What am I?

[mccmeadows]

These are 10 week olds that hatched on March 13th.

Purchased as blue/black/splash/wheaten Ameraucanas. About half of the eggs I got were beautiful blue while the other half were leaning towards green, so I have accepted that these aren’t the most pure. A couple turned out as complete question marks though, so definitely not the most secure breeding pens.

1) They are a little shy..

2) Also a little camera shy.

3)

4) This is the first ??? that I have to assume came out of the Ameraucana eggs as the other breeder I had eggs set from is more of a business than just a backyard operation and all the chicks I hatched from her are to standard aside from one white feather that’s currently on a BCM pullet.

5)The other ??? but I do love how dark and mysterious she (hopefully!) is.

6) They were not having anything to do with getting their photo taken, so this is the best I got

7)

8)

9) She is the daintiest little girl ever and the flash does no justice to how light and iridescent her grey is.

10)

11)

So far I have only moved one roo (who was leaps and bounds bigger than everyone and a bully) over to the bachelor pad. He looked like a match to number 1. If I end up with 11/12 as pullets I will be thrilled, but I assume I am missing something when it comes to sexing them as it’s our first time with “Ameraucanas”.

 

[JedJackson]

Most of these look like Ameraucana crosses to me. The ones with dark faces, and #4 are definite mixes.

They mostly look like pullets, but I would keep an eye on #2, #4 and especially #6.

 

[mccmeadows]

Most of these look like Ameraucana crosses to me. The ones with dark faces, and #4 are definite mixes.

They mostly look like pullets, but I would keep an eye on #2, #4 and especially #6.

Thanks! I did see her rooster and a few bbs hens and they looked good which is why I went ahead with the purchase, but I feel like she maybe had some other hens hanging around in the same pen. I will be adding a couple into a breeding pen with a Maran rooster for olive eggers, but I think I’m going to have to wait until they start laying to make that decision.

 

[JedJackson]

Thanks! I did see her rooster and a few bbs hens and they looked good which is why I went ahead with the purchase, but I feel like she maybe had some other hens hanging around in the same pen. I will be adding a couple into a breeding pen with a Maran rooster for olive eggers, but I think I’m going to have to wait until they start laying to make that decision.

Yes, that is a good idea. Hens with the bluest eggs will make the best olive eggers.

I'm struck by how black the legs are on many of those. I wonder if something like Mystic Onyx or Sumatra was mixed in at some point. Or maybe it's just the camera.

 

[mccmeadows]

Yes, that is a good idea. Hens with the bluest eggs will make the best olive eggers.

I'm struck by how black the legs are on many of those. I wonder if something like Mystic Onyx or Sumatra was mixed in at some point. Or maybe it's just the camera.

No they are pretty dark! That’s my biggest issue as we have an Ameraucana/Svarthona cross and they’re just as dark, if not darker, than hers.

This is Wednesday Addams!

 

[JedJackson]

Beautiful! Who knows, though. I'm suspicious but genetics can do strange things sometimes.

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

Beautiful! Who knows, though. I'm suspicious but genetics can do strange things sometimes.

Yeah, there certainly are some unusual birds posted. Typically I don't believe Ameraucanas pop up gypsy faced unless there's some outside blood? I know it happens in Marans but I guess I don't know about Ameraucanas. 4,5, and 6 don't look pure due to lack of muffs, color, or body type. 5 looks pretty darn close to a Blue Sumatra... I'm thinking they might have some Sumatra mixed in like you mentioned.

 

[mccmeadows]

Yeah, there certainly are some unusual birds posted. Typically I don't believe Ameraucanas pop up gypsy faced unless there's some outside blood? I know it happens in Marans but I guess I don't know about Ameraucanas. 4,5, and 6 don't look pure due to lack of muffs, color, or body type. 5 looks pretty darn close to a Blue Sumatra... I'm thinking they might have some Sumatra mixed in like you mentioned.

Just looked up a Blue Sumatra and holy are those roos beautiful!! I guess I will just have to wait to see what they develop into/what they lay. We hatched Speckled Sussex, Salmon Faverolles, Mosaic, Silver Laced Polish, Silverudds, Crested Legbars and Marans at the same time and so far all of them have grown as they should with no surprises.

 

[JedJackson]

Just looked up a Blue Sumatra and holy are those roos beautiful!! I guess I will just have to wait to see what they develop into/what they lay. We hatched Speckled Sussex, Salmon Faverolles, Mosaic, Silver Laced Polish, Silverudds, Crested Legbars and Marans at the same time and so far all of them have grown as they should with no surprises.

That;s a lot of chooks!

 

[mccmeadows]

That;s a lot of chooks!

chicken math the Polish aren’t mine and the Speckled Sussex and the Salmon Faverolles are ones that my partner wanted, so to keep him happy we got them. Then I just wanted more coloured layers cause we ended up with a lot of EEs that lay brown, so half will be replacement layers and then I’ll split about 12 into breeding coops so that we can hatch our own going forward. We also have Cornish Standard, Chantecler, Orpington and Australorp chicks right now and we’ll keep some of those to breed with for a dual purpose meat bird. Just working towards self-sufficiency