skinny, bony LF

[Guest]

I\'ve noticed that while my bantams are nicely rounded and fleshy in the breast, my LF of 2 varieties have very prominent keels and seem generally bonier.  I even penned one cockerel separately all last summer and fed him a more \'fatty\' diet, but he didn\'t really fill out.  anyone else have this problem?

all my birds get wormed regularly.  this problem is specific to the LF Ameraucana around here.

thank you!

[Guest]

I would recomend checking what you are worming with? as the wormer I usualt use only gets round woems, so once a year we now use a broad spectrum wormer.  We had that problem one fall, no matter how much they were fed and how much corn was added, the would not put on any winter fat. finly I asked the vet, she recomended the broad spectrum wormer.  but I have also heard that in parts of the country that their is a disease they can get that also causes lesions in their intestions etc, so the don\'t properly digest, they also become very skinny and waste away.
So it is always good to check with a local vet who may be more knowlegable as the what your birds face ad problems.

[Guest]

A birds genetics can determine the body shape. Your birds may be skinny because of genetics and not a health problem.

Tim

[John]

Your birds may be skinny because of genetics

I was going to ask what variety you have.  The reason I am trying to improve the \"type\" on LF silvers, wheatens and blue wheatens is because (at least in my opinion) these varieties are to \"skinny\".  Their type or shape of their bodies remind me of leghorns, although not to that extreme.  The blacks, blues, whites, brown reds and buffs look like they have more meat on their bones, especially in the breast area.
Some strains may vary and this many not be true of all strains of Ameraucana LF.

[Guest]

these are my LF buffs and my quail EE\'s.  my one remaining LF white is not quite so bad as the others.  but they are all noticably lighter in the meat department than the bantam blues.  I wasn\'t sure if this was in all strains of buffs, or maybe just the strain I have (from Jay Horn).  

but maybe diet could help somehwat?

[John]

They may be very young and haven\'t filled out yet.

[Blue Egg Acres]

I\'ve noticed with my LF wheatens/blue wheatens that the males in particular are usually 10-12 months old before they fill out completely. I\'m posting photos below of 2 cockerels, a splash wheaten and a wheaten, that are very close in age, right at 10 months. I\'m starting to wonder if the wheaten is ever  going to fill out though. This is the bird I referred to in the \"regaining size\" post. The surprising thing to me is that his daddy was a large, well filled out bird.

[Mike Gilbert]

Barb, looks like the wheaten has everything except a chest.
Nice comb and color.   If you plan to use him, try very full deep bodied females.
Maybe the compensation mating will help the next generation.

Mike G.

[Blue Egg Acres]

Thanks Mike for the comments. I have him in  the pen I need him in but after taking and comparing the photos of the 2 birds, I was about to pull him back out! I still have hopes he will develop the fullness in the breast as he matures a little more.

[Guest]

Barbara,

I\'ve been very happy with the Wheaten male I hatched from your eggs. Here he is a couple of months ago, not even a year old yet:




The Blue Wheaten male I hatched from the same batch is not as broad across the chest as the Wheaten, he\'s more \"slight\", if you will, but a lovely boy nonetheless. Here\'s his photo:




I like the type on the Wheaten better, and the color on the Blue Wheaten better. For me, type comes first, then color after.  Do let me know what you think of the boys (and thanks again!)

[Blue Egg Acres]

Do you wanna trade wheatens?! I agree, the wheaten has better type. The blue wheaten has that \"upright\" stance, at least in this photo. The wheaten has some striping in the hackles but it appears to be in the lower part - doesn\'t look bad to me! Mike? (or anyone else with an opinion)?
Laura, did you happen to keep track of the birds in regards to which pen they hatched from - W1, W2 etc?

[Guest]

Barbara,

Do you want to borrow him? I am actually about to pull the two Ameraucana males out of the big pen to try to get some Marans eggs to hatch (both breeds share winter quarters and while I know the Amers are eager breeders, I\'d like to give my Marans cock bird a crack at his hens for a change.) Email me offline, I do think we could work something out as long as I could get him back later in the year.

And no, unfortunately I did not keep track of which came from which pen, more\'s the pity. Sorry about that.

[John]

They look like fine birds.  I have just a couple comments on the colors, not type.
There is a little red/brown smuttiness in the breast of the blue wheaten.  
Blue wheatens can be a bit deceiving to the eye.  If a wheaten has stripping in the hackle and/or saddle it is black and stands out.  On a blue wheaten it is blue/gray, so the contrast isn\'t as great.  When you get the bird in hand and study it the stripping may be just as bad.  

[Guest]

There is a little red/brown smuttiness in the breast of the blue wheaten.

I noticed that. I will need to look at him again and see if that\'s still there (might be a youngster thing.) Those photos are from December, I think, he might have grown out of it. Good eye!  

[Blue Egg Acres]

Barbara,

Do you want to borrow him?

Thanks Laura for that generous offer! If we find we have the time for a trip to your neck of the woods I\'ll be in touch.