Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[jajeanpierre]

No, it is still an easter egger.

Speckledhen they must breed true at least 50% of the time, which is what you get when you breed blue to blue. The splash color has only recently been recognized in 2-3 other kinds of poultry. One is silkies and another I can remember off the top of my head is OEG.

Pips&Peeps, I found the wording in your post a bit confusing. Re your "Easter Egger" comment above: was it referring to offspring of a mix of varieties of purebred Ameraucanas not normally bred together, such as wheaten bred to silver? Or were you referring to the splash color referred to in the post?

I can't show an Easter Egger, but I can show a splash. As you know, the variety is splash, the breed Ameraucana. Splash breed true--splash to splash give you splash 100% of the time.

 

[CibolaChooks]

I don't know what it is about the color red, but it just gets them all angry 

it's definitely true I wish I would have learned this sooner. they studied prisons ones with red had WAY higher violent attacks amongst the inmates than ones that had blue everywhere. I wonder if this works for my rooster maybe if I wear blue around him he will be nice again or at least while I'm wearing blue

 

[CibolaChooks]

also my feed bags from ranch way are a maroon red . one of my game birds constantly jump kicks that bag

 

[speckledhen]

I am not lax on my bio security. I do not allow people in my bird facility. If you have wild birds that fly over your property you are at risk. If you have mice on your property you are at risk. MG is transferable from hen to chick via the egg.

The information I shared came directly from the former head of the National Poultry Improvement Plan in Conyers, GA.

Jean, I never said you were lax on anything. I just said that it is less of a risk if you don't trade in started birds and that I do not believe that 95% of flocks in this country are diseased in that way. I don't care who said it. I especially don't believe it from any government official or anyone connected with the USDA. And if you encountered MG, I'm sorry. My flock has never had it. I don't say it never will nor than it is impossible to get if from other sources, but it's less of a risk than from trading in birds or showing them, neither of which I do.

I am well aware of how it is passed. If you deal with breeders who believe in the sharp axe method of keeping out disease and who are trustworthy and honest in their dealings, you are less likely to encounter MG even from hatching eggs. Horizontal transmission (bird to bird) is much more of a risk than vertical (egg to chick) transmission with this and other diseases that can be transmitted vertically.

 

[CackleJoy]

Looks like some weird feather mutation. Not exactly sure what it is. Are all the rest of the birds typical?

Yes, some really nice ones! I should take photos, will try to today. I have this one in a small pen with some going to a home as breakfast makers. The others are running amuck in a big grow out pen.

 

[chickee]

awesome. I never tried a radio. I bet they all start talking dont they.

A side note after wearing red workout pants in my pens today i think red to roosters is like red to bulls. and after further thinking if you upset a chicken the combs and wattles turn a bright red. Maybe that's why roosters have such big combs and wattles and the reason why they are red.

I have a certain pair of pants, shirt and boots I wear into my pens. When I wore new boots all the rooster attacked them. When I wear my town clothes into the pen, my roosters attack me! Sheeesh! Now when I go into the pens I walk towards my roosters and make them run away from me. It helps, but I still watch my back! These are Ameraucana, golden cuckoo Marans and d'Anvers.

 

[Firekin1]

There it may still be an EE, but where I live at they're considered EE if an Ameraucana (or another Ameraucana cross) is cross bred with another breed. Mixing a pure Ameraucana with another pure Ameraucana is still an Ameraucana, it doesn't make another breed of bird regardless of their color. If that was the case a Blue Ameraucana is not a true breed of bird since if you breed 2 blues you can get a splash. EE's here can lay different colored eggs aside from a shade of blue like I said before which is why they're named an Easter Egger. In the USA it may be different, I don't know, I don't live there, and I don't know about the rest of Canada either, just here....that's why I had asked my original question....lol

 

[heatherscooby77]

So are you showing birds that you know for a fact have MG and MS?

No, I have not shown. I am going to start this year. When I get my blood tests done, I will swab for the MG/MS. Make a plan accordingly.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

No, I have not shown. I am going to start this year. When I get my blood tests done, I will swab for the MG/MS. Make a plan accordingly.

Ok. I thought you were saying thy you are/had shown birds that had MG and MS. I am glad not! Good luck with your blood testing when you get to that point. I always get nervous. Not because I actually think my birds have something, but because there is always that possibility.

 

[Blue Hill Farm]

I actually started using a radio in my coops as a predator deterrent. Left on low 24/7, the talk/or music doesn’t seem to bother the birds, (some rather enjoy it) and hopefully any lurking preds will think there are humans hanging out inside (or me waiting with my trusty rascal, heh heh) and high tail it far, far away. I really believe it helps because I have one coop without power far from the rest, and often find raccoon tracks around it, but never any around the buildings with power and radios. I’m also rather meticulous about ‘lockdown’ every night, and closing/locking all coop and chicken doors.

Less flighty and friendlier chickens are definitely an added bonus of a radio though! BOSS helps too.

It’s interesting how chickens react to certain colours or changes in outer wear. I’m in the market for some new muck boots, but think I’ll stay clear of anything red! lol


eta: I meant to quote someone there, but must have pushed the wrong button. oops