Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[scflock]

If you want to buy straight run chicks from a breeder, you could talk with your daughter about what happens to the male chicks at places that sell seed chicks. Maybe that would change her mind about having to get rid of extra roosters. I hated the idea of killing them, too, but I got over it fast when I started thinking about what might happen to the 50% males that hatch at those places. At least at my house I know they are treated with respect, that their short lives are good, and that their death is humane and quick. The unfortunate reality of chicken keeping is that there will always be too many males and most of them will die whether we see it happen or not. Certainly don't want to sound preachy - just thought that might be something your daughter hadn't thought of. Good luck either way!@bruceha2000

Great post

 

[marchick]

If you want to buy straight run chicks from a breeder, you could talk with your daughter about what happens to the male chicks at places that sell seed chicks. Maybe that would change her mind about having to get rid of extra roosters. I hated the idea of killing them, too, but I got over it fast when I started thinking about what might happen to the 50% males that hatch at those places. At least at my house I know they are treated with respect, that their short lives are good, and that their death is humane and quick. The unfortunate reality of chicken keeping is that there will always be too many males and most of them will die whether we see it happen or not. Certainly don't want to sound preachy - just thought that might be something your daughter hadn't thought of. Good luck either way!@bruceha2000

I had heard that! Thats so sad! A lot of people want pullets. Even I want pullets! The rooster chicks get sorted out and when they can't sell them.

So sad to kill little chicks! When I find homes for ours or butcher them. At least they have had a good life. Then they will go on to have a few girls to service or humanly become dinner!

 

[RugerFan777]

 

[RugerFan777]

My Lavender, Black (cross split), Silver Ameraucana from John Blehm line. Need to trade some chicks for some blues in Northern Ca. Del Norte CA. If your in medford or redding can you contact me? Will he chicks in 30 days or so.

Ryan

 

[bruceha2000]

She is 22 with a permanent migraine for the last 8.5 years therefore unable to live on her own. I am pretty sure she knows about male hatchery chicks, the percentage of hatched eggs that are statistically male and chooses to ignore/not think about it. A degree of separation from the actual facts of life for male chicks since she doesn't 'know' them. If not, I'm sure not going to tell her or I won't ever see another pullet to get fresh eggs from healthy and happy hens.

On the other hand, she won't eat anything that an animal had to die to provide including gelatin even KNOWING that the gelatin is not the reason the animal was raised and using it is more "not wasting" than a "farmed" product.

I agree with you. Unless you are going to be vegan, is it not better to raise the cockerels for dinner than destroy them at a day old? Certainly no chicken raised here could want for a better life ... fancier digs maybe but these chickens are a pretty spoiled bunch. BOSS and kitchen scraps every morning, scratch before roost time, a coop with > 30 feet of roost at 4' high, an indoor run with about 40 sq/ft per bird (I currently have 16) and as much yard and field time and space as they care to have every day of the week year round. These girls are so spoiled that they complain when they are confined to (and escape) the barnyard of ~720 sq ft/bird. Hatched and ground or hatched and raised with the potential to live many years as the father of future hens either here or elsewhere and yes the possibility (probability for most) they may become dinner? I think most of us would come to a common conclusion.

 

[Miss Ameraucana]

If you want to buy straight run chicks from a breeder, you could talk with your daughter about what happens to the male chicks at places that sell seed chicks. Maybe that would change her mind about having to get rid of extra roosters. I hated the idea of killing them, too, but I got over it fast when I started thinking about what might happen to the 50% males that hatch at those places. At least at my house I know they are treated with respect, that their short lives are good, and that their death is humane and quick. The unfortunate reality of chicken keeping is that there will always be too many males and most of them will die whether we see it happen or not. Certainly don't want to sound preachy - just thought that might be something your daughter hadn't thought of. Good luck either way!@bruceha2000

If you want to buy straight run chicks from a breeder, you could talk with your daughter about what happens to the male chicks at places that sell seed chicks. Maybe that would change her mind about having to get rid of extra roosters. I hated the idea of killing them, too, but I got over it fast when I started thinking about what might happen to the 50% males that hatch at those places. At least at my house I know they are treated with respect, that their short lives are good, and that their death is humane and quick. The unfortunate reality of chicken keeping is that there will always be too many males and most of them will die whether we see it happen or not. Certainly don't want to sound preachy - just thought that might be something your daughter hadn't thought of. Good luck either way!@bruceha2000

. I agree with your way of thinking! Thumbs up for you! Sad but true, but a part of life.

 

[Miss Ameraucana]

Oh...months!  

This is an ongoing project, so there's no time limit...other than before I'm run out of office.

That sounds great! I'll send u pics of mine in the spring!

 

[marchick]

She is 22 with a permanent migraine for the last 8.5 years therefore unable to live on her own. I am pretty sure she knows about male hatchery chicks, the percentage of hatched eggs that are statistically male and chooses to ignore/not think about it. A degree of separation from the actual facts of life for male chicks since she doesn't 'know' them. If not, I'm sure not going to tell her or I won't ever see another pullet to get fresh eggs from healthy and happy hens.

On the other hand, she won't eat anything that an animal had to die to provide including gelatin even KNOWING that the gelatin is not the reason the animal was raised and using it is more "not wasting" than a "farmed" product.

I agree with you. Unless you are going to be vegan, is it not better to raise the cockerels for dinner than destroy them at a day old? Certainly no chicken raised here could want for a better life ... fancier digs maybe but these chickens are a pretty spoiled bunch. BOSS and kitchen scraps every morning, scratch before roost time, a coop with > 30 feet of roost at 4' high, an indoor run with about 40 sq/ft per bird (I currently have 16) and as much yard and field time and space as they care to have every day of the week year round. These girls are so spoiled that they complain when they are confined to (and escape) the barnyard of ~720 sq ft/bird. Hatched and ground or hatched and raised with the potential to live many years as the father of future hens either here or elsewhere and yes the possibility (probability for most) they may become dinner? I think most of us would come to a common conclusion.

I understand why you wouldn't tell her! Prayers for you and your Daughter for healing over her migraines. My husband and I care for our adult son with severe Cerebral Palsy. He doesn't understand but if he did I wouldn't tell him. He is 23 years old.

 

[MrsBachbach]

Did a full candle last night before lockdown. 28 eggs were set. 6 infertile, 2 early quitters. 2 were questionable, so I left them in. 20 made it to lockdown, so hopefully I will get my first batch Fri-Sat

I also figured out a pretty good way to divide the eggs from different pens in the Octagon 20. For anyone that uses an Octagon, I took a piece of cardboard, punched 4 holes through it, then zip tied it to one of the divider rails. I had to notch a couple places so that the fan guard wouldn't hit it, but now the lid is still snug, and there's a good barrier the chicks can't get stuck in

Don't know much about the Octagon, but wouldn't cardboard block airflow and absorb humidity? I did something similar, not with cardboard, but another solid partition in my incubator and it didn't work out well, hatch wise. I think hardwire cloth is the way to go. Doesn't restrict airflow or humidity. Just my thoughts on it.

 

[MrsBachbach]

My Lavender, Black (cross split), Silver Ameraucana from John Blehm line. Need to trade some chicks for some blues in Northern Ca. Del Norte CA. If your in medford or redding can you contact me? Will he chicks in 30 days or so.

Ryan

Unless that white in his chest fills in to black, (don't know if that is how silver looks when growing out), I wouldn't use that male for breeding.