Ameraucan chicken breed: description with photo, maintenance and care, reviews

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Chickens of the mixed direction of productivity are especially popular with the owners of farmsteads. Such a bird is able to gain a lot of weight and at the same time carry a lot of eggs. For example, the ameraukana chicken breed belonging to this group is very popular abroad. Description and reviews of such a bird will be provided to the attention of the reader in this article.

What farmers value for

A feature of chickens of this breed, in addition to high productivity, is that they are able to lay eggs of different colors. This attracts not only foreign farmers, but also many domestic ones. After all, one day such a laying hen can lay, for example, a pink egg, and the next - a blue one. Also, farmers get beige, white, olive, blue eggs from chickens of the Ameraucana breed.

Where they were bred

The history of this unusual breed began in the 40s of the last century. Then, at the World's Fair in Canada, the South American Ameraucana Indians brought unusual chickens capable of laying colorful eggs. The organizers of the event and the audience liked the breed very much.

Later in North America, these chickens were crossed with local birds to adapt to colder climates. As a result, a new breed of ameraucana was bred, more unpretentious and not losing its ability to lay colored eggs. Subsequently, this interesting variety has spread throughout the world.

General description of the Ameraucana chicken breed

In addition to the fact that representatives of this breed carry colorful eggs, they, according to farmers, also look very impressive. The body of such chickens has a pronounced triangular shape. At the same time, the head of the ameraucans is very small, which gives them a proud appearance. The comb of these chickens is small, oval, rose-shaped. Cockerels additionally have a beard and earrings.

A feature of chickens of this breed, among other things, is the variety of colors. Description, reviews about the breed of ameraukana chickens - all this allows us to judge it in the first place, as it is excellent for breeding, mainly in small household plots. In the yards of private owners, such active living creatures feel freer and more comfortable than in poultry farms, gain weight faster and lay many eggs. In addition, such proud bright chickens look in the yards of private houses, thanks to their beautiful color, very impressive.

Standards allow 8 feather colors of such a bird:

• brown with a reddish tint;
• light or dark yellow;
• bluish;
• black;
• white;
• lavender;
• silver;
• light beige with blue.

PhotoAmeraucana chicken breeds are presented on the page. As you can see, such a bird actually looks very bright and quite unusual. The plumage of these chickens is quite thick and fits snugly to the body. Also distinctive features of ameraukan are:

• round brown eyes;
• medium length legs;
• small curved beak.

Productivity Metrics

As already mentioned, ameraucana belongs to the group of universal breeds of chickens. This bird, like almost any other in the courtyard, begins to rush at 5 months. In a year, up to 250 eggs weighing about 65 g can be obtained from one such chicken. Subsequently, this indicator of productivity decreases. At this time, the bird is usually sent for slaughter, as it becomes not very profitable to keep it.

Ameraucans are gaining a lot of weight and at the same time quite quickly. Adult 5-6 month old chickens of this breed have a body weight of about 2 kg. Cockerels in the same period weigh up to 3.5 kg. We present below to the reader valuable information, including photos of chickens of the Ameraucana breed. The size of such a bird can actually reach quite large.

Character

This breed is therefore very interesting and quite productive. However, she, unfortunately, has one small drawback. Farmers who decide to start breeding such a bird should definitely know about it. The fact is that both cockerels andameraucana hens are quite active and at the same time “quarrelsome” in nature. In any case, you will have to keep such a bird in the courtyard separately from other household animals.

Moreover, the farmer will need to plant even chickens and a cockerel left as a producer in different rooms. Otherwise, fights in the barn will happen very often. Laying hens of this breed without a cockerel in the house can be kept in fairly large groups. In this case, there will most likely not be fights in the barn. Chickens, in the absence of a rooster and other economic birds, will become calmer, choose the most active and smart laying hen as a "leader" and will continue to obey her.

Bettas of this breed are even more aggressive than laying hens. They attack not only another bird, but often even the owner himself. Therefore, you should be more careful when entering the compartment with the ameraukan cockerel.

Important

The wings of Ameraukan chickens are quite long and wide. Therefore, such a bird, among other things, is able to fly well. Accordingly, the corral for such chickens must be covered with a net from above. Also a feature of the representatives of this breed is the love of digging. The ameraukan enclosure will have to be surrounded by a fairly deep foundation (or a net dug into the ground).

It is necessary to take such measures when keeping chickens of this breed. If it happens that the ameraukans run away, it will be problematic to drive them back into the enclosure. The bird of this breed, as already mentioned, is distinguished by its largeactivity. She can go far from home. In addition, if the Ameraukans escape, the vegetable beds of all the surrounding neighboring vegetable gardens will also be in great danger.

Features of reproduction

What other recommendations and advice are there in terms of keeping such a bird from experienced farmers? The Ameraucana chicken breed, in addition to its restless character, also has such a drawback as the lack of maternal instinct. Unfortunately, such a bird will not incubate eggs and take care of chickens. A farmer who wants to increase the number of ameraukans will have to purchase an incubator. With such equipment, the breeding of chickens of this breed is carried out according to standard technology.

The grown-up young farmer in the future, among other things, will have to be divided into groups (based on weight and character) and parted in different rooms. Otherwise, the strongest males and hens will kill the weaker ones and not even let them near the feeder.

What should be the barn

In Canada, in the last century, American Indian chickens of the Ameraucana breed, as we found out, were crossed with local birds for adaptation. Therefore, such a bird does not suffer from special sensitivity to frost. But at the same time, as you know, in Russia the climate is still colder than in North America. Accordingly, the ameraukan barn will have to be built warm enough. In any case, the air temperature in winter in a poultry house with chickens of this breed should not fall below zero. The ameraucan shed will need to be well insulated with mineral wool and perhaps even equipped with a few heaters.

Onit is possible and even necessary to let out chickens of this breed in the street in winter. But it is allowed to arrange walks for the bird in the cold season only if the air temperature does not fall below -5 ° С.

Drafts in the chicken coop for ameraukan should not be in any case. Otherwise, this bird will start to get sick. However, windows in the poultry house for ameraukan should be equipped without fail. Of course, lighting in the form of lamps must also be provided in the barn. Of course, these chickens will not lay in the dark.

Helpful tips

Keeping Ameraucana chickens is a relatively simple matter. But growing such chickens has some nuances, including in terms of arranging a poultry house for them. Experienced farmers, among other things, recommend that beginners who decide to breed ameraukan, be sure to provide a vestibule in the barn. This will reduce heat loss in winter and avoid drafts. In any case, if there is a vestibule, the bird will feel more comfortable in the barn. Accordingly, her productivity indicators in terms of egg production will increase.

Breeding, judging by the reviews, the Ameraucana breed of chickens is best done by the floor method. Cellular technology is completely unsuitable for this active bird. At the same time, it is worth equipping the shed for the ameraukan itself, which is quite spacious. It is not recommended to keep these chickens in close quarters. In any case, for every 10 birds in the built house, there should be at least 5 m22 of area.

How to furnish a room

Drinkers and feeders in the barn forameraukan set the usual, the same as used for chickens of any other breed. Also in the poultry house it is necessary to equip perches. The poles are fixed in the barn of the Ameraucana chickens at a height of about 70 cm from the floor. At the same time, the length of the perches is calculated in such a way that at least 40 cm per hen, and 45 cm per cockerel.

Experienced farmers, among other things, recommend laying a double layer of bedding under the perches for these chickens. The fact is that falling asleep, ameraukans often fall from the poles to the floor. The weight of these chickens is quite large, and therefore, upon impact, they can easily be injured.

To successfully breed Ameraucana chickens in a barn, among other things, nests will also have to be equipped. You can place them both on the floor in secluded places, and on the walls. In the latter case, the nests are simply stuffed next to the perches so that the hens can freely enter them.

Ameraucans, like representatives of most other breeds, do not like drafts. However, there should be no stale air in the barn for these chickens. This can lead to an outbreak of an epidemic of some serious disease. In the barn for ameraukan, among other things, the simplest exhaust ventilation should be provided.

Aviary

Any other helpful tips for raising ameraucana chickens? Of course, for such an active bird next to the barn, the farmer should definitely equip a spacious outdoor aviary. Walking for ameraukans is usually done either on the western side of the barn or on the eastern side. ATIn this case, on cool days, the chickens will be able to soak up the sun, and in the heat, hide in the shade. In the aviary in the summer, several drinkers and feeders should be installed. During this period, chickens are usually herded into the barn only for the night.

As already mentioned, the ameraukan enclosure should be covered with chain-link on top. It also needs to be protected from undermining. Of course, for chickens in the wall of the barn, you need to make a small door. Laying hens should enter the house from the aviary without obstacles. Otherwise, they will get used to laying eggs anywhere.

Feeding

Ameraucan ration is being developed as a standard ration for chickens of mixed productivity. In summer, hens are fed grain (usually wheat) in the morning, and a mash is given in the afternoon. Between feedings, Ameraucans are given fresh grass and tops of garden plants. It is also useful to sometimes feed such a bird with animal protein. It can be, for example, fish or meat and bone meal, earthworms, etc.

Mushrooms for chickens are usually prepared by owners of farmsteads from carrots, nettles, apples, zucchini, etc. That is, from everything that grows in abundance in the garden in summer. Also, bran and premixes are added to such mixtures, for example, "Laying hen", as well as chalk and a little s alt.

Concentrates - grains, compound feed and bran, in the warm season it is not recommended to give too much to chickens of this breed. Otherwise, the bird will become fat and reduce egg production.

In winter, birds are fed at least three times - in the morning, afternoon and evening. At the same time, concentrates make the basis of the menu. grain to the birdgive in larger quantities than in summer, in the evenings. At the same time, root crops, potatoes, bran, vitamin premixes are added to the mixers. Such mixtures are most often made not on water, but on whey.

Diseases

One of the undoubted advantages of Ameraucana chickens, in addition to good egg production and rapid weight gain, is, according to farmers, strong immunity. Such living creatures rarely suffer from dangerous diseases. For this reason, a lunge in a herd of ameraukans almost never happens.

The only thing, since the plumage of these chickens are quite thick, sometimes they can be annoyed by all sorts of blood-sucking parasites. To avoid such a problem on the farm, in the chicken coop for ameraukan, among other things, you should install containers with ash. The bird will bathe in such "baths", thus freeing itself from insects that annoy it.

Prevention

The care of Ameraucana chickens, since they are strong in he alth, do not require particularly difficult care. The owner of the farmstead will not have to take any labor-intensive measures aimed at preventing the spread of infections in a barn with such a bird.

However, the house in which these chickens live, of course, should be kept clean. In musty air, in the presence of dampness and drafts, even the strong immunity of these chickens may not save. The floor in the ameraucan shed should be cleaned at least a couple of times a week. The only exception is the winter season. During this period, a very thick layer is usually laid in the chicken coop.bedding. At the same time, the purges are stopped. The processes of decomposition in organic matter in the thickness of straw in winter will become an additional source of heat for these Canadian chickens.

Experienced farmers advise, among other things, from time to time to produce and disinfect those premises that contain ameraucans. You can use for such a procedure, for example, a solution of "Whiteness", "Frontline", "Bars" and any other similar means.

Reviews

The description of the Ameraucana chickens given above in the article allows us to judge them as quite productive and well suited for breeding, including in the Russian climate. Indeed, many farmers, for example, on specialized sites on the Internet, certainly recommend growing these chickens in farmsteads.

Judging by the reviews available on the Web, the advantages of such a bird are, of course, fast weight gain and good egg production. Farmers also rate this bird as hardy, very he althy, smart and savvy.

The nature of these chickens, according to the owners of farmsteads, is actually quite aggressive. But with a certain amount of patience, the Ameraukan can be made much more tolerant of people and other domestic animals. If the owner of the farmstead does not make sudden movements in the poultry house, raise his voice to chickens, etc., then they can even, for example, be taught to take food from their hands.