The Official Forum of the Ameraucana Breeders Club > Ameraucana Marketplace
Egg Color
Guest:
Angela, I don\'t understand why you are feeling resentful,
I think the egg color is being taken a bit out of prpopration, as all traits are inportant, however None should be ignored.
I feel that the breed is worth perfecting, and constantly striving to make it better, but were it is lacking, I also think it best to be honest and say they have not \"arrived\" yet, and are a work in progress.
We have been working with ours for almost 8 years, 6 that we count as breeding years.
We know we have a long way yet to go, but have made progress.
We tag all of our birds, so unless they are purchased as eggs, theri is no doubt were they come from. We don\'t sell any birds that are great show birds, when we do get some we keep some and trade for better breeding stock. the birds we sell are culls and crosses that are strictly for meat & eggs.
While I don\'t believe anyone has a flock of totaly perfect birds, I have hear from folks that breeders like John and Paul, and I know from first hand experinace with Larry, that they tell buyers right up front what they ar selling. One girl laughed that she ones some of John\'s \"meat birds\", but she couldn\'t find any flaws in them.
True is any situation, one man\'s trash, (Or culls), is another\'s treasure.
but the problems arise when we puff up what we have, or represent it as something it isn\'t
the question at hand was breeding for blue eggs..which IS a trait of an Ameraucana, there for should be the goal of every breeder..the shade of blue is not set in stone, but it should still be a blue egg layer just the same.
Guest:
I think that everyone would do well to remember that the printed word has a mind of it\'s own. What you write, it does not give me the benefit of you body language or tone, so I have to draw my own conclusions.
I think that, at this point I have my opinions, and you have yours. We\'ll leave it at that.
Just remember, when you\'re spouting deceit and coverup.....it\'s sounds kinda accusatory. I\'ve never had that issue with anyone that I have dealt with in the last few years, and it makes me wonder why it\'s such a hot topic with you.
bantamhill:
Well, the egg color discussion has gotten to be pretty heated . . . let\'s all remember we are in this together and they are only chickens! I can actually understand all sides. I have had several people in this area complain about the egg shell color of Ameraucana\'s they have purchased from a lot of different breeders. They were disappointed because their mixed flock had in their opinion (or memory) a better colored egg, but they had gotten rid of all of those birds. I have had people make all kinds of claims about the color of the eggs they had in their mixed flock . . . either it is true or it isn\'t and the person is complaining because the egg shell color wasn\'t any better than what they had. Interestingly a lot of these folks are still running mixed pens . . .
I had one of those people express pointed disappointment that hatching eggs I had sold (delivered also) to them very cheaply because they were getting old and I simply didn\'t have the room to incubate them. I was up front on the age of the eggs (each egg was dated) and practically gave them away (in hindsight I should have) . . . I simply said I was sorry and I would be happy for them to pick up eggs this spring, because I wanted them to be happy. The reply was that it was okay . . . it really wasn\'t my fault. This is similar to another person who bought 16 chicks from me and got 15 cockerels and a pullet . . . he at least thought it was funny and absolutly terrible odds!
Now a story on myself and egg color. Last year when John was looking for folks to work on the lavender project I voluntered. I purchased a pair of lavender Old English. I picked two of the best type black bantam hens I had. As John can attest one of the hens laid a horribly ugly green egg . . . I sent John eggs and hatched my own from her and the other hen who laid very few eggs. This year as the pullets are beginning to lay it has been interesting to see that one of them lays a much better colored egg than her mother and one is laying a tan egg. I am not worried because any lavender chicks I get will be crossed back to black Ameraucana for type and I will pick up the color genes. Needless to say I have eliminated the hen in question from breeding this year. What fascinated me was that the color of a daughter could be better than that of her mother when crossed to a tan laying breed.
Let\'s all be at peace please!
Michael
Guest:
Hugs and Kisses Michael......no worries, it just reminds me of why I\'ve always kept a low profile.... It\'s always better to keep silent and let people think you\'re stupid, then to open your mouth and prove them right.
See ya at the Cape
Suz:
--- Quote ---I would like to suggest the ABC publish an official egg color chart.
--- End quote ---
Hi Will,
I think a color chart for blue eggs is a good idea. It might help to compare each other\'s egg colors. I have attempted to make an \"unofficial\" egg color chart. Click here- Ameraucana Egg Color Chart
Susie
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