Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[ashandvine]

So.... being new and recently poking a bees nest, I'll admit I lurk in another form or two to learn. I own that I have a lot to learn before voting anything. Language is how we determine a lot of things: beetle green, robin egg blue, fretting, orpy body etc.. Language can deter, too. "The Dreaded EE." lol I too appreciate anyone with patience teaching 'greener' folks. Sometimes I feel an outsider. Sometimes ignored entirely when I ask a question. Happened yesterday in another thread.

Thanks all for putting up with me. If I learn enough to feel I can vote I will. Still too much to learn.

Next question:
If my blacks have purple sheen as well as beetle green, most have a little, though a few have almost none, does that 'disqualify them' from being good breeders when attempting blues with my splash roo??

 

[pips&peeps]

Some birds will get purple sheen on their juvenile plumage and some can get it from times of stress as they are growing. I would ignore the purple sheen as long as it isn't over the entire body and the bird still needs to molt into the final 20+ week old plumage.

Pictures are always great when asking questions too on this thread.

 

[fowlman01]

So.... being new and recently poking a bees nest, I'll admit I lurk in another form or two to learn. I own that I have a lot to learn before voting anything. Language is how we determine a lot of things: beetle green, robin egg blue, fretting, orpy body etc.. Language can deter, too. "The Dreaded EE." lol I too appreciate anyone with patience teaching 'greener' folks. Sometimes I feel an outsider. Sometimes ignored entirely when I ask a question. Happened yesterday in another thread.

Thanks all for putting up with me. If I learn enough to feel I can vote I will. Still too much to learn.

Next question:
If my blacks have purple sheen as well as beetle green, most have a little, though a few have almost none, does that 'disqualify them' from being good breeders when attempting blues with my splash roo??

Purple sheen is a defect not a DQ. Occasionally you can eliminate it by cutting down on the corn products, but usually it is genetic. I have found through the years I can induce it in some strains through feeding corn, but not in others, so to me that seems to mean that it is partly feed and/or in the genes. It is a deduction in every area of the bird that it occurs, so it can be a bad thing in a show..or a breeder bird.

I am sure others have their opinions on this as well.

Ash: PM with any questions no one else wants to answer and I will try to help you.

Walt

 

[fowlman01]

Some birds will get purple sheen on their juvenile plumage and some can get it from times of stress as they are growing. I would ignore the purple sheen as long as it isn't over the entire body and the bird still needs to molt into the final 20+ week old plumage.

Pictures are always great when asking questions too on this thread.

As Jean says don't worry about it until the bird is pretty much finished feather wise.

Walt

 

[BarnGoddess01]

So.... being new and recently poking a bees nest, I'll admit I lurk in another form or two to learn. I own that I have a lot to learn before voting anything. Language is how we determine a lot of things: beetle green, robin egg blue, fretting, orpy body etc.. Language can deter, too. "The Dreaded EE." lol I too appreciate anyone with patience teaching 'greener' folks. Sometimes I feel an outsider. Sometimes ignored entirely when I ask a question. Happened yesterday in another thread.

Thanks all for putting up with me. If I learn enough to feel I can vote I will. Still too much to learn.

Next question:
If my blacks have purple sheen as well as beetle green, most have a little, though a few have almost none, does that 'disqualify them' from being good breeders when attempting blues with my splash roo??

Sometimes the questions get "ignored" because folks don't know how properly answer the question. I hope you don't take it personally. Asking again and laying on guilt usually gets a quick bunch of responses!!!

Not necessarily useful but nevertheless.

And don't get scared off because you touch on a hot topic. Opinions can be strong sometimes. It happens and hopefully, we learn from it. And take it all with a grain of salt ...

You got some FABULOUS answers to your question here!! Thanks to both Walt and Jean!

 

[chicknadventure]

thanks everybody for these discussions. Walt and Jean, thanks for being here to help GET people interested in the breed and giving basic education for beginners. I am "joining the club" as soon as my lav babies get a bit bigger (lavendar or self blue or how about barney shaded ams? lol) and I have some blacks to hatch out as well.

I have seen people say that the ams thread is not bery personable but honestly, this group has been EXTREMELY helpful to me. I greatly appreciate everyones input. Once I understand chicken genetics better, I can't wait to roll with the big boys

 

[ashandvine]

As Jean says don't worry about it until the bird is pretty much finished feather wise.

Walt

The down side here is that these are about two year old hens. Most come from Smith, one Cree and I think the others were Ramey. I know the Roo and two splash hens I have are Ramey lines. I bought them from a woman here who has had them but had to downsize very quickly. I needed blacks to go with my two Shaffer Self Blue/Lavender hens. In getting these blacks, but choosing to eat my Shaffer rooster I made the mental move from more lav/black splits to blues. Admittedly, I think I like them and the splashes visually the best so it wasn't a painful adjustment. Now, the more I learn, even with good stock I find that I might be in for a real ride trying to get 'decent' blues. Remember me? Still learning. So, I will check into the feed I give them and see what happens. It isn't a lot of purple but it is there. I will try sending some pics.

It just occurred to me maybe I shouldn't say I ate the roo... Um, waste not want not. He WAS a chicken and a huge jerk to me and the kids and had bronze leakage... .

Purple sheen is a defect not a DQ. Occasionally you can eliminate it by cutting down on the corn products, but usually it is genetic. I have found through the years I can induce it in some strains through feeding corn, but not in others, so to me that seems to mean that it is partly feed and/or in the genes. It is a deduction in every area of the bird that it occurs, so it can be a bad thing in a show..or a breeder bird.

I am sure others have their opinions on this as well.

Ash: PM with any questions no one else wants to answer and I will try to help you.

Walt

Thank you for all of the above. I just can't stay awake long enough to read as much as I need to. I am sure that there are answers out there to all my questions, even the ones I don't know to ask yet.

Barngoddess: I've been meaning to say this for a while: NICE PICS!

 

[BarnGoddess01]

It just occurred to me maybe I shouldn't say I ate the roo... Um, waste not want not. He WAS a chicken and a huge jerk to me and the kids and had bronze leakage... .


Barngoddess: I've been meaning to say this for a while: NICE PICS!

Thank you! If only I was as good with the birds themselves as I am with the camera - but at least I have fun!! And I'm learning - just like you!

And I eat them all the time. Even Jean's birds! One of the big advantages of working with large fowl. Even the culls can be put to good use. If they aren't useful on the farm, I'll put them to use in other ways.

 

[MoriahQuilts]

You can't judge them for final size yet. The cockerels will be a bit lanky until about 14 months of age.

How about posting some pics????

The rooster came from a local breeder and was sold to me as "the same parents as BOS in our state fair last year". She has that bird and he's good looking. This guy is producing fun EE's, but, I'm learning, not up to standard for Ams.


I've crossed him with a small black hen. They were the only "true Ams" I could find locally, I doubt that she's 5 lbs.
Now I've added this little pullet. She's 10 weeks, the same light build as my black hen.


The chicks I got from shipped eggs, this hen, and my own eggs, seem to have a slim build, narrow across the shoulders, little depth through the abdomen, lacking cushion and fluff. How do I identify a source for a fuller bird, like the ones I see on the ABC site? (I wish those photos had credits.) It would be fun to see pics of the birds placing at shows, and whose they are.
Jean - I LOVE your avatar hen. She is heavenly.

 

[NotAFarm]

How do I identify a source for a fuller bird, like the ones I see on the ABC site? (I wish those photos had credits.) It would be fun to see pics of the birds placing at shows, and whose they are.

MoriahQ, I see you're in Utah, do you have any APA (American Poultry Association) shows near you? I went to one near me three years ago and it was an eye opener. I was able to attend the Crossroads Show in Indianapolis last October and took the following pictures of some of the Ameraucanas that were shown. If you go to an APA show, you can get an Exhibitor List from the Show Secretary. Each bird's cage has a card with a number (you can see this in the pictures), you then match the number to the list of Exhibitors and you will have a name and address to contact.

John Blehm Buff Ameraucana


Paul & Angela Smith Wheaten Ameraucana


John Blehm Silver Ameraucana