Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[chickenmomma16]

What is their nutrition like? Are you supplementing with vitamins leading up to and during egg collection?

They are eating Nutrena Egg Producer ( https://www.nutrenaworld.com/product/country-feeds-egg-producer#guaranteed-analysis-anchor ) and free range (heavily supervised) on pasture land 4 days a week. At my breakfast, yolks are nice and dark yellow, and delicious! No added supplements.

I've hatched many EE chicks near 100% making it to hatch with the exception of one hen that this cock hated and her eggs were never fertile. Interesting to note, it was a Gold Sexlink and another hen I had to rehome was a Buff Orp. that he also attacked. The Wheaten girls are in that gold color category... And my black colored layers are ragged from "use". I'm getting rid of my layers soon and will only have the Wheatens. If he doesn't spread his love around after the layers are gone he's going to go too. I don't have patience or space for a finicky cock. Right now he is in an area by himself so another cock can have a turn. Maybe this timeout will do him good.

The eggs just went on lock down and the 2 remaining Am. eggs have movement and the OE eggs are moving as well.

 

[Ravynscroft]

They are eating Nutrena Egg Producer ( https://www.nutrenaworld.com/product/country-feeds-egg-producer#guaranteed-analysis-anchor ) and free range (heavily supervised) on pasture land 4 days a week. At my breakfast, yolks are nice and dark yellow, and delicious! No added supplements.

I've hatched many EE chicks near 100% making it to hatch with the exception of one hen that this cock hated and her eggs were never fertile. Interesting to note, it was a Gold Sexlink and another hen I had to rehome was a Buff Orp. that he also attacked. The Wheaten girls are in that gold color category... And my black colored layers are ragged from "use". I'm getting rid of my layers soon and will only have the Wheatens. If he doesn't spread his love around after the layers are gone he's going to go too. I don't have patience or space for a finicky cock. Right now he is in an area by himself so another cock can have a turn. Maybe this timeout will do him good.

The eggs just went on lock down and the 2 remaining Am. eggs have movement and the OE eggs are moving as well.

How long have the Am's been laying? Are they new layers? Earlier eggs in a pullets life might not be quite on track yet... just throwing out ideas, lol...

 

[chickenmomma16]

How long have the Am's been laying? Are they new layers? Earlier eggs in a pullets life might not be quite on track yet... just throwing out ideas, lol...

As of this week they are 1 year old and started laying in Jan. / Feb.
Its is the first time I have time to set eggs and mess with chicks. I feel like it's a waste for only 2 chicks and some OEs that I do not need. I sure hope this new cock can do a better job.

 

[HippyGardener]

Hi, I'm curious as to which of your chickens people suspect to be roos. I have an Ameraucana who is 3 months old that I am worried is a roo. My husband thinks he heard two crows yesterday. This one is the family favorite, and we can't keep a roo where we live, so we are really hoping hen!
View attachment 1034450 View attachment 1034449

No one on this thread would answer my question so I started my own thread about it and got answers over there: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/ameraucana-gender-help.1176867/#post-18536639

 

[Ravynscroft]

No one on this thread would answer my question so I started my own thread about it and got answers over there: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/ameraucana-gender-help.1176867/#post-18536639

Sorry, but that is because I had a whole group of Lavs who looked the same at that age too... to me, they all looked like boys, but I ended up with 5 girls and only 2 boys... I wait til saddle feathers come in to prove boy first, Am's are one of the hardest to sex early barring Silkies...

 

[HippyGardener]

It's ok Ravynscroft, I did end up getting answers. The ones that most people said were questionable are looking like they're turning out to be hens so far. But they do seem like they change overnight. LOL! I think after getting all the opinions and watching our birds closely we have mostly roos. Which we're not thrilled about, but it happens.

 

[Ravynscroft]

It's ok Ravynscroft, I did end up getting answers. The ones that most people said were questionable are looking like they're turning out to be hens so far. But they do seem like they change overnight. LOL! I think after getting all the opinions and watching our birds closely we have mostly roos. Which we're not thrilled about, but it happens.

Yep, they can keep you guessing then all of a sudden they announce their gender, lol... I just would hate for someone to get rid of a female thinking it was male when they're so tough to tell like that...

Sorry for that... if it makes you feel any better, my very first batch of Calls I hatched out from shipped eggs, every single one was male!

 

[MAchicken105]

Sold to me as a pullet but looks and acts like a roo to me. Any expert opinions on this one? I can't keep Roos so I'd like to rehome as soon as possible. But if you think could still be a pullet I'll hold on to him/her until certain.

 

[Ravynscroft]

View attachment 1038614 View attachment 1038615 View attachment 1038616 View attachment 1038618 Sold to me as a pullet but looks and acts like a roo to me. Any expert opinions on this one? I can't keep Roos so I'd like to rehome as soon as possible. But if you think could still be a pullet I'll hold on to him/her until certain.

How old? Hard for me to see well, but I don't see any saddle or hackle feathers...

 

[chickenmomma16]

Day 23 for my Wheaten eggs... One egg piped this morning and nothing from the other one. I really hope both these eggs hatch, the hen they came from was killed by a roaming dog days after the eggs were set. My OE chicks were all out on day 21 and they are running around the brooder now. Has anyone else had Ams hatch later than average? The suspense is killing me!