Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[NNYchick]

Looks like 4 males to me... just that second from the left is maybe a splash

I would be good with a splash wheaten cockerel because I love the color. The breeder I bought eggs from said no chance of splash as she only keeps wheaten cocks over wheaten and blue wheaten hens.
My daughter named this one pumpkin because it’s so sweet and the name can go boy or girl

 

[Finnie]

I am just seeing this thread pop up for first time here in it. I ordered a Blue Ameraucana from Meyers, she came splash tho. I named her Violet. She is so petite. I love her! Are they a super broody breed? She is thinking about it but I haven't decided whether or not if I want to let her sit. Are they good first time chick moms?

My two Buff Ameraucanas were very broody. My way of breaking them is to ignore them until I have eggs in the incubator ready to go into lockdown, and give some to the broody instead. They were very good mothers.

 

[CrisAnderson27]

Quick question on colors!

These chicks are just under three weeks old. The breeder has BBS and SB pens. These were all supposed to have been BBS. I've never hatched nor had Ameraucana, so I'm curious what your experience might be with early coloring. I believe I have one black, two splash, at least one (maybe two) blues...and then there's some I'm not sure of lol.

I've got a few pictures here for you guys to judge.

This is Ace. He's one I'm uncertain on as far as color. He has NO lacing at all. Just beautiful, oddly almost iridescent...powder blue/grey feathers...fading to yellow on his head.

Next up is Halloween, which I'm assuming is black.

Here is Lady. She's definitely splash. Her and one other I believe is male are already showing spots. She's FAR more feathered in than he is. Feather color is a very slightly yellowed white...with that pretty powdery iridescence to it.

This is Sparrow. She's a complete sweetheart. Her feathers are a darker shade of grey/blue than Ace, by a couple shades. She doesn't seem to have much in the way of noticeable lacing, so I'm not sure what to think. I'm pretty sure she's a blue though:

This is Blue. He's a fairly dark shade...but doesn't really seem to show much if any lacing either:

And this is Crash. I named him that because he was the smallest and most clumsy of the hatch. He didn't move much, and had pasty butt from the first week until a few days ago. Seems 100% now! He's pretty much the exact same color as Ace...just less developed.

Any color help would be wonderful!! Also, sexing would be nice but I think I have that down .

 

[lesliemrr]

I have no answers for you, just another question. Can early more developed tail feathers be used for sexing? like between Lady and Ace or Halloween' ?
Thank you!

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

Lady looks a lot like this extra chick in an order from Cackle I got with their EEs and several other breeds we ordered for fun, (not saying your chick is EE) from day one this chick has looked different than the other EEs, so we have gone back and forth on if Cackle threw me one of their purebred chicks instead... I doubt she is an Ameraucana Ameraucana, probably just hopeful thinking... ... just probably a really nice looking EE. Eventually the plan is to get hatching eggs from SOP Ameraucana breeder or ordering Cackles Ameraucanas to see how they compare to SOP and their EEs and Ideal Non SOP Ameraucanas. They have several colors last time I checked. I can say having had another old pre SOP line of Ameraucanas from McMurray, now Ideals and now their chicks... their EEs are very different in many ways... I am guessing they have been breeding SOP Ameraucana into their EE line... but who knows. The Cackle chicks surprised me in many ways compared to what I expected from previous purchases with other Hatcheries...

Question folks: What’s the age of the longest living SOP Ameraucana any one has or has had?

Just curious.

 

[NNYchick]

Almost 8 weeks old now. They are so friendly. I ended up with 3 cockerels and 5 pullets. Now I just needs my husbands back to heal so we can get the run finished.

 

[CrisAnderson27]

I have no answers for you, just another question. Can early more developed tail feathers be used for sexing? like between Lady and Ace or Halloween' ?
Thank you!

I don't know...some say they can, some say they can't. The most reasonable thing I've heard is that some are OBVIOUSLY female (Lady, Sparrow), and others are ABSOLUTELY male (Blue). The others in the middle can fall either way lol.

I'm about to find out though lol.

Lady looks a lot like this extra chick in an order from Cackle I got with their EEs and several other breeds we ordered for fun, (not saying your chick is EE) from day one this chick has looked different than the other EEs, so we have gone back and forth on if Cackle threw me one of their purebred chicks instead... I doubt she is an Ameraucana Ameraucana, probably just hopeful thinking... ... just probably a really nice looking EE. Eventually the plan is to get hatching eggs from SOP Ameraucana breeder or ordering Cackles Ameraucanas to see how they compare to SOP and their EEs and Ideal Non SOP Ameraucanas. They have several colors last time I checked. I can say having had another old pre SOP line of Ameraucanas from McMurray, now Ideals and now their chicks... their EEs are very different in many ways... I am guessing they have been breeding SOP Ameraucana into their EE line... but who knows. The Cackle chicks surprised me in many ways compared to what I expected from previous purchases with other Hatcheries...
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Question folks: What’s the age of the longest living SOP Ameraucana any one has or has had?

Just curious.

I got mine from Tarbox Hollow. I'm 99.99% sure the possible self blues are actually the blues I ordered...one (Ace) is just finally (at 4.5wks) starting to show the tiniest tint of lacing on the edges of their feathers.

Lady is 150% splash. Though you're right...there's definite similarities!!

 

[Alaskan]

Question folks: What’s the age of the longest living SOP Ameraucana any one has or has had?

No idea.

I was looking at my oldest girl today... can't remember how old she is, at all.

Maybe 4????

 

[bruceha2000]

Ideal Non SOP Ameraucanas

I see that Ideal has finally admitted that they are selling Easter Eggers, not Ameraucana
I got my first 12 chicks from them in 2012, 2 still living and the EE still laying regularly. I "argued" with them that they were selling EEs not Ameraucana and they replied that since EE is not a breed they were selling Ameraucana. Not that I have anything against EEs, I currently have 20 girls, 5 are EEs I just have a problem with people lying to their customers.

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

I personally believe that Cackle has gone the right way. The other hatcheries need to either designate their birds as Non SOP or “Production” or as EEs with a history and explanation of their line explained and what the customer is getting, and be absolutely clear their non SOP stock is not representative of current breed standards. I believe they need to invest in quality Ameraucana breeding stock and start two breeding programs like Cackle has done for everyone’s sanity. They could thus move towards Rainbow feathered non SOP colors but all other aspects SOP for their Easter Eggers and maintain dedicated Color lines as close as possible to SOP like they supposably do for other breeds... no one expects show birds from them just representative stock we can work with. Sigh.