Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[jerryse]

Here is a picture I posted before . There are 4 each of Legbat , EE and Ameraucana . Mixed around . Legbar are the lighter color and EE more green tint .

 

[jerryse]

I found a stash of 14 eggs yesterday . They never lay in that nest . I thought I should of been getting more eggs . Lights have been on 2 weeks or so . My black/ lav and whites are there .

 

[Miss Ameraucana]

They are 5 months old. Just as long as they are not mean! At that size if he is mean he would intimidate me. I am sure he could kick my caboos. I would have something to put in my new cooker! lol

Girl, what r we gonna do if our cockerels grow to be the size of Bigfoot & turn mean on us? lol! I was terrorized daily by a rooster when I was a kid but a rooster could intimidate me!! I was previously scared of all chickens & now...I can wrangle the best of them! lol! I have been learing all I can about their behavior! Their like a horse! Or a dog! They can SMELL & SENSE OUR FEAR!!!!! ooooh!!!!! lol!!

 

[Miss Ameraucana]

I found a stash of 14 eggs yesterday . They never lay in that nest . I thought I should of been getting more eggs . Lights have been on 2 weeks or so . My black/ lav and whites are there .

Jerry, do you ever sell or ship day old chicks? I have been looking for whites and lavendars. I live in Kansas

 

[Miss Ameraucana]

I'll have to weigh him... he's solid, but not as heavy as he looks...

1 pound 2 ozs. Is my guess!

 

[ChuskaMtns]

I've been following threads about other blue-gene egg layers like Araucana, Cream Legbars, EEs, Favaucanas, Isbars, OEs, etc and talked with friends who have some of these breeds.  They are hit-and-miss as to production and one Ameraucana BYC breeder replied that Amer's should not be considered production birds.  Well, I can have only 5 hens in my zone (and currently only have 4) so I can't afford having even just one duddy layer in the group.  I won't be getting any more Amers since 2 out 3 older juvies that I had ordered from different breeders died before I had them 2 weeks.  Just haven't been hardy in my experience.  If I lost just one I would say it's a fluke, but losing 2 out of 3 and having only 1 survivor who is also a duddy layer tells me I better find some other breed to get eggs from.  These are the sweetest birds on the planet and besides their blue eggs their sweetness is why I got them but I've shifted my focus to another sweet friendlier calmer outgoing breed - the Breda for my gentles flock.  Steady layer, a kind flockmate, and definitely not the timid skittish personality of an Amer.  The 4 to 5 eggs per week has been great too.  I don't have the zoning or the space to get new Amer's every season for a steady supply of pretty blue eggs yearly and then send the duddy layers to the freezer.  I hate to imagine sending these sweet young birds to the freezer anyway.  So now I've shifted my focus to the less timid friendly calmer temperament of the Breda.  No more pretty blue eggs - but then if I'm not getting any eggs what's the point of having a blue-egg bird?

If it's a production layer you're looking for, it's best to go with the Leghorn or one of the hybrid production layers (Isa Brown, Sex Link, et al). The Breda is also another breed you may find yourself disappointed in as they are not a production layer.
As far as hardiness in the Ameraucana breed, I have to emphatically disagree with you. I have a 10 yr old and an almost 7 yr old White AMs which were both hatched and raised here. My AMs are much easier to keep than my English Orps or my Marans, and like my NNs I pretty much just provide feed and fresh water for them. I have a Black cock that is so friendly he will come in the house if anyone forgets to close the back door and make himself at home. Several of my AM hens will jump up on one's lap and fall asleep and they do enjoy being petted. I believe the breeding lines make a big difference on friendliness and health.

 

[marchick]

Girl, what r we gonna do if our cockerels grow to be the size of Bigfoot & turn mean on us? lol! I was terrorized daily by a rooster when I was a kid but a rooster could intimidate me!! I was previously scared of all chickens & now...I can wrangle the best of them! lol! I have been learing all I can about their behavior! Their like a horse! Or a dog! They can SMELL & SENSE OUR FEAR!!!!! ooooh!!!!! lol!!

Hmmm! Run Very fast while yelling at the top of our lungs! lol

Bigfoot might be a good name! Its funny but the hen is so tiny and the same age. She jumped on my head yesterday.I took her off and she let me cuddle her for the longest time. I love that! Having some that like to cuddle.

 

[marchick]

1 pound 2 ozs. Is my guess!

Maybe his feet! lol I will guess 7 lbs.

 

[Miss Ameraucana]

Maybe his feet! I will guess 7 lbs.

Wow! He is larger than he looks!!.....a Bigfoot in the making! Lol!

 

[marchick]

Wow! He is larger than he looks!!.....a Bigfoot in the making! Lol!

I was guessing on Ravyns! Big foot was 8 lbs! I weighed myself and then the both of us and subtracted the weight.I don't know how good that is but checked 3 times and got the same weight.