Bantam Ameraucana Thread!

[jerryse]

I have done large x bantam crosses many times.

 

[TwistedFeathers]

How did turn out size wise?

I came across someting somewhere that said the female determines the size of the chicks, not the rooster, and if you are breeding for a specific size, you up or downsize the hens?

As if this is correct i'm thinking it may be a good way to get correct color into the bantams. That's the only problem here, is there are a few people who breed the full size ones true to standard, at least colorwise, haven't seen the birds in person so can't say for the conformation, but i haven't found many at all that breed the bantams for specifics, so it's really hard to find good Am bantams anyway, let alone in acceptable colors.

 

[jerryse]

Yes hen size or egg size makes a difference. Smaller hen or egg seems to make a smaller adult. Larger hen or egg makes a larger adult. I have used these intermediate adults to go both ways on projects. Creating bantam and large lines in the same project color.

 

[TwistedFeathers]

Awesome. That will open possibilities for the future As i have come across some nice roosters in my searchings, and it should make it a bit easier to get unrelated roosters now too. I was worried i would only be able to use bantam roosters over my wee girls Once they are a bit older, and start laying, i will also look round for good breeders i can get eggs from so when they go broody i can hopefully increase my stock of nice tuffties

 

[Twolf]

Can I see picks of your flock as chicks. I have a bantam I can figure out????

She was all yellow and is still very tiny at almost 3 weeks

 

[Twolf]

She's changing to white with black under neath hiding

 

[ScratchesWithChickens]

Hello,

I've been interested in this breed for years, I think it's time to bust out the ol' incubator. Does anyone currently have any hatching eggs available? Or might you be able to point me in the right direction?

Thank you!

 

[TwistedFeathers]

Have found out, that down here in lil ole new zealand, we have no standard for bantam ams. Am joining the local poultry club, and i am going to aim for a true bantam ameraucana. Got told by one of the top breeders here that my rooster is very nice, and he is from her lines haha but i think most of the ams here are. Will use him to breed back to my bantams and try and get a nice correct bantam. The long term plan is get the bantam standardised here.

Seeing how there is a lack of bantam sized ams here, i'm also considering crossing out to get some of the required traits then breeding back to my rooster to get back to the am. What breeds would be suitable for this? My wee tufted banty pullet is half way there, her head and tufting are good, she has the dark legs, but her tail shape is wrong,

I am keeping feelers out for small hens, hoping to come across a few undersize/runty ones that full size breeders don't want, but i know it's not going to happen overnight. So, what are a couple of other breeds i could look out for that would provide some of the traits i need?

 

[jerryse]

In the USA we developed bantams first. I am one of the original breeders so I may be able to help. Do you have bantam old English, Wyandotte, orpington and Plymouth Rock bantams available ? We used Old English for wheaten, brown reds, silver, black/blue. orpington in buff and whites. Blacks also had Wyandotte added. The first blues came from whites over black OE. The whites carried blue. Blue was used with wheaten to create blue wheaten. So there are our 8 colors. Orpington has been used in large fowl but Plymouth Rock has less fluff than English orpington . That is why I listed rock. We used American bred Orpington which are less fluffy than English. Let me know where you want to start. We did this all in about 10 years.

 

[TwistedFeathers]

Is that the old English game? If so we have both bantam and full size here, not 100% sure on the bantams of Orp and plymouth rock, but i will make enquires and do some digging to see if i can find either of those, we have bantam wyndottes, will keep an eye out out the local show next month, as there's several classes for the bantam wyns, so i should be able to find a few breeders. There are also classes for the OE