Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[MrsBachbach]

How are you getting splash from Meyers? I thought they only had blue. (And did have wheaten but I guess not anymore). I understand how blue black and splash are used together in breeding, but they only say they sell te one color. Unless maybe I missed it. And when I am talking about the whites people were getting, they posted about it after they were full grown. They weren't splash.

You can get splash from mating blue x blue. Twenty five percent chance I believe.

 

[jonsccm]

I will try to get pictures in better light

What is the top one supposed to be? An EE or Ameraucana?

Hard to tell from that photo. Maybe a photo of their backs would help. That top one looks like a wheaten variety from that angle. Also the legs lookmore like a wheaten variety.

 

[MrsBachbach]

Thank you MrsBachbach!
That is Sir SIlver and he was purchased from a top Ameraucana breeder who has since taken him back to make more really nice Silver Ameraucana! I have one of his sons who is still young and only one hen. BUT there will be more soon!
Fyre

Awww. If I only had the time and the room!

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

You can get splash from mating blue x blue. Twenty five percent chance I believe.

Yes I know that (in my post I said I understood how they worked together in breeding). Blue x Blue=50% blue, 25% splash, 25% black. If I didn't I would be a little lost in my breedings lol. I thought since they only listed blues, they only had blues. There parent stock only being black and splash. Well turns out if you read there description that they also sell splash and black and it is the hatcheries choice. It definately makes life easier than just selling blue.

 

[sbucciarel]

Here's my guess

Norma Jean is Norman Jean
Meanie is a cockerel
No 2 is a cockerel

 

[MrsBachbach]

The way I understand it is that they have a flock that the work with that has all three blue, black, and splash and under the description that they post they tell you it's hatchery choice. I am not an expert at all. But.
It would depend on how much resources they want to commit to this breed you can have 100% blue by breeding black and splash and but then you need to maintain two flocks that you need to breed somewhat close to type but also have those two lines when breed together still maintain type. Also because it's a hatchery they need to focus on production as well. It's a recipe for failure if you breed like hatcheries do. So it's safer for them to just have the one flock and work with that.
I have not heard of any white ones from them. I would like to know how that could happen. While I'm happy with these two from Meyer I don't know yet that I would recommend someone looking for real purebreds to them. I will wait to see how these mature first.

Blue, black and splash (not splash wheaten) can be kept together and bred together and maintain purebreed status. Now splash is not a recognized color in Ameraucana but it is used to produce blues. I happen to love the splash color. Some of the hens are downright pretty if splashed evenly. I breed BBS and am starting the Wheaten/blue wheaten variety. The only way you are going to get 100% blue hatch with these colors is to mate black to splash. Black to black will produce all blacks. Splash to splash all splash. Blue to blue is 50% blue, 25% black, 25% splash. Black to blue is 50% black, 50% blue. Splash to blue is 50% blue, 50% splash. If they maintain one small pen that is likely why it is hatchery choice. Because all colors are possible with that set up and they may not be able to fullfill a one color order.

 

[MrsBachbach]

Yes I know that (in my post I said I understood how they worked together in breeding). Blue x Blue=50% blue, 25% splash, 25% black. If I didn't I would be a little lost in my breedings lol. I thought since they only listed blues, they only had blues. There parent stock only being black and splash. Well turns out if you read there description that they also sell splash and black and it is the hatcheries choice. It definately makes life easier than just selling blue. 

Oh, I understand what you were getting at now.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

Oh, I understand what you were getting at now.

BtW, I re-read my post, it sounded a little snappy, not meant to be taken that way. Sorry!

 

[stepfaniedawn]

good morning everyone. I am asking for a little help in the sexing department. Are these cockerels? They are 9 weeks old if that helps to make a difference


I'm not sure if this is supposed to be a wheaton or a blue wheaton (the "blue" is actually black) - i purchased the eggs from a breeder and hatched myself so I am still learning what to call everything. I will tell you I only purchased blue wheaton eggs and splash eggs and obviously this little guy/gal is not splash






This is my little runt so pardon the messy wing feathers :-( She/He was purchased from a breeder in Tx and is a lavender for sure.





This is a splash from the eggs I hatched.

 

[MrsBachbach]

Thanks for your reply! That's what we are thinking, too. How long shoukd we give them until we make decisions about who to keep and who stays? Could it be possible that the cockerels are really pullets? We have read that Ameraucanas are usually pretty hard to sex until older, which makes me wonder how often the "peas" method isn't accurate at 3-4 weeks. What do think? How long should we give them to show their true colors? Has anyone ever had a pullet with combs like these photos that looked like 3 rows?

By about six or seven weeks the male combs will start to turn pink well before the females. That's how I always tell. Now I have had some males develop much later than others and fooled me for a few more weeks. They were small combed and it wasn't until the saddle and hackle feathers started showing up that I knew for sure I had a male.