Tameness?

[Guest]

Hello All,

We are considering getting a start in chickens and are considering Ameraucana\'s as one of our choices.  What kind of temperment and space is needed for these birds?  Do they wander far if given the keys to the front door?  Are they a major target for Hawks?

Thanks!
LR

p.s.  I hope it\'s ok to ask newbie questions here...

[Mike Gilbert]

LR,
Absolutely it\'s ok to ask any questions you need answers to.
Temperament depends an awful lot on the specific variety and strain.   I have everything from ultra tame, to timid, to pugnacious, to kinda flighty.   Some love to range, others would rather sit on the roost on beautiful days when they have access to the out of doors.    We have 16 seperate recognized varieties, and some of those have multiple strains.
So it may be best to tell the seller what you are looking for and ask him or her for a recommendation.   Temperament is quite inheritable, and most of us are working to improve it where improvement is needed, but it takes time and many generations.

[grisaboy]

Hello LR,
My silver Ameraucana bantams border on being wild.  They spend a couple months each year running out in the barnyard and are very good at avoiding hawks, foxes and other predators.  They seem to be most vulnerable when sitting on eggs.  They can be hard to catch but once caught and penned they seem to tame down pretty well.  I gave some to one of the local 4H kids and by the end of a summer, she had them riding around on her shoulder.  

Curtis

[Guest]

temperment is very much attached to their breeding.
I didn\'t at first realize it and was under the opinion that Ameraucanas were a very docile breed...but have later learned differantly, once we brought in stock for other breeders.
I have learned from the others that we don\'t want a totaly laid back rooster, ( thye have said t leads to breeding problems),but getting one that is not mean, or at least not agressive towards people can also be a challange.
We have lots of kids in & out around here, so our rooster\'s have to pass the \"Kid-friendly\" test before hey can stay on as a breeder.  even kid friendly roosters can be terribly agressive towards other roosters..but some are not.
We currently have a silver father & son combo loose with the flock, and an additional buff orpington and a russian orlorf rooster with them, so far they all get along..but soon we will be seperating into,breeding pens, then they might not be so happy with the girls we pick for them!

[Guest]

If you never pick them up, Ameraucana roosters are fine around people in my opinion. Just don\'t get into the habit of handling them and you\'ll be fine.

The hens are affectionate. One of my wheatens likes to roost on my leg when I\'m sitting in the yard.

Ameraucanas are excellent fliers. They like to roost in trees and on top of buildings. If you\'ve got neighbors in close proximity, you\'ll want an enclosed pen for the young ones.

When I was building my back pen and it was only partially enclosed, I came back to find one of my then pre-pubescent roosters roosting on my neighbor\'s screen house 10 feet off the ground.  And one of my hens launched herself over a 6-foot fence and flew for 50 feet across my yard.

Do cover any holes in fence and structure. All chickens have a way of getting through these and ending up where they shouldn\'t be -- on neighbor\'s property for example. This is particularly true with Ameraucanas. They\'re \"wild\" in this regard.

I wouldn\'t give up my Ameraucanas for anything. They\'re beautiful birds; the hens are adorable; and like any rare breed, they add a touch of class.  

I\'m also a big fan of having roosters around if you\'ve got the right conditions. Unfortunately, I no longer have the right conditions and for many reasons (another topic for another day), I had to give them up. I was fortunate to be able to find a loving home with far better conditions than what I could offer. As long as you give your roosters enough hens, enough space and don\'t handle them, you should be spared attacks.