Lavender Ameraucana Breeders .... UNITE

[buckabucka]

Hello,

Does anyone here have an adult Ameraucana female for sale in East TN?

My older female just passed and my poor old rooster is driving me crazy. He has to be in the bedroom with me in a crate while I find him a new wife because he won't quit crowing and howling since his lady died. Quite frankly we are both climbing up the wall!

I am in Meigs County but willing to travel a spell for a new chicken wife for my boy.

 

Thanks!

It may be easier to get just any female hen to keep him company for a while, so he won't make upu crazy. Then you can take your time looking for a quality Ameraucana.

 

[House of Lange]

I think I have some of these!! I was never sure what they were..how can I tell what breed my babies are??

 

[ChickNmamma]

Hello and Welcome to BYC

I think I have some of these!! I was never sure what they were..how can I tell what breed my babies are??

If you buy them from a breeder who tells you what breed (and color) your babies are.

Otherwise - I doubt you have Ameraucanas. They are not available from the Feed Stores, from Hatcheries (although they are trying) or from backyard breeders who don't tell you exactly what they are. I bought mine from a breeder and waited 7 months to get them in the mail.

Post pictures on the "What Breed is This" section in BYC and people can guess what you have. Many people come on this thread and think they have Ameraucanas when they have Easter Eggers, Olive Eggers or just mixed breeds.

 

[aldarita]

With a fan and shade you should be set. Mine just got shade and a breeze last year. Didn't have any problems with them. I think you will like your birds.

Thanks a lot for your response, I feel a lot better knowing that they will be alright, and yes, they are already turning into beautiful birds.

 

[ChickNmamma]

I have a question on which rooster to keep for breeding to improve the Lavender feathers, if there is a difference.

I have two split boys. One has the fast feathering gene (I think, feather sexed female) and he grew big fast, the other has the slow feathering gene (and he feather sexed male). Since the Lavender feathers have strength problems - would it be better to use the slow feathering boy so the feathers can grow for longer and maybe be stronger that way?

The fast feathering boy also has crooked toes as long as my fingers - I think he got too big too fast

They weren't crooked when he was little - but as he grew they curled sideways instead of down. The slow feathering one is smaller but is catching up wit the big one now. Both have nice even green sheen on their rooster feathers they are getting in.

They are 4 months and three weeks old right now. No pictures because they still look like gangly teenagers, too skinny and still awkward! Are they still to young to choose?

 

[DMRippy]

I am pretty sure we should NOT be using slow feathering birds. I think that contributes to feather issues in lavender.

 

[Goose and Fig]

The slower feathering roo might be delayed in development because the other boy is more dominant. Its just a natural thing. Take the fast feathering one out of the picture and I bet the smaller one will catch up in no time.
If they come from the same parents, most cases you will have more than one with the slow feather- if that is what he has.

 

[ChickNmamma]

I am pretty sure we should NOT be using slow feathering birds. I think that contributes to feather issues in lavender.

Ok, So the slow feathering gene causes more problems instead of helping them? I don't know that they have it - but I know that the other three boys "feather sexed" at 3 days old as male, which I understood would only be correct if they carry the slow feathering gene.

The slower feathering roo might be delayed in development because the other boy is more dominant. Its just a natural thing. Take the fast feathering one out of the picture and I bet the smaller one will catch up in no time.
If they come from the same parents, most cases you will have more than one with the slow feather- if that is what he has.

Thanks. I have 4 pullets and 4 cockerels in there - Two Split boys, three Split girls, two Lav boys and one Lav girl. The "fast" boy got bigger than all of them - but I think he grew too fast... if that is possible. I don't like the curled toes - he has 4 that are curled (the middles are C shaped and the outside curve sideways too. I don't think it wise to use him for breeding -but I was wondering which feathering trait was more desirable for the Lavenders.

I don't know if the other ones have the "slow" feathering gene - but the other three boys "feather sexed" as male - only the big one did not. The other three boys are getting bigger - but not as big as fast boy, who is also longer legged than any of the others..

 

[Penny Hen]

Ok, So the slow feathering gene causes more problems instead of helping them? I don't know that they have it - but I know that the other three boys "feather sexed" at 3 days old as male, which I understood would only be correct if they carry the slow feathering gene.


Thanks. I have 4 pullets and 4 cockerels in there - Two Split boys, three Split girls, two Lav boys and one Lav girl. The "fast" boy got bigger than all of them - but I think he grew too fast... if that is possible. I don't like the curled toes - he has 4 that are curled (the middles are C shaped and the outside curve sideways too. I don't think it wise to use him for breeding -but I was wondering which feathering trait was more desirable for the Lavenders.

I don't know if the other ones have the "slow" feathering gene - but the other three boys "feather sexed" as male - only the big one did not. The other three boys are getting bigger - but not as big as fast boy, who is also longer legged than any of the others..

I was just reading about Green Jungle Fowl and you have to very carefully feed them while growing so their toes don't curl. This is from Feathersite.com on their article on Green Jungle Fowl:

In captivity, the diet should include nutritious fruits with oil soluble vitamins, like the North American paw paw, dried cranberries and pomegranates where available. These fruits are invaluable as they contain condensed tannins called proanthocyanidins that prevent E. coli bacteria from attaching to cells in the digestive tract. Green Junglefowl are particularly vulnerable to Marek's disease, mycoplasma, pseudomonas and a host of other ailments that attack the digestive tract and leave the birds paralyzed. It cannot be overemphasized how important these specific types of fruits are for subtropical galliform species. Fruits high in sugar and low in nutritional content, like green grapes, pears and apples, should be avoided. Commercial poultry feeds should also be avoided as they will often contain ground up poultry byproducts like feathers, legs and heads from mass production poultry houses. The big production stock are fed antibiotics to fend off the mycoplasmas and other common poultry diseases. Feeding the poultry feed to wild galliforms will often lead to the birds developing antibiotic resistant ailments. Soybean and alfalfa should not be fed to Green Junglefowl, for their phytoestrogen contents throw off the hormonal cycles. Most grains like millet, corn, wheat and barley are harmful to Green Junglefowl. A lamb and rice dog kibble is preferable. The subadult junglefowl have special problems associated with their dietary requirements and growth stages. Too much crude protein will curl the toes and legs. Not enough animal protein will stress the birds with high mortality being one consequence. It is possible to locate freeze-dried shrimps/krill over the internet and in pet stores. These are a valuable avicultural tool. Nekton reptile supplements are sprinkled liberally over the krill and fed out once a week as treats for juvenile and subadult birds. This will also be invaluable for breeding pairs and individuals in molt. The reptile supplements contain all the trace minerals and vitamins the birds need during the periods of the year when they are most vulnerable.
​

Perhaps his metabolism is a thowback to the jungle fowl and you are feeding too high in protein for him.

 

[ChickNmamma]

Quote: Well in that case I definitely do not want to use him - looks like there are other serious health issues with the jungle fowl "throwback" possibility. They didn't get any animal protein, but they did get fermented flock raiser. It is always possible that diet was a partial cause, however no sign of curled toes in the others... or excessively fast growth. The toes are not only curled - they are 1/3 again longer than all the others' toes. If they were straight I would guess they are about 3" long