New member

[Guest]

I have blues, blacks and one splash chick descending from Jerry DeSmidt\'s stock.  As I cull the roosters down to one, which color should I save to be the rooster for next spring\'s babies?  I think my splash chick is a rooster, and he has good size and temperment.  I hope to use him.
Thanks,
Ethan in Grand Rapids, MI
www.freewebs.com/teerling

[bantamhill]

Ethan,

I would suggest saving more than one cockerel. Two would be my minimum and I would be more comfortable with three. The genetics are as follows:

black x black = black
black x blue = 50% blue, 50% black
black x splash = blue
blue x splash = 50% blue, 50% splash
blue x blue = 25% black, 25% splash, 50% blue

What you keep will depend on your breeding goals. There are a lot of opinions about how to produce good blacks, blue, and splash.

Michael

[Guest]

Thanks for the info Michael.  I hope to develop breeding goals from reviewing posts and participating in this forum.  I figure that if I put the time and money into raising birds for fun, they might as well be quality ones.  So, I am looking for interesting challenges.  I guess one challenge will be to build separate breeding pens for at least 3 flocks of Ameraucanas.  I think I\'m up for that!  
Ethan

[John]

Ethan,
Please consider coming to Grandpa Tiny\'s Frankenmuth Fowl Fest this October.  The Ameraucana NC district meet will be there and it\'s only two or three hours from Grand Rapids.
http://FowlFest.org

[bantamhill]

Ethan,

Have you read any of Fred Jefferies books? He has several suggestions for setting up a flock mating system and seperate lines from a small number of birds.

Michael

[angora831]

Michael do you have any names for the books by Fred Jeffery?  I have found several that he has authored, but none specifically mentioning this topic.
Thanks,
Ken

[Guest]

I have heard of Fowl Fest, and will see if I can get off work that day.  I haven\'t heard of Fred Jefferies, and will look into finding some of his books.  I don\'t plan to show, and wonder if just saving one rooster will leave me disappointed with the colors I get.  I\'m not sure that my tastes are that sophisticated yet.  But I will keep building pens, and see how feasible it will be.
Thanks all for your input.
Ethan