Lavender Ameraucana Breeders .... UNITE

[DMRippy]

I have a question about odd coloring on one of my lavender cockerels. This is my 2rd year to breed them. I bred my lavender male to black hens last year for splits. This year I bred the splits back to my male. The young one in question is growing out nicely, but showing a fair amount of white leakage on his wings. I know this is a fault, but now I just noticed that his saddle feathers are laced with white as well. Where in the world would this lacing have come from?

My lavenders seem to have silver and it will express some in the hackles, wings and saddle feathers on males. I don't think I have ever seen it on pullets. Lacing????? IDK. Can you get some pictures?


This is my oldest Cock he really does not show much silver.




This is a younger cockerel that had silver expressing. I don't have him anymore. I still have the above cock though.

 

[megshenhut]

Thanks for the info. My cockerel looks much like your second bird, only more so. So that must be what it is on his saddle feathers. I was just very surprised to see that color on his feathers.

 

[SIMZ]

HI everyone! My two girls are around 30 weeks and are as sweet as can be - really, sweetest chickens I've ever had. I hatched a pair last year, but sold them, so these are the first I've kept.

Here are my questions:

They didn't start laying until around 26-27 weeks. Is that normal for the breed?

They've only been laying for a few weeks to a month and one is broody and the other stopped laying (they have light). Is this normal?

Are they good layers or kind of stop and go?

Thanks so much!

 

[buckabucka]

I have two pullets that are 28 weeks and still haven't started laying. I don't light my coop though.

In my experience, this is not the most productive breed, but their eggs are pretty and so are the birds.

 

[megshenhut]

I think it depends on the individual bird. I have some blacks that lay super well, my lavender doesn't lay well. She will lay a clutch of eggs and then want to set. A couple of blacks tend to go broody, but the others never do. But they are slow to mature and begin laying.

 

[4theluvofpeeps]

I raised up lavs from eggs I purchased from TN. The hens were average layers until their 1st molt. Then BAM! I've had 0 eggs since July! The light has helped the other hens, but the blue layers have gone dry at 1 year of age. I don't get it! They all share the same coop, feed & light. ??? Anybody have any advice?

 

[RFR of CA]

mine are not laying since molt either--- boooo

 

[emily88]

I am so confused. How did we get white leakages in the lavenders? How do you tell if you have a lavs with leakage? Pictures? I have a beautiful cockerel, that is taking forever to molt. I wanted to ask about what to improve on him, but I will not take pics until he looks better. He is embarrassed by his molt. :/

 

[DMRippy]

Join the club! I had some CCL that have not laid in about that long either.... they were new layers too and after about 2 months NOTHING..... till a few days ago. Lets see if that keeps up. I have some SLW that have not laid in months either. The SLW are on the chopping block next year. If I don't get eggs or chicks next year they will hit the road.

Some breeds bounce back quicker than others. My ams seem to take more breaks throughout the year than the others do. My WL will molt for a bout 3 weeks and then BOOM back to full production. My Barred Rocks are quicker to bounce back too, Marans..... but Wyandottes, AMs, Orps and CCL's all not the best layers throughout the year.

 

[emily88]

My friends and I ask each other every time we see each other who has layers. My one friend has 9 month old pullets that are not laying. They are hitting their heads into walls. I have five layers that range from every day to every three days. The funny thing is the smallest youngest lav is laying. I marked her as my last one to lay. She lays the cutest blue eggs that are robin size. She is so proud of her self. :yiipchick
It will come. If this weather does not warm up soon, I think I am going to go crazy. 70-20 degrees is not my favorite.