Topics

436

Exhibiting & Promoting / Self Blue Ameraucana Bantam Approval Process

« on: March 28, 2019, 12:21:02 PM »

Hello all,

I wanted to start a new thread to document the efforts for having the self blue color variety recognized in bantams. We are currently in the midst of our effort to have large fowl self blue Ameraucanas approved, and the bantam effort will have to be pursued separately.

For anyone that is interested in participating in having self blue Ameraucana bantams approved as a recognized color variety, please refer to the following documents to familiarize yourself with the process. 

We would have to pursue the efforts separately or simultaneously with the APA and ABA. They are two separate entities.

Our contact person for the APA would be Bart Pals.

Our contact person for the ABA would be Jeff Halbach.

I have gathered a list of self blue bantam breeders to contact regarding the process. If you are currently working with self blue bantams but your information is not up to date in the breeders directory, please contact me at 22wareagle22@gmail.com.

437

News and Information / A special thank you to everyone!

« on: April 18, 2018, 10:19:57 PM »

I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone for the kindness and support that has been shown to me over the last several years. Following this season, I will be cutting back on the number of birds and varieties I am working with. I will continue to maintain a small flock of a few varieties for personal enjoyment, but will no longer be as active during chick season. Rather than taking on a seasons worth of orders, hatching eggs and chicks will be sold as they become available. I felt the need to make a general post because I have had a number of folks reach out to me regarding the 2019 chick season. I have been diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum during my current pregnancy, as well as ongoing thyroid issues, and am also helping provide care for my father who experienced a second stroke. I would like to take time to focus on God, family, and my health. Chick season requires quite a bit of time and energy. I am sure our 7 year old twins, our 3 year old, and our new addition in early October will keep me on my toes.

I have experienced some egg laying and hatching issues recently. We started the season off strong initially and had an abundance of eggs and chicks and then things slacked off a bit. Unfortunately the weather hasn’t helped much, as we have had temps below freezing several weeks in March, which is unseasonably cool for here, and then temperature fluxes from the 70s one week back to below freezing the next week. We had snow falling in April which is rare! I think we are going to go straight from winter to summer this year. LOL

I will continue to work my way through our order list and will fill the remaining orders on our books this year. I do not plan to show during the 2018 year since we are due in early October, but hopefully I’ll hop back in the show ring in 2019.

438

Breeding / Record Keeping

« on: December 30, 2017, 12:00:53 PM »

I am making a list of things that breeders like to keep track of in their flocks. Good record keeping is crucial to make improvements in a breeding program. So far from the feedback received, some of the most important things to keep a record of are Name/ID, DOB, Gender, Color Variety, Egg color (if applicable), Disposition, Strengths, Weaknesses, Pen assignment, and Cockbird assignment (if applicable). Is there anything else that you like to keep record of? Thanks for your participation!

439

News and Information / APA Membership Holiday Special Pricing

« on: December 08, 2017, 09:57:35 PM »

The American Poultry Association is running a holiday special right now. If you are not currently a member but have considered joining, now would be a good time to do so. A one year membership and a copy of the APA Standard of Perfection book is $45. That’s a great price. I paid around $40 just for the book. Being a member of the APA is one of the requirements for participating in the qualifying meets to get the self blue color variety approved. 

http://www.amerpoultryassn.com/joint.htm

440

Exhibiting & Promoting / Self Blue Prequalifying Meet- Mail in entries must be postmarked by tomorrow!

« on: November 19, 2017, 07:44:35 PM »

A special thank you to all of the individuals that are participating in the self blue prequalifying meet at the Dixie Classic in Knoxville, TN. Don’t forget that mail in entries must be post marked by TOMORROW, Nov 20th to be accepted. Online entries are due by Nov 27th!

441

Exhibiting & Promoting / Self Blue Prequalifying Meet

« on: November 14, 2017, 09:04:52 PM »

The deadline for the Dixie Classic is quickly approaching. We are wanting to get a final number on what everyone is bringing. If you are able to bring self blues, will you please comment on this post with what you are bringing or email me at 22wareagle22@gmail.com? We are wanting to ensure that we have enough cockerels and cockbirds for the show. Thanks!

442

Breeding / Earlobe color

« on: August 27, 2017, 01:47:17 AM »

Every now and then I immerse myself in different breeding topics on the forum. I thought it would be a good idea to hear from the most experienced breeders out there regarding the following topic: Earlobe color

The APA standard calls for earlobes to be "red, except female earlobes which are to be very pale, matching the color of skin."

Under disqualifications, the standard states that "in breeds where a red earlobe is specified, a positive enamel white is a disqualification."

Positive enamel white is defined as "permanent white in the earlobes where red is required. The term is not intended to include paleness of ear-obes due to poor condition, nor any slight white appearance which lacks the satin-like characteristic of the ear lobe of rose comb bantams."

My primary question is, at what age do you typically cull for incorrect earlobe color? I know progression may vary from line to line. My line tends to be slow to develop. I often have several late bloomers. My chicks tend to hatch with skin colored earlobes, and the earlobes of the cockerels turn red many months later.

Is there a period of time that you give cockerels, and if they don't turn red by that point, you consider them culls? Also, if a cockerel ends up with skin colored earlobes, but no enamel white it present, is he still a definite cull?

Thanks for your time.

443

Breeding / I enjoyed visiting with Susan Mouw today (Sand Castle Farms).

« on: July 01, 2017, 06:03:00 PM »

This morning I hopped in the car at dark thirty to drive 880 miles round trip to Aiken, South Carolina. I enjoyed spending a few hours visiting with Susan, our ABC secretary/treasurer. I feel blessed to have the opportunity to work with her line of wheatens and blue wheatens (Sand Castle Farms), but I feel more blessed to call her my friend. I am sad that you will no longer be working with the wheatens and blue wheatens Susan. Your blacks, blues, and splashes are looking great! I look forward to seeing them at shows in the Fall. I'm headed back to Tn with two dozen birds in the back of my SUV.  I guess I am officially the crazy chicken lady! Prayers for safe travels back home are appreciated!

444

Breeding / Breeding Buffs

« on: June 05, 2017, 12:20:21 PM »

I am reading the book "Buff Coloration in Poultry" right now. I wanted to pass it along to anyone that is breeding buffs or that is interested in learning more about the color. It has some good info in it.

http://www.aviculture-europe.nl/Buff-Coloration.pdf

445

News and Information / APA Yearbook Ad

« on: March 31, 2017, 02:28:36 AM »

The deadline to place an ad in the APA yearbook has been moved to May 1st! It is a great way to showcase your farm as well as your accomplishments. If you would like to place an ad in the upcoming yearbook, please contact me at 22wareagle22@gmail.com. Payment for your ad can be submitted via paypal to sales@Ameraucanabreedersclub.org. Club pages are 4.325" x 7.625"

Black & White:
Full page: $120
1/2 page - $60
1/4 page - $40
1/6 page - $20

Color:
Full page: $220
1/2 page: $110
1/4 page: $55
1/6 page: $37

446

Breeding / Genetics of egg color

« on: February 08, 2017, 04:18:39 PM »

Can someone explain the genetics behind egg color to me? I have been focusing on type the last three seasons, while of course only setting blue eggs, but this year I would like to focus in on egg color more closely. I have marked the eggs that are the deepest shade of blue, and plan to mark those chicks for identification later on.

Is egg color influenced by the cock, hen, or both? I read somewhere online that it is influenced by around 13 genes...I don't know if that is true or not. If anyone has any reading material that they can recommend, I would be appreciative.

Each year I hatch and keep several hundred chicks. Unfortunately, this season a wheaten pullet that hatched from a blue egg grew up to lay a pink egg. My bloodline originated from one of the directors, and they are definitely true Ameraucanas. The other pullets that I kept from that pen lay blue eggs. Do I need to consider culling the cock from that pen?  I raise for show and he has great type, so I would prefer not to. However, I do want to be sure that I keep egg color in mind. It is definitely a balancing act. Most of my pens are set up with one cock over five hens, so I can't say for certain what hen she came from. I would like to get my pen sizes smaller, say one cock to three hens, but that will involve building more pens, and I am trying to give my husband a little break from coop and pen building. LOL!

447

Breeding / Blacks based on silver

« on: September 22, 2016, 12:45:52 AM »

Hi everyone,

I am in search of blacks that are based on silver. Can anyone help me? Thanks for your time.