wheaten. Later, when they mature, the color should show through on the tail area if they are well colored.

 

[MrsBachbach]

Lastly, I've thought this was a boy. But it's always been more sweet and gentler than the boys so it's not the first time I've wondered.if it's a girl ..the comb is not quite the same as the boys. I don't see 3 rows when looking head on. What do you all think?

Looks male. I think you have a gentle male.

 

[MrsBachbach]

Our very sweet Blue Wheaten Ameraucana (my avatar as a 5-mo pullet) turned 3-yrs-old recently and after not laying for 7 months started laying her pastel blue eggs again. But our sweet timid girl has turned into an aggressive witch these past couple weeks. She's been picking feather-ripping fights with our littlest Silkie and hassling her in the coop -- the little Silkie tried to defend herself but now cowers from her. Then the Amer started pecking at our youngest bird -- a 11/2 yr old Breda.

We've been teetering on the fence to keep the Amer because she's been a sweet non-combative flockmate for 3 yrs but suddenly she is such a pill we're afraid she'll injure one of the others and that her meanness will be contagious with the flock. I was willing to keep her while she was a sweet flockmate in spite of poor production but now we're afraid she'll be too aggressive -- she's our largest chicken. We lined up a home for her with friends who lost 3 birds to a stray dog and they have 2 EEs left after that attack. They've reinforced their coop/run after the dog attack and are happy to take her since Amers and EEs are so similar. They don't mind that our Amer is not a prolific layer since they are accustomed to the sporadic laying pattern of their own EEs. I'm so thrilled that she will have flockmates of her own kind -- she seemed like an odd loner in our flock.

We had a White Leghorn that was a sweetie for 3 yrs and after her 3rd year she started being aggressive toward her flockmates that we decided to re-home her with a friend's egg-layer flock where she quickly worked her way to alpha. What is it with the number 3-yrs that large fowl start showing their aggressive nature? Our old Silkie bantams don't bother anyone.

I have 3yr olds and they are the same as they have always been. I imagine once I introduce the younger ones there will be some fighting breaking out. Even birds that have been together, then moved to another pen for one reason or another, will fight again once re-introduced. Or if one disappears and new pecking order will play out. I think her problem is your younger ones challenged her in some form not apparent to you. After years on the bottom (or she may not have been) or not being challenged, she was challenged or wanted to be on top. It's normal chicken behavior that sometimes takes a few weeks to play out. I don't think it has anything to do with their age. It's circumstances, or lines, just as the egg laying issue. Circumstances were unfavorable.

 

[Miss Ameraucana]

You can't tell just by looking at them that way.  You need to spread their wings or tip their rear up and look at underside of tail feathers.  Grayish color in tail or wings is blue, black is wheaten.  Later, when they mature, the color should show through on the tail area if they are well colored.

Looks male.  I think you have a gentle male.

Thanks MrsBachbach

 

[twinsmom6]

so when I got them they said ameraucanas - but I am told they are easter eggers..
how would I know?

 

[junebuggena]

so when I got them they said ameraucanas - but I am told they are easter eggers..
how would I know?

The yellow skin of the feet/legs and the non standard down color.