Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[Sylvester017]

I think it may depend on what line they come from! I have a order in for chicks.They are going to come sometime in feb.

My friend and I have got our Amers and EEs from different breeders, from different states, from different lines, and in different varieties. My surviving Amer layed the prettiest blue eggs but turned out a duddy layer her 2nd year. My friend's Ameraucana layed a more greenish blue egg and then stopped completely her 2nd year. An EE completely stopped laying but the other 2 layed fine. My friend and I finally stopped trying to come up with excuses about why these blue-egg gene layers were hit-or-miss layers -- climate change, rainy day, heatwave, diet, floating mylar balloons, or ???? An Amer BYCer said these shouldn't be considered production birds and boy do I believe it. Lucky if you get a good layer but a real disappointment if you don't.

 

[marchick]

My friend and I have got our Amers and EEs from different breeders, from different states, from different lines, and in different varieties. My surviving Amer layed the prettiest blue eggs but turned out a duddy layer her 2nd year. My friend's Ameraucana layed a more greenish blue egg and then stopped completely her 2nd year. An EE completely stopped laying but the other 2 layed fine. My friend and I finally stopped trying to come up with excuses about why these blue-egg gene layers were hit-or-miss layers -- climate change, rainy day, heatwave, diet, floating mylar balloons, or ???? An Amer BYCer said these shouldn't be considered production birds and boy do I believe it. Lucky if you get a good layer but a real disappointment if you don't.

I have never had problems with EEs! They have always layed good for me! I don't know about Ameraucanas but I am going to find out! I ordered a bunch from Paul Smith. Time will tell!

 

[Red Banks]

Mine lay pretty solid 6 per week...

Me too!

 

[marchick]

Me too!

How old are your birds? Are they Wheaten?

 

[Red Banks]

How old are your birds? Are they Wheaten?

No sorry.... they are black, lavender and blue. BBS Marans and Am eggs. They are about 6 months old.

 

[marchick]

No sorry.... they are black, lavender and blue. BBS Marans and Ams eggs. They are about 6 months old.

Nice!!!

 

[scflock]

Scflock, How are your girls laying? Any new pictures of eggs? Are they big and blue? It has been a long winter waiting for my chicks! I Just can't wait any longer!

I'm averaging 5 eggs/week/bird. The eggs are getting bigger and more round, but still not up to the size of my regular layers yet. They haven't gotten any darker, and if I had to guess they will probably start lightening up some before too long. To tell the truth, the blues' eggs may be just a hair more blue than the blacks'. One of the blacks is even laying a white egg, but that's a breeding issue.
I'm kind of in an opposite situation; I have property with no restrictions, and a lot of birds. I have EEs, cuckoo marans and BCM, along with a few other breeds of brown egg layers. I have plenty of eggs, and plenty of colors for the pretty egg cartons. I bought my BCM for the eggs, and the eggs are massive and chocolate brown, but the birds are so far from SOP that they aren't worth breeding. I kept six pullets, put them in a pen with an AM rooster, and sold the rest.
After the experience with the BCM, if I'm breeding to get SOP birds, I would sacrifice a little production to get the quality birds I have. I still want them to lay a decent amount, especially so that I have enough to incubate, but if they aren't my most prolific layers I am fine with that

 

[marchick]

I'm averaging 5 eggs/week/bird. The eggs are getting bigger and more round, but still not up to the size of my regular layers yet. They haven't gotten any darker, and if I had to guess they will probably start lightening up some before too long. To tell the truth, the blues' eggs may be just a hair more blue than the blacks'. One of the blacks is even laying a white egg, but that's a breeding issue.
I'm kind of in an opposite situation; I have property with no restrictions, and a lot of birds. I have EEs, cuckoo marans and BCM, along with a few other breeds of brown egg layers. I have plenty of eggs, and plenty of colors for the pretty egg cartons. I bought my BCM for the eggs, and the eggs are massive and chocolate brown, but the birds are so far from SOP that they aren't worth breeding. I kept six pullets, put them in a pen with an AM rooster, and sold the rest.
After the experience with the BCM, if I'm breeding to get SOP birds, I would sacrifice a little production to get the quality birds I have. I still want them to lay a decent amount, especially so that I have enough to incubate, but if they aren't my most prolific layers I am fine with that

He says the blues and blacks lay the biggest bluest and most eggs.I don't know about the splash. He says the Wheaten/blue Wheatens lay smaller eggs then the blues and blacks. The Wheatens start out a nice blue but quickly change to an off white. My husband is more for the Wheaten/blue Wheatens. They are pretty! I try to make the hubby happy! Not sure he would be happy if they gave us three eggs a year! lol For me I like the BBS! My problem now is I have Two pens and need 4 for my birds plus I need one for my bunny.The third pen is going to get done soon. IF I JUST HAD TWO MORE PENS!!!!! lol

I think my lavender roo and three hens will end up in my chicken tractor!

 

[marchick]

Thank you for everyones input!

 

[scflock]

He says the blues and blacks lay the biggest bluest and most eggs.I don't know about the splash. He says the Wheaten/blue Wheatens lay smaller eggs then the blues and blacks. The Wheatens start out a nice blue but quickly change to an off white. My husband is more for the Wheaten/blue Wheatens. They are pretty! I try to make the hubby happy! Not sure he would be happy if they gave us three eggs a year! lol For me I like the BBS! My problem now is I have Two pens and need 4 for my birds plus I need one for my bunny.The third pen is going to get done soon. IF I JUST HAD TWO MORE PENS!!!!! lol

I think my lavender roo and three hens will end up in my chicken tractor!

They are a nice blue, but not the turquoise that I think some people just find the right light to photograph under.

When collected separately, I was thinking they were pretty much the same as the EE eggs, but when you put them side by side they are definitely more blue. I'll see if I can get side by side pics sometime soon. It's just so hard to get an accurate representation of color in pictures. The closest I can come is to photograph outside in indirect sunlight