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

[salt and pepper]

Thanks! Yeah, I have ONE clean chicken, and ironically she's white! lol She's leaving soon though, I'm in the middle of thinning my flock.

 

[Outrun Acres]

We are in the middle of thinning our flock too. We are going to process five of our roosters this weekend. I have done it before when I was in college, but I have never processed my own birds. My husband is going to be the executioner. After they are dead they are just meat to me. Two of our broody hens just hatched out 9 chicks and one of them drowned in the adult birds water tub . I need to switch it out for there summer waterer. We use a tub in the winter because we can easily fit a heating element inside of it so the water doesn't freeze. I cheaped out and didn't want to buy the actual chicken waterers they sell that have a heated base.

 

[Outrun Acres]

Edited for double posting.

 

[Outrun Acres]

Would anyone on here ever use a clean faced rooster in their breeding flock? I have two clean faced roosters that other than lacking beards, they are really beautiful birds. Heavy made, slate/black legs, no color leakage and are starting to get a beautiful beatle green sheen. Would they be worth using? I have a limited number of birds and unfortunately an going to have to work with what I have right now.

 

[Outrun Acres]

Edited for double post - oops!

 

[Outrun Acres]

I have another question for all you knowlegable peeps out there. Is the trait for feathered legs/feet a dominant trait? I have an EE hen that that is a beautiful blue color with beard and muffs, some decent edgeing, a nice angle to here tail, slate/black legs, a very small tight pea comb, and has just started laying a blue/green egg. She is a silkie cross and has five toes and a small amount of leg/feet feathering. Would something like this be worth crossing with my Ameraucanas to add some new blood? I think the birds I have right now are "kissing cousins." They were all kind of sickly and have been slow to grow and develop. I think I need to broaden the gene pool.

I need to go through my computer and find a better picture of her. I know you can't see much from this one besides her coloring.

 

[brahmabreeder]

Yes it is dominant.

 

[Outrun Acres]

Ok I found some better pictures of my bird. Here they are:

 

[brahmabreeder]

As far as shank feathers are concerned I don't think that will cause too many issues in the next gen. if you plan on keeping the progeny clean legged. To e it seems like a bad idea to cross her to your AM's as she has other things that will cause you to need to cull a lot. Such as the extra toe and black skin. Just my opinion though.

 

[Outrun Acres]

What breeds are generally outcrossed to b/b/s?