TBN Ranch – Page 8 – TBN Ranch Chicken Keeping Resources

Ameraucana or Easter Egger?

The Blue Egg Layer

The Ameraucana is a distinct, recognized breed that must adhere to strict American Poultry Association (APA) guidelines to earn its title. These birds are unmistakable with muffs and beards, paired with a distinct pea comb. To be considered a true Ameraucana, a bird must have slate blue or black legs, a U-shaped body, and a tail set at a 45-degree angle. They are also limited to eight recognized color varieties, and they are strictly blue egg layers. Because the pigment, called oocyanin, permeates the entire shell.
Now here’s the scoop on the Easter Egger, which you may be surprised to learn, isn’t a specific breed at all, but a hybrid! These birds are typically the result of crossing a blue egg layer with another breed, such as a Rhode Island Red or Marans. Because they’re crossbreeds, their appearance can be wildly unpredictable, while some may inherit the beard and muffs of their parents, others may not. Unlike the slate legs of the Ameraucana, you’ll often see Easter Eggers with green or willow colored legs. However, what is interesting about Easter Eggers, is the egg colors they may produce. While an individual hen will lay the same color egg her entire life, a flock of Easter Eggers can produce many different colors, including aqua, sage green, olive, tan, or even rose. This variety occurs because of the tinted factor, when a brown pigment is layered over a blue shell during production, the result ends up being a nice little surprise!

While many hatcheries claim to sell Ameraucanas, nearly none of them do. Most sell mutt Easter Eggers. Ameraucanas come in both a large and bantam variety.
Standard Weight for Bantams
Cock: 30 oz.
Cockerel: 26 oz.
Hen: 26 oz.
Pullet: 24 oz.
Standard Weight for Large Fowl
Cock: 6 1/2 lbs.
Cockerel: 5 1/2 lbs.
Hen: 5 1/2 lbs.
Pullet: 4 1/2 lbs.

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How to Clip the Flight Feathers on Chickens

Two Helpful Videos

There are many videos on clipping the flight feathers of a chicken, but I chose this first one because it shows how to do it alone. There isn’t always another pair of hands available when you need them. Help is always nice, but the ability to depend on yourself is even better.
Note: I feel it’s important to clip both wings. A chicken with only one wing clipped will be unsteady or off balance. The fragile breastbone will take the brunt of a harsh landing, so let’s help keep them on their feet!

#1 Wing Clipping Unassisted

#2 Wing Clipping with Assistance

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Buying Smart is the Ideal Chicken Coop

Build it Right the First Time

As a chicken keeper myself, I can’t stress enough the importance of having adequate housing for your birds. Saving money by building too small will inevitably prove a bad investment when you become overwhelmed by the difficult chore of keeping it clean. Cramped housing also presents problems among the social ranking of the pecking order, thus causing injuries and poor egg production as a result.
A chicken coop is a place you will be spending time in too. Tending to chickens must be done whether it’s raining, snowing, freezing, or smoldering hot. It only makes sense to build a convenient and spacious coop that you will enjoy, after all, nothing is fun when it becomes a dreadful chore.
Remember, you can build small, but when it’s all said and done the first egg usually ends up costing around $800+. If that sounds like a lot of money, be warned, it could double after two seasons when you feel the need to upgrade your coop. Buy smart and build it right the first time.