Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[lovinchicks]

Nothing here is as chatty as the Silver Campines I have... I have never, ever heard a more chatty bird. They are amazingly talkative!

In Ameraucana land, I am growing out some Wheaten chicks. I think (I hope) I have three pullets and one cockerel, but these guys fake me out all the time. I have some almost 15 week old Blacks that are still giving me fits over what they are...



Chicks are five weeks old in this photo.

I was going to guess 2, 3, and 4 to be Roo's by the coloring. BUT I am new at this,and that is a very newbie guess

 

[Schroeder]

Back on topic, has anyone else noticed their BBS Ameraucana to be more vocal? Granted, I only have two and one is (I believe) descended from the other and they are both low on the pecking order, but those girls have bigger mouths than anyone else in my flock! My black hen will yell any time I step out the back door, and my blue pullet is almost as loud (although friendlier and more apt to approach, so perhaps her yelling is asking for more goodies). I know others have commented on how quiet their Ameraucana are, and I was wondering if it mine being so loud might be related to color or just individual birds.

I've not owned BBS, just Wheaten, Silver and White, but the Silvers are very vocal, more so than any of my others, including Orpingtons. The Silvers LOVE to free range, and I think their vocalizations often are a plea to let them out of their runs.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
It is very common and even recommended to put lavender birds back with black to keep the quality of the feathers up. What you likely have are birds split for lavender so they appear black but they are carrying the lavender gene. When you cross these birds back to each other or a full lavender, you will get more splits and some full on lavenders. Cross beak is not entirely unexpected from lavenders.

Your birds are in interesting black. I would agree it is rather dull. Also interesting to see the edging on those feathers. I am brand new to lavender so perhaps someone with more experience could comment whether this is a common result of the lavender split. I have a Silkie split for lavender that is coloured like this but he is actually a very dark blue. That breeder is using blue to cross out with her lavender birds which is common with Silkies apparently. I wonder if the "black roo" you saw was perhaps a very dark blue and not really black? I believe lavender Ameraucana breeders do not recommend mixing blues in with lavenders. I think there is a thread specific to lavender Ameraucanas. You might want to post over there as well.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Barngoddess, do you have a picture of Gene as a new chick?

Do I have pictures ....

(I take LOADS of pictures ...

) This is my Gene at 4 days old.



Gene is in my hand.



And this is Gene a few days later (in the centre) with his blue sister beside him on the right.

 

[CFellows]

It is very common and even recommended to put lavender birds back with black to keep the quality of the feathers up. What you likely have are birds split for lavender so they appear black but they are carrying the lavender gene. When you cross these birds back to each other or a full lavender, you will get more splits and some full on lavenders. Cross beak is not entirely unexpected from lavenders.

Your birds are in interesting black. I would agree it is rather dull. Also interesting to see the edging on those feathers. I am brand new to lavender so perhaps someone with more experience could comment whether this is a common result of the lavender split. I have a Silkie split for lavender that is coloured like this but he is actually a very dark blue. That breeder is using blue to cross out with her lavender birds which is common with Silkies apparently. I wonder if the "black roo" you saw was perhaps a very dark blue and not really black? I believe lavender Ameraucana breeders do not recommend mixing blues in with lavenders. I think there is a thread specific to lavender Ameraucanas. You might want to post over there as well.

Thank you so much!! This is super helpful. I was thinking the Lavender gene was like the blue in the fact that if you breed black to black you will only get black. But if there is a chance of getting lavendar, maybe I will keep these two and see what I can get out of them. Thanks again, Tina

 

[dfdesigns]

Quote: I can't really tell on the other yet but by the coloring, I am just LEANING to all roos. give them a couple of more weeks. The color on them is MORE than my pullets. I will get a pic of my pullets that are the same age. I think you have a black roo, 2 blue roos and a splash roo.

I see the problem... these chicks are Wheatens, not B/B/S...

I shouldn't have discussed two different varieties in the same paragraph.

 

[Reyvaughn]

My 'white' BW/W girl. Yes, her legs are yellow. Yes, she's pure. This is my 3rd yellow legged bird from this breeder. It is also the last round of birds I buy from this breeder. I am sell them all and starting over again with another line.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Quote: CFellows...based on what you described, I believe that I know exactly who you got your birds from, and yes, they are true Ameraucanas. All of your blacks are indeed split for lavender, if you breed them together, you will get some lavender, some pure blacks, and some more black / lav splits. To know which blacks are what, you would need to test-mate them with the lavenders.

 

[CFellows]

CFellows...based on what you described, I believe that I know exactly who you got your birds from, and yes, they are true Ameraucanas. All of your blacks are indeed split for lavender, if you breed them together, you will get some lavender, some pure blacks, and some more black / lav splits. To know which blacks are what, you would need to test-mate them with the lavenders.

Okay, that is good to know. Thanks for the info.

 

[aoxa]

Back on topic, has anyone else noticed their BBS Ameraucana to be more vocal?  Granted, I only have two and one is (I believe) descended from the other and they are both low on the pecking order, but those girls have bigger mouths than anyone else in my flock!  My black hen will yell any time I step out the back door, and my blue pullet is almost as loud (although friendlier and more apt to approach, so perhaps her yelling is asking for more goodies).  I know others have commented on how quiet their Ameraucana are, and I was wondering if it mine being so loud might be related to color or just individual birds.

Bringing myself back in to contribute to this topic. GOD YES. My bantam BBS boys are SOOO obnoxious

Especially the ones that I am not using for breeding. I am using only my best male and have to extras that have no girls. They are not happy about that, and crow CONSTANTLY. The crowing is ear splitting. I can handle my big boys crowing all day long, but this is different lol.

My girls are loud too, but in a different kind of way obviously