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

[Outrun Acres]

I feed the extra eggs to my dogs, chickens, give some to my friends, and of course my husband loves them. I don't eat any; I can not, I am a vegetarian.

I was running out of options this week so I started feeding them to my dogs too! I scrambled an 18 pack and they loved it! It's probably better or them than some of the ingredients in their commercial dog foods anyway. My herding dogs need a high fat/protein diet and even the feeds that are supposed to be for "working" dogs don't do the job. I hope feeding them some eggs helps a bit. Couldn't hurt right? Almost all of our friends and neighbors have chickens too, so that option is out. I'm not far off being a vegetarian. On occasion I eat eggs, but not very often. I am glad my boys like to eat them. Although they will probably develop an aversion to them by the time they are adults after being forced to eat so many as children!

 

[Outrun Acres]

Here are some questions I would ask before I bought eggs from a particular breeder:

1) Where did you get your (breed name) from?
2) How long have you been breeding them?
3) Can you tell me a little bit about your breeding program? For example, what does it consist of? How do you go about it? What, if anything, are your goals and what are you striving for?
4) Have you shown your birds, and if so, how have they done? Do you know if any of your egg customers have ever shown their birds, if so, have they ever won anything?
5) Can you provide a close up picture(s) of the parents and can you provide a close up picture(s) of a representative egg?
6) Have you experienced any problems with Mareks, Lymphoid Leucosis (LL), Newcastle’s, MG (in particular), or any other disease that could be transmitted through the egg or genetics? I got a rooster many years ago that died from LL less than two weeks after I bought him. Evidently there is no prevention nor cure for LL but rather it is something passed down from the mother to the progeny and the best prevention is having bred resistance to the disease. The incubation period for LL is 6-10 months so it would be some time before I would find out if I have a problem. That’s why I ask.
7) Do you offer any kind of guarantee regarding fertility and/or the packaging so eggs arrive intact?
8) Do your hens all lay the (specific color) eggs that are relatively the same in color?
9) When collecting hatching eggs for sale, do you identify each egg from a particular set of parents or just collect as a group?
10) Is there anything else you can tell me that maybe I should know or should’ve asked

Thank you! This is an incredibly helpful list! I didn't know about LL. That sounds scary. Is the disease prevalent in Ameraucanas? What type of breeding program do most breeders use these days? I know a lot of people seem to use line-breeding with chickens.

 

[Outrun Acres]

I love the idea of sex linked birds!

I was at the store with my girls the other day looking at the chicks. They were straight run. I couldn't even really tell which breeds they were with the exception of one which looked like my welsummer.

i have soooo much to learn.

I love them too! We thought we had purchased 1 cuckoo marans and 2 Dominique (My husband likes barred chickens in his backyard) from our local feed store. They were sexed pullets but were incorrectly labeled at the feed store. I couldn't tell which was which until I was able to get a really close look at their combs. So now I realize I have one Dominique and 2 cuckoo marans. Have to be careful at those feed stores! They try their best, but most just aren't very knowledgable about chicken breeds. I'm sure we can all agree that this is almost 100% true when it comes to Ameraucanas.

 

[MeanV2]

Who is a reputable breeder to buy Ameraucans Hatching Eggs from? I am in Southern IL if it makes a difference. I really prefer the Blacks & Blues.

Dan

 

[Outrun Acres]

Who is a reputable breeder to buy Ameraucans Hatching Eggs from? I am in Southern IL if it makes a difference. I really prefer the Blacks & Blues.

Dan

I don't have a definitive answer to your question but I recently sent an email to a breeder in Arkansas who specifically breeds blues and blacks. I asked a lot of questions and am waiting for a reply with pictures of the parent stock. I can PM you with the info when I receive a reply. Some of the experienced breeders on here will most likely be able to give you a better answer. Happy hunting!

 

[Pathfinders]

Does anyone know if Barbara Campbell of TN is still breeding Ameraucanas?

 

[MeanV2]

I don't have a definitive answer to your question but I recently sent an email to a breeder in Arkansas who specifically breeds blues and blacks. I asked a lot of questions and am waiting for a reply with pictures of the parent stock. I can PM you with the info when I receive a reply. Some of the experienced breeders on here will most likely be able to give you a better answer. Happy hunting!

I had contacted a purchaser of some eggs from a seller on Ebay. They had purchased Ameraucanas eggs more than a year ago and said all they hatched were 3 Orpingtons? I thought that pretty strange, but I did not question them any further.

The more I learn about Chickens the more I realize I do not know.

Laura, I have enjoyed your posts on the Buckeye thread and I am supposed to have Baby BE's next week

Dan

 

[Pathfinders]

Laura, I have enjoyed your posts on the Buckeye thread and I am supposed to have Baby BE's next week

Dan

Cool! I have eggs in the incubator too (finally, running very late this year due to health issues.) Be sure to post some pics of the new chicks in the Buckeye thread when they hatch, good luck with them!

And I have since learned Barbara has stopped breeding Ameraucanas, such a shame, she had just the most lovely birds. I got Wheaten and Blue Wheatens from her back some years ago, just loved them.

 

[chicksnthestiks]

Here are some questions I would ask before I bought eggs from a particular breeder:

1) Where did you get your (breed name) from?
2) How long have you been breeding them?
3) Can you tell me a little bit about your breeding program? For example, what does it consist of? How do you go about it? What, if anything, are your goals and what are you striving for?
4) Have you shown your birds, and if so, how have they done? Do you know if any of your egg customers have ever shown their birds, if so, have they ever won anything?
5) Can you provide a close up picture(s) of the parents and can you provide a close up picture(s) of a representative egg?
6) Have you experienced any problems with Mareks, Lymphoid Leucosis (LL), Newcastle’s, MG (in particular), or any other disease that could be transmitted through the egg or genetics? I got a rooster many years ago that died from LL less than two weeks after I bought him. Evidently there is no prevention nor cure for LL but rather it is something passed down from the mother to the progeny and the best prevention is having bred resistance to the disease. The incubation period for LL is 6-10 months so it would be some time before I would find out if I have a problem. That’s why I ask.
7) Do you offer any kind of guarantee regarding fertility and/or the packaging so eggs arrive intact?
8) Do your hens all lay the (specific color) eggs that are relatively the same in color?
9) When collecting hatching eggs for sale, do you identify each egg from a particular set of parents or just collect as a group?
10) Is there anything else you can tell me that maybe I should know or should’ve asked

Great questions!

 

[jerryse]

Who is a reputable breeder to buy Ameraucans Hatching Eggs from? I am in Southern IL if it makes a difference. I really prefer the Blacks & Blues.

Dan

Paul Smith wins a lot.He sells out fast.Jensen Piersen usually does well at shows.Check the for sale on BYC.Someone had some for sale with Smith and Blehm lines.