The Ameraucana Thread: Where everything and anything about the breed can be discussed (APA, Non-Stan

[Outrun Acres]

Awesome! What temp did you use?

When they were in the turner it ranged from 101-103. For the last 3 days I kept the temp at 102 at the top of the eggs. My incubator doesn't have a fan so everyday I moved the eggs around the incubator to try to compensate for hot and cold spots. I think it worked.

 

[CRSelvey]

I agree. I have posted here because I was sold "Ameraucanas" but after being here, I learned that they might not all be as advertised. The information on this thread has been interesting and informative, so THANK YOU ALL for that even if I only have Easter Eggers.

 

[salt and pepper]

When they were in the turner it ranged from 101-103. For the last 3 days I kept the temp at 102 at the top of the eggs. My incubator doesn't have a fan so everyday I moved the eggs around the incubator to try to compensate for hot and cold spots. I think it worked.

Ok =) This spring I will be hatching my first batch of ameraucanas, And I want to get it right! Lol, Also, what would you get if you crossed a white with a blue/ lavender?

 

[salt and pepper]

I agree. I have posted here because I was sold "Ameraucanas" but after being here, I learned that they might not all be as advertised. The information on this thread has been interesting and informative, so THANK YOU ALL for that even if I only have Easter Eggers.

Theres nothing wrong with EEs =) I have three, and at the moment, I have 3 ameraucanas also. They both have awesome personalities, also if you get birds from craigslist, You NEED to see the parents, I have seen soooo many listings for ameraucanas, that were actually easter eggers.

 

[jerryse]

Ok =) This spring I will be hatching my first batch of ameraucanas, And I want to get it right! Lol, Also, what would you get if you crossed a white with a blue/ lavender?

Most white ameraucanas are recessive white.Blue and lavender are different.White x lav black chicks carrying lav and white as recessive.Blue is dominate.White x blue 50% blue and 50% black chicks.2 copies of blue is splash.

 

[salt and pepper]

Thank you! I know lavender, and blue are different, I just wanted to know what I would get from either, I have both, and a white rooster.

 

[Llovesherchics]

Theres nothing wrong with EEs =) I have three, and at the moment, I have 3 ameraucanas also. They both have awesome personalities, also if you get birds from craigslist, You NEED to see the parents, I have seen soooo many listings for ameraucanas, that were actually easter eggers.

I will second that. And even then you can't be sure what you're getting. I saw the parents of some chicks I got but after a couple of weeks I realized they were mixes. I was highly upset especially considering I actually new this person. She advertises her chicks on craigslist as pure breeds. If I had thought about it on the spot I would've known. All her chickens run around together and, well, you know. Free love so to speak.

LOL

 

[ChickNmamma]

Quote: Wow - she advertises purebred and allows mixing? Is this among just one breed - or all the breeds? Scary!

Yes, I agree. If they are claiming to have purebred Ameraucanas you need parental information - and from who's line the birds descend (Smith x Blehm example). If they don't know that - then you are getting Easter Eggers or mixed birds.

If the bird is listed as an Amer-i-cauna, it is very probably not an Ameraucana. it is an Easter Egger. Most serious breeders know how to spell it, and are well aware of the differences. I am selling some of my EE hens - but it doesn't do me any good to put Easter Eggers on the ad because nobody knows what they are (except us and the Ameraucana breeders). Americauna are recognizable as laying colored (blue) eggs. If anybody asks me about buying them - I will tell them they are NOT AmerAUcanas - and they are not showable or purebred birds. Mine at least do lay a lot of nice blue eggs.

 

[Loghousemom]

I wouldn't worry too much about that last comment. I started this thread mostly to create a friendly atmosphere where people could feel comfortable asking questions about the breed (EE's included). When I asked the same questions you did on the "other" Ameraucana thread I received some very rude responses and felt very uninvited. There are some really nice knowledgeable long time breeders on this thread that I know will do their best to answer your questions. So feel free to ask any questions you want. We all love and are interested in Ameraucanas.

I posted all of those pictures to show another member on the thread that lots of chicks are being sold as Ameraucanas when they aren't truly Ameraucanas. If you will go back and read the first page of this thread, you will see that members should feel free to discuss APA Standard birds, non-standard birds (with purebred parentage), and project birds. Since some project birds have been outcrossed to other breeds, this description includes EE's. Whether people like it or not, EE's are an integral part of the breed of the existing breed and improvements in the future. Line-breeding is already starting to decrease fertility in some lines. Since most Ameraucana lines are "cousins" to each other, at some point, outcrossing to another breed will be necessary. I was reading on the ABC forum the other day, that some people have started a blue project where they are outcrossing to Blue Andalusions to try to improve lacing. Technically, all offspring would be considered EE's by most peoples standards. But after being bred back to Ameraucanas for a few generations the offspring would be considered Ameraucanas again. So sometimes createing and EE and/or non-standard bird is necessary to improve the breed. All that myself and the other members of this thread ask is that if you want to participate in the discussions on this thread please maintain an open mind and a positive attitude.

I am sorry if this post is weird. This is difficult to see what I have quoted above. Sometimes quotes do not work well on the iPad for some reason. Thank you Outrun Acres for creating an informative and friendly place for all of us who hope to learn more about the chickens we own.

 

[myronette]

Hey there! I'm a chicken noob, but so far all 6 of our chicks have made it through life with our loving care and are now about 8 weeks old (they just moved into their coop late last week and have a light for warmth as it's still a bit cold in Seattle). Our Ameraucana is starting to be vocal (more than the others) and is protective of the others. We're wondering if she is perhaps a he? I've searched the interwebs high and low and havne't run across another ameraucana with the same coloring.


~a couple weeks old


5 or 6 weeks old


~8 weeks old (all the chicks were trying to peck at my ring when I took this picture! They were very curious...)

She's really pretty. The kids named her 'owl' because she looked like a little owl when she was a baby (it seems "Hawk" might be more appropriate now!). Anyway, she does have the fluffy neck feathers, curved beak and slate legs, so I'm assuming that I did in fact get a real ameraucana. Just trying to figure out how to tell if we really got a hen or a rooster... Any help?