I love the descriptions of the Amercaunas. I have two and they are just that way. They stick together and the yard is big enough to get away from the others. They like to coop together at night separate from the others which I am letting them do bec they are molting and more skittish than ever. One is better than the other. One is so bad that I nicknamed her Squeeker. If I pick her up you would think I scalded her. They are so interesting and lay beautiful blue eggs everyday (except while molting), but I don't think I'd get more bec they are so freaky.
We love our APA Blue Wheaten Ameraucana (my avatar) so much. We decided to order an APA Blue Ameraucana (not Easter Egger) along with a rare Blue Breda for Spring 2015 - both should be non-combative to add to our existing gentle-tempered flock. Our Blue Wheaten Ameraucana is growing new feathers after a pretty explosive moult in which she was lethargic, reclusive, skittish, with no appetite. The moulting time is quite stressul to chickens and the incoming new quills are irritating so obviously they freak if you touch them. So, yes, during moult birds are more sensitive and skittish but our girl is getting back to her normal kooky self again, letting us pet her, feed her by hand, etc, TG! I don't mind the "freaky" in Ameraucanas or EEs because their hyper-activity doesn't cause them to fly out of the yard which they easily could if they wanted - yet the hyper personality keeps them alert and predator-savvy. Once we hold our Ameraucana, she melts in our arms, carries on a cooing conversation back and forth with us, and eventually goes to sleep limp as a dish-rag. One of the sweetest gentlest breeds we've ever had the pleasure of owning.