Pictures of Lavender Ameraucana Cockerels I got from John

[verycherry]

Just wanted to show off my boys from John!

This is the one I was calling cockerel #1, but I\'m starting to favor the other one a little more now since he\'s matured and filled out.

Comments are welcome.







Here he is with a few of the Black/Lavender Split females.

[verycherry]

And here is the other male, #2, but turning out a little better I think, definately larger which is a plus.  He was just so lanky at first, but I think he\'s becoming a beautiful rooster.

[John]

They are probably about 10 months old, so they will hopefully fill out some more.  It looks like the second one has better eye color too.

[verycherry]

You know, you\'re right, I hadn\'t even thought about eye color with them.  I had with the girls though.

The smaller male has the better temperament, though neither are mean at all.  I think I\'ll use him with the larger females, and use the larger male with the smaller females I got from Jean\'s eggs.  That should give me slightly more genetic diversity when I cross their offspring.

[verycherry]

Of course I also want to breed the larger male with the larger girls too though......have to do that.  I think I\'ll get some really big birds from that breeding.  

A couple of these females are as big as some of my other Ameraucanas and EE\'s.

This girl is good sized, not to mention super friendly.  I took this right before she decided to fly up onto my camera, lol!

[cedarpondfarm]

I also have changed my mind on 2 of the 8 yearling roosters I have.  One blue and one black were scrawny for a long time and are just now filling out.  And looking good!  As this is my first year with AMs, I will know in the future how to better judge what I have.  I\'m more of a work in progress than my birds.  

[Jean]

I like the first cockerel better.  He has better coloring.  The second one has a better top line, but the blonde feathers to me, are a fault.  He either has silver or red leakage.  I culled four lavender cockerels with leakage about a month ago.

You should probably be able to produce a better cockerel this year with your crosses that posess better size, type and color.

Have you weighed them?  I have a couple split cockerels running around right now.  I am going to weigh them all before I make a final decision on which one to use.

Good luck, I think we are all in the same boat as far as what to keep.  Just be very picky.

[verycherry]

I like the first cockerel better.  He has better coloring.  The second one has a better top line, but the blonde feathers to me, are a fault.  He either has silver or red leakage.  I culled four lavender cockerels with leakage about a month ago.

Might just be all the mud too...hope so anyway.  I guess a bath is in order.  We\'ve had so much rain, I couldn\'t even get down to the barn without wading water until yesterday.  My whites are now yellow!  The first one has some really good qualities for sure.  Thanks for the comments.

You should probably be able to produce a better cockerel this year with your crosses that posess better size, type and color.

Hope so!

Have you weighed them?  I have a couple split cockerels running around right now.  I am going to weigh them all before I make a final decision on which one to use.

Good luck, I think we are all in the same boat as far as what to keep.  Just be very picky.

No, hadn\'t thought to weigh them, good idea.  And don\'t worry, I will be picky.  I don\'t want to mess up all the progress you guys have made so far.

I\'m more of a work in progress than my birds.

I can totally relate!  That\'s why I come here for advise.

[HarryS]

I personally think you should keep both of the Lavender males.  I see potential in both of them.  Just toe punch the chicks so you know which male is producing what you really want.

[verycherry]

I personally think you should keep both of the Lavender males.  I see potential in both of them.  Just toe punch the chicks so you know which male is producing what you really want.

Oh, I\'m definately keeping both.  If for nothing else, just in case something happens to one of them, and I agree with you, they both have their strong points.  I\'d thought about toe punching but I\'ve heard both good and bad about it.  The bad mainly being tearing/damage if the hole gets caught on something.  Haven\'t decided if I\'ll do that, or just use legbands.

[QUADCH]

Who\'s the nice white girl in the background from?
I like her alot!

[verycherry]

Who\'s the nice white girl in the background from?
I like her alot!

Thanks, I have three white hens that look a lot alike, so I\'m not sure which one that is.  One is the mom and I hatched the other two from her eggs.  The mom is from humble origins, but fits the standard, and they all 3 have nice blue egg color.  I think I have something to work with.  I just need a nice white rooster from good lines.

[John]

I just need a nice white rooster from good lines.

If not available, you could use a black, lavender, blue or splash male over the white females.  Then the following year use the best F1 cockerel or two back over the hens.  Cull all the other non-white birds.  You should have some very nice whites in the F2 generation.

[verycherry]

Thank John.  It shouldn\'t be too hard to find a Lavender around here!  I\'d wondered about Black, but didn\'t realise it would be ok to use one of the Lavenders.

[John]

I didn\'t check into it and hope I didn\'t speak too soon, but think it would work.  A lavender is a black that is diluted.  Lavender dilutes both red and black, but I don\'t think it would have an effect on white.