Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[LeBlackbird]

Quote:
Wait, Do you like the Green on the black, or the Red and Black? If you like the beetle green Sheen, go for Black hens. If you like the combo of the red and black, go for Brown Red hens

 

[Illia]

Were they hens or roosters? I'm a little confused by your description. You sure they were real Ameraucanas? Lots of people have multi-colored, mostly brown, or mostly black Easter Eggers that they only think are Ameraucnas.

 

[kelser01]

They were roosters. As to weather or not they were "real" ameraucanas I haven't a clue. Totally new to chickens here and had to ask "what breed are those!?" They were red/rust and black but when they were out in the sun the black had a cool green tone. Very striking! I only want hens though so might not be able to get any that look like that with out the roosters..

Just did a google search and kind of like this but more green, maybe it does not show up in pictures well?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thebigwranch12/2359977508/

Thanks!
Kelly

 

[chickendales]

Quote:
most black chickens have black sjein in there feathers

 

[cnmfarm]

Anyone coming to the Ohio National with Ameraucanas to sale? Bantam or standard.

Cindy

 

[Midwest Lizabeth]

We've got way to many roosters (imagine that!

). They are a mix of wheaten, blue wheaten, silver, & blue & white(?)--15 roos. Some of them have started to crow. We've only got a few pullets--three wheaten, one blue, six silvers--ten hens. These are all LF Belm line chicks (hatched June 14th). I know breeds do have different "maturity" times and the questions that I have are for those with Ameraucana experience.

Questions:
Generally speaking, how long after the roos start crowing to they want to go after the hens?

We were waiting for signs that the boys are wanting the hens, but with so many roos should we move the roos to a separate coop before they go after a pullet? (We do have an older hen and two EE pullets about a month older than the Ameraucana's. All currently free range.)

Do the pullets need to be ready to lay before the roos go after them? (I'm thinking not, but we are newbies to poultry.)


Thank you for your advice.
Next year, if all goes well, we'd like to set up several separate breeding pens.

 

[Goose and Fig]

Quote:
Been there!
Best I can tell you is that if you notice the girls getting worn out feathers on thier backs, maybe its time to seperate them into 2 coops. One boys and one girls. So the boys can't see the girls would be best- that way they will keep getting along. By this age you should be able to start culling /rehoming the roos for any serious faults if you want to get your numbers down a little.

(what I do is keep a few of my favorite boys in with a big group of girls, and the rest go in my "extra roo pen" to be sold or saved as back-ups)

 

[AZBootsie]

Quote:
It seems that my Ameraucana Roo became interested in mating a little later than some of my other breeds. But, it was before the girls were even squatting. Somewhere around 20-22 weeks or so??

When the Pullet/Roo ratio is ok: The pullets run and sqawk, act like the Cockerels are trying to kill them. I let them figure it all out. No real intervention needed.

When you have too many Roos: The problem with having too many Roos is that 2 or 3 will try to mate 1 pullet at the same time......all grabbing her neck, head or back and pulling and yanking on her. Sometimes the boys will get into a scuffle and the poor pullet is stuck in the middle. That is how the girls get hurt. With frequent mating the pullets just get scruffy feathers....but with the all at once gang stuff, I think they will get scalped. That is when I thin out the boys.

 

[Midwest Lizabeth]

Happy Mtn/AZBootsie:

We'd been "going to wait" for the signs that the roos are "active", but with so few hens, I'm worried that one will get torn apart with the juvenile gang bangers (found a great thread here for sewing up wounds, but haven't yet orded a suture kit). Separating the roos with cold weather will be a pain. . .another heated waterer, etc., etc., but we do have a pen set up. . .just need to put something on top and build them some sort of coop to stay warm. It's nice when they can all run around the yard. We've got the wire and lumber to build the breeding pens, but we have no desire to have more separate animal areas to have to feed/water this winter. We may make one coop roosters and one coop pullets with a couple of roos. We have two trailer-type coops. You both confirmed my thoughts. . .thank you!

My Roos: There's one silver with crossed beak that's going to go away. But, several members of this thread that seem to be really good with Ameraucanas stated that you have to keep roos quite awhile to determine which ones you should keep. The majority of the roos are a blue wheaten and I guess I need to weigh them to see what they weigh--they seem very large compared to the silvers and the one blue. One of the wheatens has a brownish red under carriage, and the other two are black on the bottoms. If I remember correctly, the one with the brownish red under carriage needs to go. (I need to look at the photos of the "proper" birds again.) There is one silver that is larger than the others and I guess he'd be a keeper. The roos are beautiful, but some do need to go down the road or to freezer camp. I just wish I knew more about chickens. Hopefully, I'm on the right track.

Midwest Lizabeth

 

[flower]

Culling undesirable birds and extra rooster is a fact of life for those who have chickens. Unless you live in an area where they have farmers auctions, freezer camp may be the best solution. We all know that the price of feed keeps going up and up. I am just trying to encourage you, seriously.