Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[kjscortez]

GOOD NEWS (for those following my incubator even). The temps have leveled out, finally, after much decreasing. I quickly and carefully candled each one just to check them. I could see movement in nine of the eggs. The tenth was too dark for me to see through with my humble flashlight. Thank you all for your support!!!!

good luck on your hatch!

 

[FreedomFarm13]

Hey guys! I've been waiting for what feels like forever to have a trio of blue wheatens, and today I finally went and picked them up. They're at least four weeks old (I'm thinking more like five or six), and I'm a little concerned about gender on one of them, although my breeder swore up and down she was a pullet...here they are:

The definite cockerel, D'Artagnon:

Sorry about the heat lamp, I hadn't had a chance to take it out yet...

This is Charlotte, the one I'm almost positive (based on feathering) is a pullet:

And here's my mystery chick, Clover:

So, what do you think? Did I get the wrong kind of trio? "Her" coloring is very similar to the male's, but she has zero comb, and her tail feathers are straight, unlike my boy's...another thing that has me concerned is all of their coloring...seems to me they have an awful lot of blue. Isn't the blue supposed to be a lot more subtle? Is there a chance these three aren't actually blue wheatens? I'm freaking out, obviously, and don't know if I got what I paid for or not...I'm probably just paranoid, but any insight or opinions would help greatly. Thanks, guys!!!

 

[junebuggena]

Hey guys! I've been waiting for what feels like forever to have a trio of blue wheatens, and today I finally went and picked them up. They're at least four weeks old (I'm thinking more like five or six), and I'm a little concerned about gender on one of them, although my breeder swore up and down she was a pullet...here they are:

The definite cockerel, D'Artagnon:

Sorry about the heat lamp, I hadn't had a chance to take it out yet...

This is Charlotte, the one I'm almost positive (based on feathering) is a pullet:

And here's my mystery chick, Clover:

So, what do you think? Did I get the wrong kind of trio? "Her" coloring is very similar to the male's, but she has zero comb, and her tail feathers are straight, unlike my boy's...another thing that has me concerned is all of their coloring...seems to me they have an awful lot of blue. Isn't the blue supposed to be a lot more subtle? Is there a chance these three aren't actually blue wheatens? I'm freaking out, obviously, and don't know if I got what I paid for or not...I'm probably just paranoid, but any insight or opinions would help greatly. Thanks, guys!!!

I think you are a bit confused. Charlotte looks male, and is only about 4 to 5 weeks old. The other two are definitely pullets, and they are about 6 to 8 weeks old.

 

[FreedomFarm13]

Well, then yes, I'm definitely confused. I thought the lighter they were, the more likely they were female...? Can you tell me what helped you make your decisions about them? Like I said, I'm a total newbie about them and have heard many conflicting theories. Thanks, junebuggena!!

ETA: I guess it doesn't matter either way, as I'd still have my trio, I'm just trying to learn!

 

[FreedomFarm13]

Awww, man!! Never mind. I think I see what you're talking about now...I goofed up, big time, lol. Sorry. I am new to these guys, so there's a bit of a learning curve, but I think I get it now.

ETA: Guess we'll be doing some name swapping, lol.

 

[Melissa Sakata]

So if you have a Splash Ameraucana, it will be categorized as an EE?

 

[samouw]

So if you have a Splash Ameraucana, it will be categorized as an EE?

No. EEs are birds that do not fit any established variety and do not breed true. Splash Ameraucana, self-blue, splash wheaten, et al, are all well-established and recognized varieties of Ameraucana and, while not yet accepted into the APA/ABA Standard, breed true and are not considered EEs.

 

[junebuggena]

So if you have a Splash Ameraucana, it will be categorized as an EE?

Splash is a natural outcome of Blue breedings. It just hasn't been recognized yet. They are true to type and breed true. When you cross varieties that have different base colors or different pattern genes, that is when you start producing Easter Eggers.
Splash are Black birds with two copies of the Blue gene. This is why they can be bred to Blacks and Blues. Same pattern genes, nothing random should happen.

 

[Selsley]

one is a easter egger that breeds true and is bred by many breeders, and has been recognised in club shows
the other one may breed true may also be bred by many breeders but hasnt been recognised in any shows

at least one of them was bred from an araucana and another bird with a tail...... maybe both

 

[samouw]

one is a easter egger that breeds true and is bred by many breeders, and has been recognised in club shows
the other one may breed true may also be bred by many breeders but hasnt been recognised in any shows

at least one of them was bred from an araucana and another bird with a tail...... maybe both

Since EEs are not a breed and do not have any Standard, it would be impossible for them to be "recognized" in shows, unless you mean that the judges marked "EE" or "DQ" on the coop card. While EEs are bred by a great many breeders, each use different and varying combinations of birds to create the EE, they do not breed true, so what you have as an EE is not the same as what someone else has as an EE.

You can read more about the difference between EEs, Araucana, and true Ameraucana at ameraucanabreedersclub.org.