Recent Posts

1

Breeding / Re: Challenges for Each Variety

« Last post by John W Blehm on September 22, 2021, 02:31:55 PM »

... Love the picture of the two in one box; they look like they’re in cahoots. 😄 Any plans to let them hatch out some eggs?

I believe the nest box showing two pullets, side by side, actually has a 3rd girl in the back.  Today there were 3 to 4 broody pullets in a couple different next boxes at the same time.
I'll wait until after the 1st of the year to start setting eggs using an incubator.  About the only time I use hens to hatch is immediately after my last setting of eggs in the incubator for the hatching season.  This is the 1st year I've actually contemplated some fall hatches, but I've been able to suppress the urge.

2

Housing, Health & Hatching / Re: Low fertility of the Ameraucana breed

« Last post by Pedro Nunes Marques on September 22, 2021, 12:59:07 PM »

Thank you friend.
In Brazil, the tropical climate has very hot periods of the year, especially in September and October, further aggravated by the lack of rain.

I will use a special paint to paint the walls and roof that can lower the heat by up to 10 degrees until I rebuild the shed with thermal tiles...
I currently have temperature controllers that turn on fans with temperatures above 33 degrees.

If one day any of my noble friends came to Brazil on a tour, I will have the honor of receiving them in my house.
I live in the central region of a Brazilian capital and I have a breeding of Ameruacanas that I am importing to the United States.

Thank you all for your kindness!

Pedro N Marques

3

Housing, Health & Hatching / Re: Low fertility of the Ameraucana breed

« Last post by Mike Gilbert on September 22, 2021, 12:41:14 PM »

Michael, thanks for sharing that article.   It includes some excellent information and tips.   I was surprised to see they spelled the word wattle as waddle.  A duck waddles.  Many chickens and other birds have wattles. 

4

Exhibiting, Promoting & Club Notes / Re: 2021 Ameraucana National Meet(s)?

« Last post by Michael Muenks on September 22, 2021, 12:22:26 PM »

Please add Michael Muenks to both meals.

Thank you

5

Exhibiting, Promoting & Club Notes / Re: showing a trio

« Last post by Michael Muenks on September 22, 2021, 12:21:11 PM »

Someday, I hope to show a display!!!

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Housing, Health & Hatching / Re: Low fertility of the Ameraucana breed

« Last post by Michael Muenks on September 22, 2021, 12:18:51 PM »

Pedro,

I have been enjoying this topic. I hope that your local expert was able to help you a bit. My temperatures do not hit 40 C for very long here in central Missouri, USA. My birds only experience extreme temperatures of 38-40 C for two to three weeks a year. During that time the fertility of my birds will be low. Fertility will normally rebound fairly quickly once temperatures drop back to the 28-30 C range.

I use the following strategies to help with fertility and chicken health in general.

1. When temperatures are above 30 C, I feed the chickens their entire ration approximately 2 hours before sunset.
2. I do my best to keep the chickens cool with moving air, shade, no stress, fresh water, and damp spots to dust bathe or lay in.
3. Use fresh feed
4. Up the protein in my feed. In the heat the chickens will eat less - probably a third less, but they need more protein in there feed. I tend to move to a game bird grower or starter feed, because that is what I can get locally that is fresh and has a higher protein.

Here is a little resource I found from Arizona which has climate conditions closer to what you are experiencing that has a few tips in it. https://extension.arizona.edu/managing-extreme-summer-temps-backyard-chickens

7

Exhibiting, Promoting & Club Notes / Re: showing a trio

« Last post by Mike Gilbert on September 22, 2021, 11:21:03 AM »

Stan, displays are not judged as displays.    Display winners are calculated using a point system based on the placings of cocks, hens, cockerels, pullets, and trios.  The more entries in any given class (cocks, hens, cockerels, pullets, and trios), the more points are awarded.   I'm attaching a photo of the score sheet, so hopefully you can enlarge it enough to read. 

8

Breeding / Re: Challenges for Each Variety

« Last post by Kalin McClure on September 22, 2021, 11:18:24 AM »

I mentioned, in my post above, that bantam buff Ameraucanas are very broody.  This has been also discussed on another topic, from a few years ago.  Right now out of about 14 bantam buff pullets 9 are broody.  No other variety of Ameraucana come close when it comes to broodiness.

9/14 is impressive!  Love the picture of the two in one box; they look like they’re in cahoots. 😄 Any plans to let them hatch out some eggs?

9

Exhibiting, Promoting & Club Notes / Re: showing a trio

« Last post by Stan Alder on September 22, 2021, 10:40:06 AM »

Ahh..got it..thanks!

10

Exhibiting, Promoting & Club Notes / Re: showing a trio

« Last post by John W Blehm on September 21, 2021, 05:25:02 PM »

Yes...for the most part.  2 pullets & 1 cockerel = a young trio (YT).  2 hens & 1 cock = an old trio (OT).  You may enter trios without having a display, but at least one trio is needed to be entered to make a display.  A Display consists of 7 or more birds of the same breed & variety, made up of at least 1 Cock, 1 Hen, 1 Cockerel, 1 Pullet, plus a Young or Old Trio.
Remember that each trio counts as 3 birds when it comes to “Total Birds Entered”
YTs are judged against other YTs, just as pullets are judged against other pullets, so the 3 birds that make up a trio are not judged as individual birds.  But, an individual bird from a trio can be picked to be BV, BB and so on...as I understand it.