Blue Ameraucana thread!

[HerbGir1972]

yes, hen

Yeah

 

[DanielJZ]

Hello again Blue Ameraucana thread! Five weeks ago you may recall me posting several photos of my BA and asking what gender it was. I thought it would be a hen but some here said it was most likely a rooster based on the tail feathers. Here are some of those older photos again.





As I mentioned in my previous post I got my BA at around 9 weeks old with the Easter Egger in the background, who we also hoped would be a hen. Well the EE began looking rooster-like at about 14-15 weeks, began mounting my hens at 16-17, and at 17-18 weeks began crowing every morning, so we already new what we had there. But the BA was still an enigma, which was why I had to ask about it at the time to get an idea of what it might be. Well 5 weeks have passed and it will be 22 weeks (5 months) this saturday.

Physically it has grown and changed since these old photos but not really in the way I expected, especially if it's supposed to be a rooster. I've looked at a lot of photos of BA roo's, on this thread/forum and elsewhere online. All of them seem to have much more pronounced comb's, like my EE's, have the long shiny-pointy hackles, are fairly large with thick legs and large claws, and have a longer downward curving tail. All of which my BA does not seem to have yet.

Here is what it looks like as of today:





At 5 months I'm still not seeing a rooster here, but again I could be wrong. I'm literally now just waiting for it to either crow, mount one of my hens or lay an egg haha.
Anyone have anymore feedback?
Thanks again.

 

[EastNashChick]

Hello again Blue Ameraucana thread! Five weeks ago you may recall me posting several photos of my BA and asking what gender it was. I thought it would be a hen but some here said it was most likely a rooster based on the tail feathers. Here are some of those older photos again. As I mentioned in my previous post I got my BA at around 9 weeks old with the Easter Egger in the background, who we also hoped would be a hen. Well the EE began looking rooster-like at about 14-15 weeks, began mounting my hens at 16-17, and at 17-18 weeks began crowing every morning, so we already new what we had there. But the BA was still an enigma, which was why I had to ask about it at the time to get an idea of what it might be. Well 5 weeks have passed and it will be 22 weeks (5 months) this saturday. Physically it has grown and changed since these old photos but not really in the way I expected, especially if it's supposed to be a rooster. I've looked at a lot of photos of BA roo's, on this thread/forum and elsewhere online. All of them seem to have much more pronounced comb's, like my EE's, have the long shiny-pointy hackles, are fairly large with thick legs and large claws, and have a longer downward curving tail. All of which my BA does not seem to have yet. Here is what it looks like as of today: At 5 months I'm still not seeing a rooster here, but again I could be wrong. I'm literally now just waiting for it to either crow, mount one of my hens or lay an egg haha. Anyone have anymore feedback? Thanks again.

We'll have to see what the others say, but the sleeker feathers look like hackle feathers to me, plus I've never had 1 lay at 6 months personally. This 1 is pinking in the comb at 5, which seems a bit early as mine didn't pink until right b4 lay at 11 months. My vote is male.

 

[kendorama]

Does anyone know if my Blue Ameraucana is a roo or pullet? My guess is a roo.

@ 3 weeks



On the right



On right again






He's 3.5 weeks now and his comb looks reddish but I think it's more so one line than 3 distinct line of peas.

 

[alang]

The five month old looks like my male but I don't know what females look like at that age. I cannot tell the gender of the three week old chick in the more recent post.
I need to find a home for my Blue Ameraucana (not EE) that I got from s breeder. I am in New England. Any takers? I would like him to get his own flock and not become dinner. My husband thinks I am naive but I think I can find him a good home. Help! He would be great breeding stock.

 

[Couchmo]

The five month old looks like my male but I don't know what females look like at that age. I cannot tell the gender of the three week old chick in the more recent post.
I need to find a home for my Blue Ameraucana (not EE) that I got from s breeder. I am in New England. Any takers? I would like him to get his own flock and not become dinner. My husband thinks I am naive but I think I can find him a good home. Help! He would be great breeding stock.

Wow, I sure wish I could take him. I want Blue and/or Lavender Ameraucanas. I just don't have any place to put him right now. I close on the new house on September 1. Then I can work on the coop/tractor & Run. So probably won't be ready till close to the new year! )-;

 

[alang]

Well, I don't plan on making any unfortunate decisions until they start fighting. They are all 10 weeks old. No idea when the fighting starts among cockerels. So far everyone is buddies. Anyone know when I need to pick a favorite and let the rest go to other places (hopefully not the freezer)?

 

[Wishapup]

Well, I don't plan on making any unfortunate decisions until they start fighting. They are all 10 weeks old. No idea when the fighting starts among cockerels. So far everyone is buddies. Anyone know when I need to pick a favorite and let the rest go to other places (hopefully not the freezer)?

None of my cockerels, if housed together while growing up, have ever fought seriously unless they are overcrowded. There is always sparring, and the pecking order will change constantly, but I only start to become concerned when one in particular is getting bullied/chased. I raise many cockerels together. I don't think I've ever had a problem with serious fighting under 6 months. It is a risk when they are separated and put back together, or after they are fully mature. Right now, in one coop, I have 4 mature roosters all in their second year. A Marans (the king), an Ameraucana, a bantam, and a Silkie. They get along fine for the most part. I think you still have plenty of time to decide which ones to keep, but if you are planning to find them new homes, I recommend starting as soon as possible! I have trouble giving them away.

 

[alang]

Wonderful! Do you have hens in with the 4 roosters or did you create a "bachelor pad" for them?

 

[familypendragon]

I have a small flock of BBS Ameraucanas from William Morrow lines. Definitely purebred for many generations. Yet, I have one splash hen (my ONLY splash hen) who has a clean face - no muff or beard. I am confused how this happened. After culling many of the extra roos what I have to work with at this point is:

2 blue hens
2 blue roos (each has a tiny bit of leakage that I may or may not decide to tolerate)
1 splash hen with a clean face
8 black hens who seem ok
8 black roos who seem ok

If I cull my only splash hen and my 2 blue roos with their leakage I am not left with much color diversity.

So my question on the splash hen is - is this some bizarre genetic throw back that will likely not show up in her offspring as long as daddy has a good muff and beard. OR will at least half her offspring have clean faces? How did it even happen in a long line of purebred birds?

With only black roos, 8 black hens, and 2 blue hens I feel like I am going to have an overwhelmingly majority black flock and I really want a great variety. What would you do to get the most variety with the least faults? Thank you for any help! I am very new to breeding