Tiny, Sight Impaired Black Ameraucana Update--she's laying! (Pics)

[speckledhen]

Well, Tiny came from a BBS Ameraucana flock, one that was visited by a BLRW rooster, so we got a cross, Rita, and thought Tiny was pure, albeit with a flaw--she is beardless, but looks like a purebred Ameraucana. She cannot see well, can't pick up scratch off the ground; took days to teach her how to eat and drink after she hatched from her pretty blue egg. She does okay, though she is really super attached to us, stemming from all our efforts to keep her alive in her first week of life.

Three days ago, she laid her first egg, then one the day after and one today. They are pearly beige, to my surprise. Maybe the Wyandotte rooster is her sire after all, but her body type is so petite and streamlined, that doesn't seem likely. Anyway, here are pics of Tiny, who is 24 weeks old, and her egg, next to two other pullet eggs, with my pinky finger for perspective.

From Left to Right: Rita's, Barbara's, and Tiny's pullet eggs

 

[barred-rocks-rock]

She's pretty!

 

[speckledhen]

Thanks, she's very delicate, someone even called her "ethereal". Guess she'll now be called an Easter Egger due to her egg color, but that's fine with me. I'm just glad she can lay without any trouble. We didn't know after her hesitant start in life.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

I think her egg color is interesting. She sure looks petite enough to be all Ameraucana. And those fine legs - all mine are fine/petite like that (makes a big difference next to an Orp)


We (couple BYC members) ordered chicks from a well know Ameraucana breeder - some of the blacks were clean faced. It will be interesting to see what color egg those clean faced chicks lay - I would have guessed blue, but now I do wonder.

 

[Wynette]

awe...she's sweet, Cyn! Goodness, she has some long tail! Pretty egg - nice & round - I like those!

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Awe - so cute! Congrats on the egg! :

 

[speckledhen]

Quote:
Way back, I was breeding BBS Ameraucanas and had stock from Cree and Rivergait Farms. I did get some beardless blacks out of those on occasion, but to my knowledge, each laid a blue or green-blue egg.

 

[thechickenguy]

why is she sight impaired ? what happened to her when she was young ? ? ?

 

[speckledhen]

She hatched that way. She isn't blind, but her depth perception is way off. She sometimes pecks at air and misses stuff. If you give her a pile of food, she just pecks in the middle of it and gets the food, but she can't pick up single pieces of grain, etc. High contrast in color helps her aim better, like chick starter in a red feeder as opposed to a metal one helped her learn to eat.

 

[Cetawin]

I should have brought her back with me...she is such a pesty beauty, perfect for this looney bin.