Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[Illia]

ALL of the colors I've rasied, be it blue, black, splash, blue wheaten, wheaten, or buff - The females have indeed never been my "cuddle buddies." There's only one blue I have out of all my girls that actually comes up to me, hops in my lap, and just enjoys her time with me as if she was a Brahma, but otherwise, the others just like their own time. They are indeed great free rangers though - They'll go pretty far out there.

Males is a completely different story though. They're the sweetest (besides a well raised Araucana or Shamo) breed of cockerel I've ever known. They're very talkative in a chit-chatty way, they love to be handled and fed by hand, they have little objection to things (except if they want to be a drama queen - they'll tell ya) and they're the least aggressive towards other cockerels of all my breeds.

Plus, sadly, they can take a beating and go from this:

To this:

And still be really friendly, loyal, and trusting of me AND have never been the one to start the fights that cause this. In fact, my black boy here seemed to have loved his bath and especially being blow-dried. As much as I'd love to think of it as practice for a show, I honestly think my blue would do better in a show because of his absolute perfect comb. This boy here may have three rows, but his comb is very widely spread and the bumps are slightly scattered, as if he has a rose comb. But, he may just have the better body. I've yet to get a chance to truly assess the blue one, because he's been so down lately and has some saddle and sickle missing.

 

[CRYSTALCREEK]

My lavenders (not an officially recognized variety yet) are crazy friendly. When they were in the grow out pen, they used to hop all over me if I sat down on a bucket in there to watch them (and sometimes, even if I didn't sit down!). There were about three that pushed each other out of the way to get to my lap. One even liked my shoulder. Never seen anything like it.

 

[flower]

ILLIA I think that your beautiful black cock looks a little dejected in the "wet" shot. haha poor baby. I never found a bird who truly "enjoyed" the attention of a bath. Although I did have on silver pullet who seemed very proud after she was dried and fluffed up. But later that night one of her coop mates dropped "poop" on her and no one can tell me that it was not intentional ! If you spend enough time with your birds, you just know what they are capable of doing !

CRYSTAL CREEK I never had a lavender but I have heard that they are very friendly.

 

[Ivywoods]

I'm really gald to hear these comments. It was the roosters I was kind of worried about. I've never really made pets out of any of my chickens. If they are friendly, that is great. I just don't care for barnyard squabbles. I'm hoping my layers housing and run will be large enough to avoid too many territorial squabbles.

I had silver spangled hambergs when I was a kid. They were beautiful, showy birds, but oh my! They were flighty, could fly like a sparrow and would get up in the top of the barn to roost where I never could catch them. Even trying to catch them in the pen was tough because they were so quick. It was very aggravating.

I have about 10 roosters that roam the yard right now. They all seem to get along okay. I guess the heirarchy has been established. I give them treats, and some of them come up for them and some don't. The most friendly ones, my BC marans, tend to follow me all over the farm. I swear, I feel like a momma duck with a brood following behind.

 

[Illia]

Quote:
The "wet" shot was taken before he got a bath.

 

[halo]

Oh that poor boy!!!

 

[dak]

Quote:
Ditto, my lav pullets are so friendly they're pesty, the blacks and blue are more stand offish and flighty. I hope with all the crossing to black that is occuring, the lavs will retain the more mellow friendly temperment.

 

[bikechick]

Quote:

so cute! I'll have to post pictures of the chicks I got from you in Sept. A very good looking group IMHO.

I would LOVE to see them! How are they doing?

The group is doing great. I have two cockerels & 4 pullets. I lost one to a raptor 3 weeks ago. Sick. I needed to make a covered run for their coop. I was letting them out in an electric poultry net, but that doesn't keep preds from up above coming down.
I plan to take pictures soon so I can start getting Ameraucana confirmation lessons

The Blue & Blacks A's are really spoiled. They have a seperate kitchen scrap bowl and get the best selection.
Let me know if you have ANY kind of pullets or hens you would like to re-home.

 

[undergroundchickens]

I hatched two Ameraucana from some eggs I purchased and was wondering if I could get some opinions on what sex they are. They are 10 weeks old. They are a bit messy as they love to stick there feet in the water dish, get feed to stick to their feet, dip them again in the water and then eat the wet feed out of the water dish. Strange but fun to watch. I hatched a blue and a black. These are sure hard to tell. Here they are.

Blue Ameraucana comb.

Black Ameraucana comb.

I also mail ordered a white Ameraucana but I suspect it is an EE as the legs look more green/yellow than gray/blue. Here is a pic of its comb. It is terrified of people so it wiggles really bad so the pic isn't to clear. After watching this birds comb get big and red while it still hasn't gotten a tail or top wing feathers at a younger age than my chicks I have an inkling of hope that maybe my blue chick is a girl as well.

Thanks for your help.

 

[pips&peeps]

I think your blue and black are pullets.

White one is a cockerel; if it has green legs it's an easter egger.