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Evaluating the keel bone on your Ameraucana is a fairly fast and hands on way to assess your flock.
How do you evaluate the keel bone on your Ameraucana?
First, pick up your bird and feel along the breast for the keel/breast bone. The keel is the part of the middle sternum that resembles the keel of a boat, both in shape and position.
The area around the keel on a healthy Ameraucana should be slightly padded. If the area around the keel feels very sharp and prominent, the bird may be underweight or experiencing a nutritional issue. If the area around the keel is extremely soft and padded, the bird may be overweight or overeating.
The keel bone on your Ameraucana should be straight.
A crooked keel is a 2 to 5 point deduction.
To determine if your Ameraucana has a crooked keel, use your fingers to trace the area of the keel bone from the front to back. If you notice a bend or curve in the keel as you trace the bone, it may be crooked.
Most birds that have a crooked keel will reflect it by sexual maturity (roughly six months of age).
Good luck as you assess your flock.
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