Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[FridayYet]

Hoping you find a few more survivors Saris, how awful to find your birds like that!

 

[bruceha2000]

Ok. I've been thinking about getting some. We had some at my grandmothers farm when I was a kid. But I read they carry a chromosome that causes several hatchlings to be born dead or die soon after hatching. They are a hybrid from the Chilean Araucana. If so then I don't know if be able to deal with that. Bc I hatch all my chicks.

When were you a kid?

The APA recognized Araucana and Ameraucana breeds didn't exist until the 1970s. Prior to that the birds that were called "Araucana" in the USA were a mix of the imported South American birds with others. No actual specific traits other than likely to have the blue egg gene. Could have ear tufts, could be tailed or tailless, could have muffs and or beards. Those that created the Araucana and Ameraucana breeds started with those birds and bred for the traits they wanted.

 

[teal29080]

I am so devastated. I just spent the last hour wandering my neighborhood looking for my wheaten and chocolate Ams. I managed to recover 3 live chocolates and 2 wheatens. I have 3 dead chocolates and 2 dead wheatens and 4 missing wheatens. Som critter got in my coop and scattered them, there were corpses up and down the sidewalk, one was mostly eaten right next to the coop and the rest were just decapitated and scattered around. I can hope that my misssing ones are just hunkered down for the night and will make their way home. My poor babies.

O-my! How horrible!!!
I would be mess and totally upset . I will be praying tgat you find your babies.

 

[lakones]

I am so devastated. I just spent the last hour wandering my neighborhood looking for my wheaten and chocolate Ams. I managed to recover 3 live chocolates and 2 wheatens. I have 3 dead chocolates and 2 dead wheatens and 4 missing wheatens. Som critter got in my coop and scattered them, there were corpses up and down the sidewalk, one was mostly eaten right next to the coop and the rest were just decapitated and scattered around. I can hope that my misssing ones are just hunkered down for the night and will make their way home. My poor babies.

I hope the last ones are just hiding and will come home!!! I have been in that situation and it is such a terrible feeling. My thoughts, hopes and prayers are with you.

 

[Saris]

That's great. Maybe the other two are hiding out.

So sorry to hear that. How awful. We all know how much you have put into starting these. I hope you find the others.

@Saris Oh, NO!!! that is terrible. At least some are okay and are making it back home.

Hoping you find a few more survivors Saris, how awful to find your birds like that!

O-my! How horrible!!!
I would be mess and totally upset . I will be praying tgat you find your babies.

I hope the last ones are just hiding and will come home!!! I have been in that situation and it is such a terrible feeling. My thoughts, hopes and prayers are with you.

Thank you all for your kind words. One Splash Wheaten girl came home this morning. My Wheaten boy is the last one unaccounted for. It looks like my cockerels gave their lives so the girls could escape 4 of the dead are boys. Until my missing Wheaten comes home I'm left with 1 Chocolate boy and 1 Splash Wheaten boy. Clearly they com from protective stock. My one dead girl was my little runt who was finally catching up. Fly high pretty birdies.

Edited to add I found the body of my last boy.

I have 8 survivors thank the stars. 6 girls and 2 boys.

 

[MrsBachbach]

Sorry for you loss. I'd work on reinforcing that coop. How did it get in?

As far as the boys protecting the girls, nice thought, but that usually doesn't kick in until mature. In my experience with this breed, young cockerels that age are the biggest babies ever. The girls are more wary than they are and that likely accounts for their survival. The young boys are always the ones that try to roost or sleep in the least exposed area, under the pile, in the corner, etc. Really, they are big babies at that age. This experience will likely make your survivors much more alert.

 

[marchick]

Saris, So sorry for your loss! I hope you get the critter that got them!

 

[WalnutHill]

I am so devastated. I just spent the last hour wandering my neighborhood looking for my wheaten and chocolate Ams. I managed to recover 3 live chocolates and 2 wheatens. I have 3 dead chocolates and 2 dead wheatens and 4 missing wheatens. Som critter got in my coop and scattered them, there were corpses up and down the sidewalk, one was mostly eaten right next to the coop and the rest were just decapitated and scattered around. I can hope that my misssing ones are just hunkered down for the night and will make their way home. My poor babies.

I am so sorry. I had a major devastation a few years ago. I am not sure what is worse, gathering and helping the injured and traumatized survivors or dealing with the dead.

I hope you find out what it was and eliminate future risk. Look for fur, footprints, bite marks, etc. Photograph the scene and any evidence in case it's a neighbor's dog or even if it is a coyote or other wild critter.

 

[Saris]

Saris, So sorry for your loss! I hope you get the critter that got them!

I hope so too.

Sorry for you loss. I'd work on reinforcing that coop. How did it get in?

As far as the boys protecting the girls, nice thought, but that usually doesn't kick in until mature. In my experience with this breed, young cockerels that age are the biggest babies ever. The girls are more wary than they are and that likely accounts for their survival. The young boys are always the ones that try to roost or sleep in the least exposed area, under the pile, in the corner, etc. Really, they are big babies at that age. This experience will likely make your survivors much more alert.

It got in because I had a late night and I close the coop door when I go to bed, but I was up late and didn't close it early enough and my husband didn't hear anything because he had a fan in the window of our room that was on so it was loud. I'm sure you're trying to be helpful with the info about the boys not protecting the girls at this young age but it doesn't really help right now. I was happy thinking my boys were protecting their girls, it gave me a bit of peace considering I lost so many boys.

I am so sorry. I had a major devastation a few years ago. I am not sure what is worse, gathering and helping the injured and traumatized survivors or dealing with the dead.

I hope you find out what it was and eliminate future risk. Look for fur, footprints, bite marks, etc. Photograph the scene and any evidence in case it's a neighbor's dog or even if it is a coyote or other wild critter.

Thank you. I'm happy to say it appears that there are no injuries only deaths or survivors. I know it was a raccoon as I saw it in one of my trees and chased it off. Really makes me wonder if shooting it would be illegal, it was a big one and my neighbor leaves cat food on her porch for her cats and the strays which usually attracts raccoons. I'm so sad about the whole ordeal.

 

[WalnutHill]

I hope so too.

It got in because I had a late night and I close the coop door when I go to bed, but I was up late and didn't close it early enough and my husband didn't hear anything because he had a fan in the window of our room that was on so it was loud. I'm sure you're trying to be helpful with the info about the boys not protecting the girls at this young age but it doesn't really help right now. I was happy thinking my boys were protecting their girls, it gave me a bit of peace considering I lost so many boys.

Thank you. I'm happy to say it appears that there are no injuries only deaths or survivors. I know it was a raccoon as I saw it in one of my trees and chased it off. Really makes me wonder if shooting it would be illegal, it was a big one and my neighbor leaves cat food on her porch for her cats and the strays which usually attracts raccoons. I'm so sad about the whole ordeal.

Check with your local game officials on "predators doing or about to do damage" to livestock, and then check your local firearms laws. If you are not able to dispatch the predator by the most efficient method, a wildlife trapper can remove those that are around right now. You will need to educate your neighbor on not leaving cat food out at night, and if she persists then follow up with ordinance enforcement if necessary (attracting vermin/bating wildlife).