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

[K Epp]

Eastercana! OOOOH I love that! i think I might have to steal that name!

x2 Thats great.


I'm waiting on these two to start laying so I can see what color I get.



Is this what you call a Sparkle?

 

[jerryse]

x2 Thats great.


I'm waiting on these two to start laying so I can see what color I get.



Is this what you call a Sparkle?

That looks silver laced to me.

 

[K Epp]

That looks silver laced to me.

The top or bottom pic? When they start to lay do you think I would get anything interesting if I cross them with my Roos?

 

[jerryse]

The top or bottom pic? When they start to lay do you think I would get anything interesting if I cross them with my Roos?

The bottom pic.

 

[jerryse]

What you get will depend on what you use for a rooster.The top one looks close to blue silver.

 

[Outrun Acres]

I am going to talk about a problem I had today.I have a LF splash cockerel over 5 pullets.He is very docile.Maybe too docile.Only 2 fertile eggs last week.Figured they may have been chilled as some were laying eggs on the ground.Got these pullets laying in the nests now.Did a spot check at day 4 today.No fertile eggs from this pen.So I go trim the cockerels vent feathers.Should solve the problem.This is not a common problem in ameraucanas.I bought this cockerel in october.So he is new blood.Now I have noticed LF are getting fluffier looking.Mostly lav,black,blue and buff has always had this due to orp being used.Fluff does make them look huge and they often place well.My personal view is that they should be able to breed without help.My pullets do not have that much fluff.I like to see the lower half of the drumstick.If the only leg you see starts at the knee then that is too much fluff in my opinion.

Hopefully the judges decide to stay on the same page regarding fluff. When I was trialing my dogs in ASCA, I created a notebook in which I had a list of every ASCA judge and created a profile for each one based on there comments and methods of scoring based on my previous runs. (In this breed club scores are very subjective and mostly based on the individual judges personal opinion. There isn't a very good "standard" that describes the correct way to trial your dogs). So before a trial, I would get out my book and see if I had any previous trial experience with them so that I could "tweak" the way I ran my dog on the stock. Ah, the lengths we sometimes go to win a ribbon and title our animals! I have to say, it did work for me. But in regard to chickens, since they aren't being judged on their "performance" just their color and conformation, it seems to me the judges need to make a decision on the fluff one way or another regarding the breed and that specific trait. I don't think there should be much room in this area for a subjective personal opinion. Maybe they need to describe it better in the standard, so that breeders can make a more cut and dry decision when deciding which birds to breed, so they can either enhance the trait, eliminate it, or leave it as it is.

 

[jerryse]

Hopefully the judges decide to stay on the same page regarding fluff. When I was trialing my dogs in ASCA, I created a notebook in which I had a list of every ASCA judge and created a profile for each one based on there comments and methods of scoring based on my previous runs. (In this breed club scores are very subjective and mostly based on the individual judges personal opinion. There isn't a very good "standard" that describes the correct way to trial your dogs). So before a trial, I would get out my book and see if I had any previous trial experience with them so that I could "tweak" the way I ran my dog on the stock. Ah, the lengths we sometimes go to win a ribbon and title our animals! I have to say, it did work for me. But in regard to chickens, since they aren't being judged on their "performance" just their color and conformation, it seems to me the judges need to make a decision on the fluff one way or another regarding the breed and that specific trait. I don't think there should be much room in this area for a subjective personal opinion. Maybe they need to describe it better in the standard, so that breeders can make a more cut and dry decision when deciding which birds to breed, so they can either enhance the trait, eliminate it, or leave it as it is.tT

Two years ago at Indy the judge wrote a comment on the coop card of Jeans on a buff too much fluff and Jean said finally a judge who knows what he is doing.So yes some judges are better on this breed than others.I hope more become knowledgeable before a trend takes us astray.I have seen what fied trials did to hunting beagles in the 60's and 70's.They became so slow that they were almost useless as gun dogs.So trends can take you off course when winning is the only goal.

 

[jerryse]

Each breeder has a mental list of what traits are important to him or her.Of course the standard type and color are at the top.Other traits are considered also.For me breeding without help is near the top.Egg production and egg size are important also.Vigor is important.A chicken is a utility fowl with eggs and or meat as the goal.Without vigor you can not achieve utility.

 

[Loghousemom]

Each breeder has a mental list of what traits are important to him or her.Of course the standard type and color are at the top.Other traits are considered also.For me breeding without help is near the top.Egg production and egg size are important also.Vigor is important.A chicken is a utility fowl with eggs and or meat as the goal.Without vigor you can not achieve utility.

That is what I am hoping to achieve when we start breeding around here. Nice birds with good egg production that could be used as a meat bird if/when needed. (My daughters are not so excited about this prospect).

Have you seen some lines that produce better in the eggs department?

I have 2 EE, one has not laid all winter, the other lays sporadically, though with longer days she seems to be improving, I think we managed 3 eggs from her this past week. I want to add some true Ameracauna to the flock, and when I decide to breed, that is what I would like to work with. I have time though since there is lots of work to do between now and then. I need to do a bit of rehab on the little breeding/broody house, re-fence the section to that house and insulate the coop I have now. Fun times!

 

[K Epp]

This is the pairings I have in mind.





and








I also have this hen who is already laying I could work with now.

She is laying a green egg now.