Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[twinsmom6]

K bummer.. you seem like a nice group

 

[junebuggena]

K bummer.. you seem like a nice group

The Easter Egger group is just as great!

 

[marchick]

K bummer.. you seem like a nice group

I am so sorry! We see this all the time on here! The feed stores have easter eggers labled as Ameraucanas but they are not! He is a very cute chick and if its a pullet you will get nice eggs!

 

[Saris]

Lookit these faces!!!! Out of the choc project eggs I've had 8 hatch, 1 is pipped in the 'bator and so far at least 3 look like good candidates for continuing on.

 

[marchick]

Lookit these faces!!!! Out of the choc project eggs I've had 8 hatch, 1 is pipped in the 'bator and so far at least 3 look like good candidates for continuing on.

Awsome! Very cute!

 

[Miss Ameraucana]

Lookit these faces!!!! Out of the choc project eggs I've had 8 hatch, 1 is pipped in the 'bator and so far at least 3 look like good candidates for continuing on.

Saris, their so cute! I'm curious to see how they grow out and what their coloring looks like! Please keep posting as they grow!

 

[Sylvester017]

I don't know. my girls are coming up on two years and haven't seen that type of behavior. I know the pecking order adjusts with every new bird addition. If anyone else has experience with this issue I would love to hear!

Thx for the input

. Our Amer at 2 yrs old was a sweet timid non-combative girl -- she is a poor layer but we keep her because of her sweet nature toward flockmates. Our flock dynamics haven't changed in 11/2 yrs so we were puzzled at why our timid 3-yr-old Blue Wheaten Ameraucana would suddenly get aggressive toward the gentle 4-yr-old Silkie she's been around the entire time. The BW Amer isn't a very large bird but she is more than twice heavy as the little Silkie and still harassing her. Silkies are smart little birds to know how to stay out of the way but I hate seeing the bantam stressed from avoiding the Amer at every step.

I have 3yr olds and they are the same as they have always been. I imagine once I introduce the younger ones there will be some fighting breaking out. Even birds that have been together, then moved to another pen for one reason or another, will fight again once re-introduced. Or if one disappears and new pecking order will play out. I think her problem is your younger ones challenged her in some form not apparent to you. After years on the bottom (or she may not have been) or not being challenged, she was challenged or wanted to be on top. It's normal chicken behavior that sometimes takes a few weeks to play out. I don't think it has anything to do with their age. It's circumstances, or lines, just as the egg laying issue. Circumstances were unfavorable.

Thx for your input too

. Are your birds all Amers or do you have a mixed flock? Our Amer has been an odd duck since we introduced her to the free-range backyard when we still had a couple aggressive Leghorns that got re-homed -- the Amer and Silkies were getting harassed by the Legs. There's been peace in the yard for 3 yrs with just the Silkies and Amer and additionally for the past year-&-a-half with the Breda. All 4 birds were doing fine. It's just these past couple weeks the Amer turned Witchy. She's still harassing the little 4-yr Silkie. Today I saw something amazing. When the Amer went out of her way again to peck at the 4-yr Silkie the older 5-yr Silkie jumped on the Amer's back and then chest bumped her and the Amer went into submissive posture. Flock politics at work. I don't know what it is about the 5-yr Silkie but the little squirt is keeping the Amer in line. It's funny because the older Silkie is such a dainty quiet little thing but the Amer and Breda respect her and when she makes a certain soft clucking sound they back away and let her eat first. The Silkie is by no means a bully yet commands respect from the group.

We don't want to take a chance that the Amer's challenges will hurt our smaller breeds. The Breda and Silkies are smaller than her. We feel comfortable about re-homing our Amer with friends that have only 2 EEs and were wanting another grown bird rather than starting with chicks. Amers and EEs are so similar that we felt it would be a good solution for all involved and we know our Amer will have a loving home with a son who feeds and sits with the birds. Our friends will love adding a light blue Amer egg to their green EE egg basket. We've known their EEs since they got them as pullets. All may not agree but my feeling is that alike breeds seem to hang out together with some silent understanding of each other. Our 2 Silkies hang out together and I can't help thinking there's an understanding/compatibility between them being the same breed. We think our Amer will be more comfortable being with jittery jumpy alert cautious EEs similar to herself. Sweet birds that will do best together. I love our Amer -- we ordered her with a sister who died only a couple weeks after receiving them. We intended to have 2 Amers but fate didn't allow it or I think it would've been nice for 2 Amers toodling around together. Now she'll finally be with a flock of her same kind.

 

[Saris]

Saris, their so cute! I'm curious to see how they grow out and what their coloring looks like! Please keep posting as they grow!

I will for sure. I need to get some up dated pics of Cocoa Puff.

 

[MrsBachbach]

Thx for the input

. Our Amer at 2 yrs old was a sweet timid non-combative girl -- she is a poor layer but we keep her because of her sweet nature toward flockmates. Our flock dynamics haven't changed in 11/2 yrs so we were puzzled at why our timid 3-yr-old Blue Wheaten Ameraucana would suddenly get aggressive toward the gentle 4-yr-old Silkie she's been around the entire time. The BW Amer isn't a very large bird but she is more than twice heavy as the little Silkie and still harassing her. Silkies are smart little birds to know how to stay out of the way but I hate seeing the bantam stressed from avoiding the Amer at every step.


Thx for your input too

. Are your birds all Amers or do you have a mixed flock? Our Amer has been an odd duck since we introduced her to the free-range backyard when we still had a couple aggressive Leghorns that got re-homed -- the Amer and Silkies were getting harassed by the Legs. There's been peace in the yard for 3 yrs with just the Silkies and Amer and additionally for the past year-&-a-half with the Breda. All 4 birds were doing fine. It's just these past couple weeks the Amer turned Witchy. She's still harassing the little 4-yr Silkie. Today I saw something amazing. When the Amer went out of her way again to peck at the 4-yr Silkie the older 5-yr Silkie jumped on the Amer's back and then chest bumped her and the Amer went into submissive posture. Flock politics at work. I don't know what it is about the 5-yr Silkie but the little squirt is keeping the Amer in line. It's funny because the older Silkie is such a dainty quiet little thing but the Amer and Breda respect her and when she makes a certain soft clucking sound they back away and let her eat first. The Silkie is by no means a bully yet commands respect from the group.

We don't want to take a chance that the Amer's challenges will hurt our smaller breeds. The Breda and Silkies are smaller than her. We feel comfortable about re-homing our Amer with friends that have only 2 EEs and were wanting another grown bird rather than starting with chicks. Amers and EEs are so similar that we felt it would be a good solution for all involved and we know our Amer will have a loving home with a son who feeds and sits with the birds. Our friends will love adding a light blue Amer egg to their green EE egg basket. We've known their EEs since they got them as pullets. All may not agree but my feeling is that alike breeds seem to hang out together with some silent understanding of each other. Our 2 Silkies hang out together and I can't help thinking there's an understanding/compatibility between them being the same breed. We think our Amer will be more comfortable being with jittery jumpy alert cautious EEs similar to herself. Sweet birds that will do best together. I love our Amer -- we ordered her with a sister who died only a couple weeks after receiving them. We intended to have 2 Amers but fate didn't allow it or I think it would've been nice for 2 Amers toodling around together. Now she'll finally be with a flock of her same kind.

No, I don't have a mixed flock. Your little Silkie just proves once again, size doesn't matter! Bantams have that reputation too.
It's too bad you don't have a friend the Ameraucana can go to a new home with. It will be stressful for her and she is very likely to be a loner there too.

 

[SadiJane]

Hi guys!
I just got my first ameracauna chick today and I was hoping to find out the type he/she is and what it will look like when it grows up! I found a stock photo that looks exactly like the one I have because she/he won't stay still for a good shot