Americauna hen?

[Erin277]

Please tell me she is a she. This morning she sort of went off like an alarm. Cawing every few seconds or so. Totally not okay in suburbia. I went out to see if there was a oredator and I couldn't see anything. Another of our hens was In the coop practicing her squat (not laying but hanging out there). I've never had chickens so I'm not sure about their behaviors and sounds.

Thanks!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

A lovely Easter Egger (often sold/misrepresented as Ameraucana) - looks like a pullet from this photo, but can you get a clear side shot that shows the saddle area. How old is the bird? It sounds more like just hen chatter - there is no mistaking a crow, even the first attempts at one by a young cockerel.

 

[Sunshine0235]

A lovely Easter Egger (often sold/misrepresented as Ameraucana) - looks like a pullet from this photo, but can you get a clear side shot that shows the saddle area. How old is the bird? It sounds more like just hen chatter - there is no mistaking a crow, even the first attempts at one by a young cockerel.

x2

 

[Erin277]

Can you explain the difference between an Easter Eggers and an Americauna? Also will I get blue eggs? My daughter is so excited for blue eggs.
I'll take a saddle picture tomorrow when Fluffy is awake.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Can you explain the difference between an Easter Eggers and an Americauna? Also will I get blue eggs? My daughter is so excited for blue eggs.
I'll take a saddle picture tomorrow when Fluffy is awake.

Ameraucana are a pure breed of chickens - they meet a specific breed standard - which includes five recognized colors - and breed true (information at www.ameraucana.org).
Easter Eggers are mixed breed birds with blue egg gene parentage on one side - they do not conform to any particular standard and are not an actual "breed". EE *may* lay eggs in a shade of blue or green, but can may also lay cream, brown or pinkish hued eggs. EE are often sold under the name "Americana" - not sure if the misspelling in your post was due to having purchased birds labeled this way or just a matter of phonetics - but if ti's the former that is often the first "tell" that you are purchasing EE and not true Ameraucana. It's a favorite slight of hand used by those wishing to misrepresent their birds.
The good news is that EE can produce those colorful eggs people want. They also tend to be better producers than the pure bred birds due to the higher production breeds often used in the mix to create them. Another plus if one is simply seeking colorful eggs is that EE are much more readily available and cheaper than their pure bred counterparts.

 

[Erin277]

The misspelling is autocorrect on the phone and my laziness. I'm not sure how it was sold because my daughter's class hatched the egg at school. We were the lucky recipients of the chick. Now I'm just wondering what we have in our backyard. Haha

 

[donrae]

Agree it looks like an Easter egger pullet, and has a high probability of blue or green eggs.

Some hens are just noisy

So much is made about rooster's crowing, folks think hens are silent birds. Especially around point of lay, and after laying an egg, some are very, very noisy. She may settle down after her laying cycle regulates. I'm sure you put up with noise from your neighbors, she's really quieter than a barking dog or lawnmower.

 

[Erin277]

@Ol Grey Mare
@donrae
She is 24 weeks. Should I be adding a heat lamp for a couple hours to encourage them to lay?? We have 3 chickens and are only getting 1 egg daily. I would like 3 eggs - 1 per chicken.
Again these are our first chickens so we are newbies.

 

[Percheron chick]

@Ol Grey Mare
@donrae
She is 24 weeks. Should I be adding a heat lamp for a couple hours to encourage them to lay?? We have 3 chickens and are only getting 1 egg daily. I would like 3 eggs - 1 per chicken.
Again these are our first chickens so we are newbies.

Heat is not going to coax them to lay more eggs. Light on the other hand will. At 24 weeks they are right on schedule to be only giving you 2-3 eggs a week. Don't try to rush things. Heat lamps are an accident waiting to happen in coops.

That's one beautiful EE pullet.

 

[BantamLover21]

She's is an Easter Egger hen. Basically, Easter Eggers are mixed breed birds that lay colored eggs. Most lay greenish-blue eggs, but some lay pinkish eggs or even plain brown eggs. Your Easter Egger's egg color will be a surprise.

Many hens are noisy, especially before and after they lay. They cackle on and on, sometimes just as annoyingly as a crowing rooster. As your hens get older, they may settle down a little and become quieter.

Heat lamps do not stimulate hens to lay eggs--temperature has very little to do with egg production. Supplemental light will help, though. As winter approaches and daylight hours decrease, it is relatively normal for hens to slow down egg production or not begin egg production, unless you use artificial lighting. 14-16 hours of light each day is considered ideal for high egg production.