Oops! Hello all- I\'m new to chickens as well as message boards, but I\'m in a similar sit. as Anna here. My \'Ameraucanas\' look very similar to the ones she has pictured on her web page. I began my flock this May after a long-awaited move to our new 10 acre home. As a kid on my grandparents farm in Tennessee, I helped feed and gather eggs for their flock (banties and Rhode Island Reds) and have been looking forward to being able to raise my own.
Eager to experiment, my husband and I ordered a variety of day old chicks from the nearest large hatchery. The Ameraucanas (both bantam and standard) were advertised as easter egg chickens, colored egg layers, not show quality, not for 4-H... etc.
So it seems I am the proud owner of mutts and easter eggers with at best a hope for a nice AOV bird.
But I am Proud! You gotta start somewhere and even the watered-down traits showing through in my mutts have got me hooked on the breed. I don\'t know if we\'ll be showing them , but I would like to keep and breed them with the eventual plan of improving my flock. We also have Embden geese, Muscovy and mallard x pekin (we think) ducks, Pearl and white helmeted guineas, Barred Rocks, Red Rock cross and sex link brown layers, silkies, cochins, white crested black polish, and even one silver duckwing Old English Game cockerel but the Ameraucanas are by far my favorites!
I\'m writing for help and advice from real breeders though, because I\'d like to do the best I can with what I have now.
The hatchery we ordered from only offers \'exotic\' breeds straight run and we\'re reaching culling time. I need to know how to determine which two roosters are the best to keep for breeding for now until I can import some better stock (maybe next year) My library system does not have a copy of the Standard, so I\'m looking on the internet, but opinions vary and there aren\'t many pictures of mixed color birds like mine.
What i\'m looking for , I guess is a short list of desirable and undesirable traits to help me choose.
Would appreciate your input...
Still learning , but enjoying my birds!
Can send photos of \'King of the Roost\' competitors if you\'d like to have a look and send me your opinions...