Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[maryhysong]

nice lacing..

thank you. just wondering how much longer it might be before I can what sex they might be? All my other breeds I can tell at 2-4 weeks....

 

[heatherscooby77]

thank you. just wondering how much longer it might be before I can what sex they might be? All my other breeds I can tell at 2-4 weeks....

I would need to see a whole body side shot, close up of hackle, and a close up of saddle. Maybe a little closer pic of the comb.

 

[Tailfeathers]

Quote:
I strongly encourage you to visit www.ameraucana.org for everything you want to know about Ameraucanas.

Chickens don't inherit breed status by birth. They have to look a certain way in order to qualify and depending on the breed, lay a certain coloured egg. If they don't meet the breed's description, they don't qualify, regardless of who their parents are.

I agree that the best place to learn about true Ameraucanas and find out the truth is on the ABC site and Forum. And there you will find that the next paragraph posted above is NOT true.

It is extremely sad and disappointing to see that this kind of false information continues to be promulgated. THAT is exactly one of the reasons why you don't see the likes of many of the breed founders on here and why one of those founders told me that BYC has no credibility. That's sad. And why you don't see this kind of information being posted on the ABC. It would be shut down by those senior breeders in a heartbeat Yet, it obviously continues to get posted here because it can - regardless of how false it is.

I've detailed extensively why this is false and given many specific examples. Anyone who wants to do a search can read those posts. The short of it is that a chick that comes from two parents of the same variety Ameraucana is an Ameraucana of that variety regardless of what color it turns out to be or what color egg it lays. If the bird does not meet the requirements for the variety, then it is a cull and a "non-standard" Ameraucana. At least two judges have weighed in as to why the above false. And yet some seemingly want to continue to try and promote the falsehood. No wonder those who "are really getting tired" of this continuing to be brought up are so vocal. Falsehoods flourish where the Truth is snuffed out.

So hopefully enough folks get to see this that they will understand that the folks who started this breed and have been at it for almost 30 years probably know a little more than those who just got into Ameraucanas 2-3 years ago. And I'd love to see anyone on here go to John Blehm, Mike Gilbert, Wayne Meredith, or Paul Smith and tell them their Ameraucanas are really Easter Eggers because the color of their birds are off or their eggs aren't really blue!

God Bless,

 

[Tailfeathers]

Quote:

Barb, go ask Mike Gilbert about that. You'll find out differently and if you'd like me to forward you an email about this, I'd be happy to. So be careful about what you are claiming the ABC is "VERY" clear about. You are reading WAY too much into that one paragraph on the ABC site. I will not assume to speak for "THE" club as a whole but I do know what folks like Mike and Paul and other founders have said and I think that the ABC respects common sense and conformity to every other breed of chicken.

In fact, that may be the easiest way to solve "the argument". Just replace the word "Ameraucana" with another breed name - say "Rock". Would anybody say that a White Rock crossed with a Buff Rock doesn't produce a Rock? Not that I've seen or heard.

And as I've now seen others point out, if you have a flock for 10 years that produces 100's of chicks every year and all of a sudden one hatches as a result of linebreeding that doesn't conform to the Standard, it is now and Easter Egger? That just defies common reasoning. It's a Non-Standard Ameraucana. An Easter Egger is simply crossing any Blue Egg Layer with another breed - regardless of whatever color egg the other breed produces.

God Bless,

Royce

 

[Tailfeathers]

Quote:
You might find you don't get a whole lot of support from the Ameraucana breeders here since we are the ones objecting to the use of the name "Ameraucana" with non-standard birds.

This thread is not just about "advanced learning". We simply insist that it remains about Ameraucanas.

Barb, I think I've been breeding Ameraucanas longer than you and I do not object to the use of the name "Ameraucana" with non-standard birds as I've described tghem. And I think Mike Gilbert has been breeding them longer than either of us and I don't think he'd object either. Has anybody asked Paul Smith, John Blehm, Don Cable or some of the other old times and founders? Just saying if you choose to speak for ABC Breeders, you might want to ask some of them.

And since when did Splash become a "project bird"? A Splash or Splash Wheaten (as I have) breeds true 100% of the time. SWxSW=SW

God Bless,

 

[Tailfeathers]

Quote:
THANK YOU! Another GREAT example!

 

[Tailfeathers]

Ok. Ranting here. I have to say, I think many folks here may need to look for a reality pill. I remember how THRILLED I was to finally find "Ameraucanas" from a hatchery in Canada. I proudly posted pictures on this very thread never doubting for a minute that what I had were Ameraucanas. It wouldn't have occurred to me in a million years to look for a button or instructions about whether or not I was really welcome here. I bought "Ameraucanas". Of course, I belonged here. Post away. The guy who sold me the birds told me they were Ameraucanas. He was a professional. He couldn't possibly be wrong. And I was SO proud to finally be a part of the blue egg Ameraucana crowd. Thankfully, that was many years ago because it seems, the folks here on this thread were more tolerant then. I was informed immediately that my birds were, in fact, Easter Eggers. I was crushed. I argued, I questioned - even took on Jean herself and questioned the ABC, but I was tolerated and my questions were addressed. I have since been educated and hooked up with some very nice genuine Ameraucanas. (And I still have most of those original EEs AND some of their daughters!)

I hate to think the folks on this thread have given up on helping to educate the masses, even if it is tiresome. It is FAR from flogging a dead horse when the issue arises anew on an almost daily basis. That horse is alive and well and still needs some guidance, tolerance, and understanding.

TOTALLY agree with you there Barb.

God Bless,

 

[Fyremare]

I have been doing a lot of reading on the ABC Forum and most recently the History of the Ameraucana posts. It's all better than a good book to me right now! Of course... most of my personal library consists of "How To" or "DIY" type books. The others are Fantasy Fiction... which I indulge in when I want to dream and be creative. I can get both types of reading there, and so that no one misunderstands the Fantasy Fiction part of this post, it means envisioning where our birds roots are, and where I might be able to take my own personal flock someday. That keeps me riveted to reading more.

As a novice breeder-to-be the journey has had it's difficult moments. I live in the reality that there will be more of those moments. I also have the ability and resources to create my own "Fantasy Flock" for personal pleasure, which feeds the dreamer within. I like both places. I live in both places in my head, and now in my world of birds. In order to create, I hope in this instance to have a solid base to create from. The founders of the breed had a vision to create from and no base to produce the Ameraucanas we have today. They made the base.

We are fortunate to still have these creators in our lives. We have their experience and history literally at our finger tips, in the present day. Not many breeds have this gift of the "Elders". I am grateful for this "living history" resource, and will lurk and learn until brave enough to "dive in". Financial resources and space limit the progress for now. I'm thinking it's a good thing. I am forced to learn the lessons slowly!

Of course three springs ago I thought I hated chickens... **** dirty noisy smelly birds... HA! Then I got three pullets, chicken fever and chicken math raged through me like fire. Things are making more sense now that I've had a few doses of the medicine of experience. The learning curve continues... and I am riding the roller coaster! I hate roller coasters. But then again, I hated chickens once upon a time...

I'm glad you are all here too. Even when we have or "moments". Thank you for your experiences as well, this newbie appreciates you.

Chris

 

[checoukan]

I thought the term "EASTER EGGER" was in referance to the color of egg the bird layed. I do use the term, but only in regards to the egg color. NOT the birds themselves.

Same goes for OLIVE EGGER, RAINBOW LAYERS. I would rather use those terms as to call them a cull, trash, or junk.

 

[DMRippy]

Well most of my girlies are EE and they are a lot of fun. I did manage to hatch two Ameraucauna from shipped eggs in mid Dec. So they are about 8 or 9 weeks old now. Just no clue yet if girls or boys. Unlike so many of my other breeds that grow & show real fast, these are really taking their time. their combs look pretty much the same, just one bird is slightly lighter shade of blue than the other.

Looks like a pullet to me. Nice lacing.....