Friendly little birdies!

[Guest]

Ok, maybe I\'m biased. Maybe I\'m crazy. Maybe it\'s just me. But are Ameraucanas about the friendliest birds out there, or what?

Over the past five years I\'ve had all sorts of poultry, and by far my Ameraucanas have been the most personable (with the possible exception of one Buff Orpington hen who all but talks to us.) They come right over when I go up to their pen, they crowd around my feet wanting to know what I brought them, how I am, and I can practically hear them talking to me, telling me about their day.

Is it just me? Or are they all like this. Even the cockerels are sweet. Maybe they\'ll change as they get older, but for now I am entranced. What do you all think?

[Guest]

in my oppinion the Old English are the freindliest. all of this years hatch are on free range we grab a chair and a pack of dog food and sit in the yard. the Ameraucanas come up around your feet but the Old English get rigth in your lap on the arms of the chair where ever they think they can get a bite. Most of the Oe can be picked up and sprayed with Adams generally easy to handle. the Ameraucanas have to be caught at night or trapped in a pen to get a hold of them. Chris

[Guest]

At this point the only bantams I have are Dutch (I should have said I was speaking of the Large Fowl Ameraucanas.) And my Dutch are positively pocket birds, sweet, gentle, and very personable. I don\'t keep the two sizes together, so cannot compare the large with the small...

[Mike Gilbert]

Laura, since there are so many varieties and strains of Ameraucana large fowl and bantams it\'s difficult for me to generalize.   Some are much tamer than others.   My buff bantam cock is a sweetheart except when he is with females, then gets downright ornery and protective.   The tamest birds I have right now are my tufted/rumpless araucana bantams.   Too bad they don\'t breed true.  Most of my Ameraucana bantams get quite tame, but take a bit of handling and TLC first.   I know O.E. can be tame, but some of the males can be very aggressive, and I just can\'t handle the dubbing aspect.   Temperament is inheritable, so my advice would be to breed for the traits you value the most.