Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[kimkim]

Both of these birds are blue.  The first one looks to be a pullet and the second is a cockerel.  Upon up close views of the pictures the feet on the pullet look a little off.  You need to check her soles to see if they are white or yellow.  If they are yellow that would indicate that these birds are ee's.  But it could just be the lighting in the photo.

It was just the lighting, I went and checked and its feet are the same color. I was also able to see its parents.

The other one was sold to me as a splash, I googled and saw most were lighter, but this one does have white feathers... Blues can have white feathers?

A better pic of its comb

 

[pips&peeps]

those are just juvenile feathers and they will go through a couple sets before they get their adult plumage

 

[rbaker0345]

The white feathers usually molt out when they become mature.

Have you done a fecal on them? They look a little hunched and pale, I'm thinking rounds or coccidia.

 

[rbaker0345]

Just wanted to thank everyone for pointing me towards Paul Smith for black ams. I actually ended up getting black, splash and lav from him. Some really nice birds (some culls, but also some really nice birds to add to the flock).

Anyway, I ended up with a superbly nice pair of blacks and a very nice quatro of splashes that I'm keeping to add to my foundation stock. I also hatched out some blacks and a blue from someone on the swap and I'm not sure who. I will post pics for everyone to see.

edited by staff

 

[kimkim]

Have you done a fecal on them?  They look a little hunched and pale, I'm thinking rounds or coccidia.  

No, they do not show any signs of sickness, they act like normal healthy chicks.

 

[aghiowa]

Thanks for all the info, everyone! It appears I have some reading ahead of me.

I currently own: (1-3 years old) 1 blue roo, 3 black hens, 1 blue hen
(Almost mature) 5 black cockerels, 4 black pullets
(12ish weeks) 10 cockerels, 4 pullets
(5-6 weeks) 17 blue/black chicks.

So, 45 birds of various ages. It's slightly overwhelming.

I spent a lot of this morning thinking. Here's what I've come up with so far.

My Goals:

1. Showing: My daughter has shown for 3 years now, and we both really enjoy it. I'd like to start showing too, and my daughter also wants to get into doing Open shows instead of just Junior shows. We were getting by just buying a variety of fun breeds from breeders/sale pens, but we're getting into it enough to start breeding our own.

2. Keep From Becoming a Chicken Hoarder: I need to make sure I cull hard and keep my numbers down. I don't want to end up on some TV show some day, or have to go into debt to feed them all.

3. Condition: I want the birds I keep to get into and stay in decent condition.

The Plan:

1. I'd love to cull down to 3 trios of 3 different ages (or would 2 be better?). That'll leave me with plenty of birds, but a manageable number to overwinter. Next year, if I only breed once in the late winter, I should be able to raise chicks in the spring/summer, and replace/renew my trios & cull down to the lower numbers during the winter.

2. So I think what I'm going to do over the next week or so is make a "ratings sheet," if you will, for all my birds (at least the ones above 12 weeks or so). Included on it will be a picture, SOP points, observations on temperament, and my overall impression. That way I'll be able to more easily see trends & be able to decide who stays and who goes.

Questions:

Would it behoove me to stick with just blacks, or can I safely intermingle blue/black trios? I like blues' looks better, but I'm guessing blacks are easier. Black to blue pairings will get me black or blue chicks,correct? My blue hen has fantastic temperament, and my blacks are really flighty. I know blue/blue is iffy, right?

Thanks for all the links, everyone! Keep 'em coming!

Angela

 

[delisha]

You have made some remarkable plans. You have done some good reading already. You can breed just blacks and improve them. Having a blue and black pen is what most do. Some use the blue for lacing improvement.

Blue genitics
http://poultrykeeper.com/poultry-breeding/genetics-blue-birds

Blue to blue gets you blue black and splash..etc


This is a great tool to use and it is worded pretty good. Not as confusing as some are.

http://kippenjungle.nl/basisEN.htm
edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/PS/PS03700.pdf


A cute site for preparation in the show ring and other links and books

http://www.fortheloveofchickens.com/

http://backyardchickens.yuku.com/topic/1374/Tips-on-Showing-Poultry#.UecuHVfg3cw

This is a good post about preparation. I would add a few thing to bathing. Like a nail brush. Use on the legs, feet, toes, nails, comb and beak area on the last bath before the show. It removes those tiny dry areas and gives them a nice polished look.

I am sure many more have better ideas and links for you.

 

[aghiowa]

OK - I'm posting pics of my hens and older pullets. Keep in mind, I yoinked them off a roost in the dark and put them in front of a camera, so none of them are really standing in a natural stance. It's more the "deer in the headlights" stance.

And condition is pretty cruddy on the hens, as they were recently in with an aggressive male, and several are molting I think.

Any notes on them would be appreciated.

Hen 1





Hen 2 - this one is wild - I had to chase her down throughout my house





Hen 38 - I've never noticed the white tips on her tail until the pic - I think it's the camera. I would've noticed white tail...




Older Blue Hen - my original Ameraucana



Pullet Orange




Pullet Pink




Pullet Yellow



Pullet Blue (blue leg band - not variety )



Thanks for looking (and commenting).
Angela

 

[poularde]

Not much experience here. I can make a comment about something I noticed. Looks like you have some white earlobes going on. Not something you want in your birds. I remember reading somewhere on this thread about that being a problem with hens in this breed. Hope someone with more experience comments soon.

 

[aghiowa]

I'm also pretty sure these ladies have worms. I see small white eggs in at least one hen's poop. I've never wormed before, but from what I read, Wazine first, then 2 weeks later, Valbazen or Ivomec? Dump eggs the whole treatment time + 2 weeks?

Geez, this is getting expensive.

Angela