Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[Miss Ameraucana]

They do for now
I always brood the first 4 days to a week inside

Aww...how sweet! For sure right? Mine are going to be inside the first month also!
Hell! I may sleep with them!

 

[samouw]

Aww...how sweet! For sure right? Mine are going to be inside the first month also!
Hell! I may sleep with them!

Until hubby gets my outside brooder/hatcher building built - all my chicks are born inside..and stay until they are old enough to go to the outside grow out pens and are fully feathered in. Between 3-4 weeks.

 

[Miss Ameraucana]

It's killing me guys! I have 3 more weeks left to wait on mine!!!!

 

[Miss Ameraucana]

Until hubby gets my outside brooder/hatcher building built - all my chicks are born inside..and stay until they are old enough to go to the outside grow out pens and are fully feathered in.  Between 3-4 weeks.

No kidding' why take a chance with those TINY LITTLE ADORABLE FUZZY BUTTS!

 

[JulesChicks]

Split the order with someone or grow the chicks out to 12-15 weeks and sell the extras on CL. I'm doing both.

I would if I could, but last year I ordered pullets from a breeder relatively local and one arrived with a runny nose/bubbles coming out of her nose (Cream Legbar). Soon 2 others from them were sick too (BCMarans) (looked awful compared to my other Marans to begin with) and so I had them tested for many things- collected specimens from them by a vet and sent to the state lab. Came back positive for MG. Breeder denied they came from them sick but eventually tested and said they we negative. She basically asked many questions insinuating it was my environment/care - though we had two other batches of healthy chicks from local breeders. We culled the sick ones but my other birds are carriers so I cannot sell any from my property. We quarantined but not in the strictest way - like a closed shed that feathers can't escape from, you can't track poop out of, or carry dander on your clothes, etc. I got 6 pullets that day from the same breeder - 3 younger ones about 3 mos old - they were the sick ones, and 3 older ones - I still have them and no signs of illness from them. I will breed for resistance like I have read others have done - it's either that or start from scratch. I guess it will keep me from getting addicted to hatching. Sucks though!

 

[marchick]

It's killing me guys! I have 3 more weeks left to wait on mine!!!!

The wait is killing me also!

 

[FowlStuff]

@FowlStuff I just "toured" your hatchery. Very nice setup. Love the brooders. I wish you sold hatching eggs or smaller shipments of chicks though... Lavender Ams and Chants are on my want list.

Since that video I have replaced all the GQF incubators with some custom designed and homemade ones. Someday when I get a round TUIT I'll put make a new video.
Selling hatching eggs is a good way to get a bad reputation, so I quit years ago as did others for the same reason. There are too many variables involved and often the seller of the eggs gets blamed for eggs that don't hatch. I found it much easier to sell live chicks and live in peace and harmony.

I have tried the heat pads that some use to ship less than 25 chicks/box, but here again feel it is safer to put 25 LF chicks in boxes that are designed for 25 to keep each other warm.

 

[FowlStuff]

I would if I could, but last year I ordered pullets from a breeder relatively local and one arrived with a runny nose/bubbles coming out of her nose (Cream Legbar). Soon 2 others from them were sick too (BCMarans) (looked awful compared to my other Marans to begin with) and so I had them tested for many things- collected specimens from them by a vet and sent to the state lab. Came back positive for MG. Breeder denied they came from them sick but eventually tested and said they we negative. She basically asked many questions insinuating it was my environment/care - though we had two other batches of healthy chicks from local breeders. We culled the sick ones but my other birds are carriers so I cannot sell any from my property. We quarantined but not in the strictest way - like a closed shed that feathers can't escape from, you can't track poop out of, or carry dander on your clothes, etc. I got 6 pullets that day from the same breeder - 3 younger ones about 3 mos old - they were the sick ones, and 3 older ones - I still have them and no signs of illness from them. I will breed for resistance like I have read others have done - it's either that or start from scratch. I guess it will keep me from getting addicted to hatching. Sucks though!

Yes...breed for resistance. MG is much more common than most know and instead of trying to eliminate every virus and disease known to chickens I believe it is best to breed birds to be survivors.

 

[abbevilleoz]

You can have that black Roo! I want the splash Roo! We could work something out!!!   

I've tried he won't budge that's why I'm buying babies.

 

[dstokely]

I have a four week old slkie still in the house...

OK

, I lied. Yes I have kept them in longer....at least a month. I do not have an outside brooder house, I only have my small hutches so as they get older I have to keep splitting them up. No way will I put them outside if it is cold.