Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[happytxchick]

Rob & I got our ABC membership packet today! It was so exciting to receive it! I can't wait for my young flock to mature so I can get ito the nitty-gritty of improving them...still actively learning!

Just wanted to share the excitement!! Have a good night, y'all!

 

[Illia]

Lost a Blue Wheaten hen this morning.

. . . And I need to, at some point asap, actually join the ABC

 

[jeremy]

Quote:
X2...

I'm sorry you lost your BW, what happened?

 

[Illia]

Really really cold night, mixed with her molting, mixed with her not feeling well earlier. I don't know what it was, I just know that after a whole day of being gone, I came back to feed them treats and she was pretty fluffed up and slow in activity. That night, it got down to 18 degrees, which out here is freakishly cold, so the next morning she had a little frost on her and was near death. After isolation and some food and water and warmth, she didn't get much better, and that night finally died.

So in a nutshell - I don't know, really.

 

[LeBlackbird]

Quote:
Awww, sorry

BWs are soo pretty....

 

[hannakat]

Quote:
so sorry!

 

[zekii]

Quote:
Is this common to lose a bird now an then ? I women at work told me she just lost a hen the other day, and said it does happen, but she's never had a whole flock get sick. So I guess that's is the reason to always have more birds than you really need to account for some that just don't make it ?

 

[Illia]

No, it is not common.


Well, with my hatchery birds, yes, it was common. But since I switched over to non-hatchery, no. I've never ever lost a single bird except recently to a bobcat (

gonna shoot that thing. . . ) or to a hatching failure (for example if a chick has a problem hatching out and is too weak, I sometimes have to cull it. Happens about 1/50 eggs)

So generally speaking, no. My flock is pretty healthy, never had any serious issues before. I'm pretty sure our severe freezing temps aided in the hen's death.

 

[TK Poultry]

When I had a pure hatchery flock it was not uncommon at all. The only time I find I loose a bird now that I'm all breeder stock is in the winter. Sometimes that can take a toll but I never loose more than one or two. I did have a Coryza out break when I had my hatchery stock. I had to destroy the whole flock and disinfect and wait 3 months before I started repopulating.

 

[Goose and Fig]

Quote:
Is this common to lose a bird now an then ? I women at work told me she just lost a hen the other day, and said it does happen, but she's never had a whole flock get sick. So I guess that's is the reason to always have more birds than you really need to account for some that just don't make it ?

That's why you should always keep at least 2 roosters! You never know- predators, illness, egg bound, whatever. It happens

We had a crazy storm come through the other night- took the roof off of my marans & orp juvie tractor. The poor birds stayed in there all night in the wind and rain- lost one tiny orp. I hadn't expected much from her, but it's still sad. Even breeder birds aren't perfect.

So sorry about your girl Illia!