Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[hotlipshens]

I have some gold based black pullets from a black only background. They're basically my layers but one is my absolute favorite chicken so I'll prob put her with my splash roo next spring and hatch a few to see what I get....if nothing else, the chicks should be sweet

 

[MrsBachbach]

I have some gold based black pullets from a black only background.  They're basically my layers but one is my absolute favorite chicken so I'll prob put her with my splash roo next spring and hatch a few to see what I get....if nothing else, the chicks should be sweet  

Here's what I want to know. How do you know or tell if your blacks or blues are gold or silver based? I'm not too sure about the gold or silver being responsible for the green sheen. I have read differently. It said it was feather structure that was responsible for the green or purple sheen, not whether the bird was based on gold or sliver. Let me see if I can find the link.

 

[MrsBachbach]

Here it is. They say it is feather structure that determines whether you have a green or purple sheen.

Some perceived feather colors actually are due to the structure of the feather rather than to pigmentation. That is, the purple and beetle green sheens seen in some poultry are due to the way the feather structures reflect light rather than to the presence of pigments.

https://www.extension.org/pages/653...or-small-and-backyard-flocks:-an-introduction

I happen to think this is correct. Why would a blue male that comes from a few bluexblue mating backgrounds end up with just a few green sheen feathers on him when all the rest are the flat black or darker blue? Seem like if he was gold based, he would have many more green sheen feathers on him, no? If he was silver based, he shouldn't have any green or would have purple? I've never seen purple on a blue bird. I'm thinking it is something other than being gold or silver based.

 

[hotlipshens]

Here's what I want to know. How do you know or tell if your blacks or blues are gold or silver based? I'm not too sure about the gold or silver being responsible for the green sheen. I have read differently. It said it was feather structure that was responsible for the green or purple sheen, not whether the bird was based on gold or sliver. Let me see if I can find the link.

Good question. I'm assuming, of course. (Yep, know what assume makes ) My current blacks are from a black only pen and have a beautiful green sheen. I bought straight run. The first black cockeral I was sold to a grandfather who wanted a rooster carrying a blue egg gene (or 2) for his cute grandson's first flock...he had obvious gold leakage which the little boy really liked and which I thought might make his babies more colorful. Since the little boy wasn't going to show, I let him take the boy with the gold spot on his head. Will add a pic of the leakage at about 3 weeeks below. The breeder kept the blacks for her lavs and warned they might have white leakage but said they were not splits.

Would love to hear what folks are doing on their lacing projects!


There is a gold circular spot to the side of his left eye

 

[speckledhen]

Thought I'd pop back in to say that we will be losing our blue girl, Nora, soon. It's just the end of her life. Wish it had been longer-she's 6 1/2 years old, same as her splash sister, Snow. They came from Cree Farms parentage, both true treasures. Here is a pretty head shot of Nora. THIS is the beard and muff set you want on your Ameraucanas, in my humble opinion.



Gypsy will be 7 in November and she's been laying quite a lot in the last month.

 

[dstokely]

Thought I'd pop back in to say that we will be losing our blue girl, Nora, soon. It's just the end of her life. Wish it had been longer-she's 6 1/2 years old, same as her splash sister, Snow. They came from Cree Farms parentage, both true treasures. Here is a pretty head shot of Nora. THIS is the beard and muff set you want on your Ameraucanas, in my humble opinion.



Gypsy will be 7 in November and she's been laying quite a lot in the last month.

I am sorry, even though she has had a nice long life. I love my chickens and I hate to lose one, especially a favorite. She is beautiful. I can only hope my little hens will look as beautiful.

 

[speckledhen]

Thank you. I think she'll be gone before tomorrow morning. She is with her "sisters" in the coop, watched over by Amanda and Snow, but she is weak as a newborn kitten. Thank God this isn't egg related. It's just her time, just like with Meg, my big red RIR/Buff Orp hen, about a week ago, though Meg was a full year older than Nora.

 

[FVRM]

Thought I'd pop back in to say that we will be losing our blue girl, Nora, soon. It's just the end of her life. Wish it had been longer-she's 6 1/2 years old, same as her splash sister, Snow. They came from Cree Farms parentage, both true treasures. Here is a pretty head shot of Nora. THIS is the beard and muff set you want on your Ameraucanas, in my humble opinion.



Gypsy will be 7 in November and she's been laying quite a lot in the last month.

Did you hatch any chicks from them? to continue their bloodline?

 

[speckledhen]

Did you hatch any chicks from them? to continue their bloodline?

I never had an Ameraucana rooster for them. Gypsy was hatched from my original Ameraucana trio, all gone now, but by the time Snow and Nora came along, I no longer had the rooster. Snow had one son with my Delaware rooster, but she always managed to slip out from any rooster she was with so that egg was the only one that was ever fertile of Snow's.

 

[Quailridge]

I purchased 3 in April. Can you tell me what I have Hens or Roos?