We are offering potential show quality day old large fowl Ameraucana chicks in black, blue and splash again this year. Most of our birds are bred by families. A breeding pen consist of hens and/or pullets which are full siblings mated to either a non-related or distant related male.
Each breeding pen is assigned a number from 1 to 15. If we have more than 15 we use a + to allow for an additional 15 pens. The pen’s number is written on the eggs when they are collected each day. The eggs are sorted by this number before being placed into the incubator.
Eighteen days later, when they are placed into the hatching trays each number group is individually partitioned. The trays also have a lid to contain the chicks. When the chicks are removed from the trays they are each toe punched according to their assigned number. The code is
1, 2, 4 and 8. Starting with the bird’s left outside web being 1, moving left to right, and ending with the right outside web being 8. The plus system uses the same code with the wholes opened up with a slit. This allows us to know how all birds that we produce are bred, and our customers to know which birds are siblings. It requires a lot of extra time and effort, but we feel that it is worth. If a genetic problem arises it can be traced, but the main benefit is to know how to match the birds in the fall for the next crop.
We feel this identification system has helped us to breed the many champions that we have had the past decade. We have shown under many different judges from all over the US, and none have made any remarks on the show cards about the wholes or slits in the birds webs. We have a grand master in black Ameraucanas. Having bred and raised registered Duroc hogs for over 25 years, I’ve learned how important an identification system is, to keep breeding records.
We are offering day old chicks from seven hatches this year-each at two weeks apart-starting March 1 and ending May 24. Presently we have orders for 200 but should have about 500 more. Last year we sent out over 700 and added one more state, making 39 that we have sent our Ameraucanas. We have a 10 chick minimum so they will stay warm enough during shipping. They are straight run only, as we are not able to sex them at a day old. We allow priority mail through shipping zone #4 which includes all of Texas and our adjoining states. Shipping zone #5 and up are required to be sent by express live mail. We guarantee live chicks upon arrival or a refund for any that don’t make the trip. Priority mail is just as good as express through zone #4. It is about $20 per box less than express, so we need a zip code when requesting chick prices as postage contributes a large part of the price. Basically chicks are $6 each plus box, shipping and a small fee for the trip to the post office.
Our e-mail address is: sw_psmith@swmail.net to order chicks.
Paul & Angela Smith
