Hello all-
I am new here and have a bunch of questions. I plan on starting my own flock of Ameraucana\'s to breed, sell fertile eggs, and chicks all later down the line. I am just starting out so don\'t have any birds yet. Am starting off from scratch w/ chicks. Right now I have a lot of eggs in the incubator w/ more on the way. I have many of the chicks sold and plan to keep a bunch for my future breeding program.
I was told by someone I just recently bought eggs from that I need to get a mentor. Is there anyone located in Ca. that would be willing to mentor me? I am located in the San Jose Bay Area. If noone is close to me but would be willing to mentor me over the phone or via email w/ questions I might have in the future that would be wonderful.
Many of the eggs I have in the incubator I noted whether the egg color was a blue-green or closer to a blue. I figured if the bluer ones hatched I\'d keep those hoping that, that chick if it turned out to be a female would be more likely to have a bluer egg when it started laying. Is that true or am I totally off my rocker, on my thinking?
What color birds of this breed tend to lay the bluer eggs, as that is what I\'d like to concentrate on having? I read somewhere on line that Silvers tend to have the best egg color. I can\'t find that file anywhere now. It was a pdf file. If anyone knows what I am talking about if you could please refer me to where that is would really appreciate it. I\'d also like to concentrate on the white and blue colored birds too. Which colored birds of this breed are the least common (or rare)?
As for sexing can the chicks be feather sexed as day olds? As I have read on other sites that you need fast feather and slow feathering parents to feather sex. Can that be accomplished in this breed? And if so how is that done? As for regular sexing usually at how many weeks can you tell if you have a pullet or cockerel?
I have heard of culling birds out of a flock. What exactly does that mean? I am assuming that means killing the birds that don\'t meant the Ameraucana breed requirement, correct? Of the birds that don\'t meet the requirement if you are able to sell to people that only want them for pleasure or egg laying will you do that instead of killing them? If you cull the birds do you then eat them yourselves? And at what age do you usually cull at?
I am sure I will have lots more questions, but that\'s all I can think of for now.
Thanks
Kim
