Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[Chicken5555]

Have any of you guys fed your chickens soldier fly larvae? My husband wants to farm them and I've been grossed out about the idea, but then my kids found a slue of them in the rabbit droppings under their hutch. They dug out a a couple of coffee cans full and the dumped the wriggly things in the coop. The chickens went CRAZY!!! Looks like nature made my decision for me about the soldier fly larvae project after all.

 

[Chicken5555]

It's pouring down rain and I let the chickens out of their coop. Instead of staying in the dry coop, hey stood in soaking rain. I have never had chickens do that. Most run for cover. After a half hour or so, I had to force them back into the coop.
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My free-rangers (for some odd reason) seem to prefer being in the rain. They have shelter. Who knows.

 

[pamperedamber]

Thank you so much for all the information! I will be doing a lot of research on those that are listed as breeders from the two Ameraucana sites and then select the ones we will purchase from. My kids want self-blues and I want blues. so we will be building two more coops and runs so we can keep the colors separate from our mixed flock. We are so excited for the adventure to come and next years fairs. WE are just starting out in the 4H for my 7 and 5 year old. We love our chickens. We currently have one Blue Ameraucana that we will be putting in for a show but I know that she will not place as she has some gold leaking through but I am going to let my daughter show her while we wait patiently for better stock to come our way.

 

[samouw]

Thank you so much for all the information! I will be doing a lot of research on those that are listed as breeders from the two Ameraucana sites and then select the ones we will purchase from. My kids want self-blues and I want blues. so we will be building two more coops and runs so we can keep the colors separate from our mixed flock. We are so excited for the adventure to come and next years fairs. WE are just starting out in the 4H for my 7 and 5 year old. We love our chickens. We currently have one Blue Ameraucana that we will be putting in for a show but I know that she will not place as she has some gold leaking through but I am going to let my daughter show her while we wait patiently for better stock to come our way.

Sounds like you're on the right track! Good luck with your search and with the fairs next year.

 

[FowlStuff]

My free-rangers (for some odd reason) seem to prefer being in the rain. They have shelter. Who knows.

From my experience wet chickens are the most likely to become sick chickens. I'm not just talking about rain soaked or bathed, but those with wet or moist bedding. Last year I put roofing over all my outside pens to help eliminate mud puddles and such. You'll find dry climates are recommended for chickens and the closer you replicate that environment, for your birds, the healthier they will be. MG, CRD, Coryza and many other diseases seem to pop up when chickens get wet and cold at the same time. A change in weather can cause stress and that can lead to sick chickens. Mosquitoes and waterfowl carry some viruses that chickens are susceptible to and both carriers love water.

 

[speckledhen]

From my experience wet chickens are the most likely to become sick chickens. I'm not just talking about rain soaked or bathed, but those with wet or moist bedding. Last year I put roofing over all my outside pens to help eliminate mud puddles and such. You'll find dry climates are recommended for chickens and the closer you replicate that environment, for your birds, the healthier they will be. MG, CRD, Coryza and many other diseases seem to pop up when chickens get wet and cold at the same time. A change in weather can cause stress and that can lead to sick chickens. Mosquitoes and waterfowl carry some viruses that chickens are susceptible to and both carriers love water.

Yup, I agree. One reason I don't let mine just stay out in the rain is that they bring wet into the coop if they're not completely dry when they go back inside. The worst thing in the world for chickens is a damp interior environment, which breeds pests, mold and adds to ammonia build-up. They can get pneumonia, too, if it's cold or they get soaked to the bone.

 

[Chicken5555]

From my experience wet chickens are the most likely to become sick chickens. I'm not just talking about rain soaked or bathed, but those with wet or moist bedding. Last year I put roofing over all my outside pens to help eliminate mud puddles and such. You'll find dry climates are recommended for chickens and the closer you replicate that environment, for your birds, the healthier they will be. MG, CRD, Coryza and many other diseases seem to pop up when chickens get wet and cold at the same time. A change in weather can cause stress and that can lead to sick chickens. Mosquitoes and waterfowl carry some viruses that chickens are susceptible to and both carriers love water.

Yup, I agree. One reason I don't let mine just stay out in the rain is that they bring wet into the coop if they're not completely dry when they go back inside. The worst thing in the world for chickens is a damp interior environment, which breeds pests, mold and adds to ammonia build-up. They can get pneumonia, too, if it's cold or they get soaked to the bone.

Thank you so much for that info!! I honestly didn't know. All of my girls and the boys that stay with them have a dry enclosed space in their coop/run, it's just the four olive egger boys that are the "free-rangers". I'll have to do something about the four boys that are out and about.

 

[junebuggena]

My birds get to choose if they go in the rain or not. They do just fine. Most of the time, if they need shelter, they will find it.

 

[jenniferlamar70]

My birds get to choose if they go in the rain or not. They do just fine. Most of the time, if they need shelter, they will find it.

X2

 

[FowlStuff]

Thank you so much for that info!! I honestly didn't know. All of my girls and the boys that stay with them have a dry enclosed space in their coop/run, it's just the four olive egger boys that are the "free-rangers". I'll have to do something about the four boys that are out and about.

I've read before about an area in Africa with one of the most idea climates for chickens. If you study the housing for large commercial chicken operations you'll find temperature, humidity and ventilation pretty much in that order as the main concerns and of course there are reasons with all the $ involved.