Ameraucana chickens are often confused with the Araucana breed of chicken because both breeds are brilliant blue egg layers.
However, this breed has its own set of charms and quirks.
Key Takeaway:
Ameraucana chickens get along well with other birds and humans alike. They are agreeable and well-tempered, which makes them a great addition to any flock. Where most chicken breeds, even the docile ones, are not too fond of human contact, Ameraucanas are often content with human touch and attention.
Whether you love adventurous chickens or broody ones, aggressive birds or docile ones, it is always important to consider how well each new addition to your coop will get along with your existing flock.
Keep reading to learn about the temperament and habits of the Ameraucana chicken and discover whether this breed is right for you!
Do Ameraucanas Fight Other Chickens?
Ameraucana birds like to sit right in the middle of the pecking order.
They are not particularly dominating personalities.
These lovely birds are efficient foragers and productive backyard layers.
This keeps them well-occupied so long as they have enough space to roam around.
Unless they are being bullied or feel threatened, Ameraucanas are not generally aggressive.
If you have an Ameraucana hen acting up, check for missing feathers or other signs of abuse.
A bully in the henhouse is not safe for the group and sometimes kickstarts a pattern of aggressive behavior in the whole flock.
When a docile chicken starts to act out, it is often a sign its needs are not being fully met.
Make sure there are no other chickens in your coop, preventing your calmer birds from accessing food or water.
If there are no issues with these resources, check for signs of health issues.
A good place to start with chickens of all breeds is to examine their feet for any cuts, splinters, or other problems.
Related Post: Are Ameraucana Chickens Loud?
Are Ameraucana Roosters Aggressive?
While the males of this breed are a bit flightier than their female counterparts, aggressive roosters are not a big problem with Ameraucanas.
Like the hens, birds of this breed are particularly known for coming with a broad range of personalities.
While this is exciting in some ways, it does make it more difficult to know exactly what to expect from your Ameraucana rooster.
One way to ensure your birds feel as safe as possible (and therefore act as friendly as possible) is to raise them from baby chicks.
Throwing chickens already mature into a mixed flock in a new environment is overwhelming for them and may make a bird aggressive.
Keeping a mixed flock with various personalities, laying abilities, and feather pattern varieties are both wise and exciting.
But it is always crucial to introduce new birds in the smartest way possible.
At the very least, keep an eye on your beautiful birds as they adjust to life in their new home.
Further Reading: Ameraucana chickens and aggressive tendencies
Do Ameraucanas Like People?
Often farm animals are not thrilled to spend extensive time around humans.
Chickens and other prey animals take extra time to adjust to human company.
However, Ameraucanas are one of the handful of poultry breeds willing to be held and touched by people.
Their friendly nature makes them safe not only around adults but around children as well.
Even if a child chased your Ameraucana hen around the backyard, she wouldn’t be the type to behave aggressively toward them.
This being said, explain to your kids what kind of attention your friendly birds do and do not appreciate.
Ameraucanas are great at tolerating human interaction but do not need to endure chasing or grabbing even from well-meaning children.
Also, remember each bird is different.
While Ameraucanas are a friendly and well-mannered breed, some hens may be more skittish and less interested in human interaction than others.
There is often a wide range of personalities to observe within a single breed.
Half the fun of raising chickens is getting to know all their quirks and habits!
Ensure you give your animals the space they need to feel safe and comfortable.
The Ameraucana’s Habits
The blue-egg gene is what sets this hen apart from other breeds.
With only Easter Eggers and Araucanas sharing this blue-egg gene, the Ameraucana hen quickly grew popular for this trait alone.
However, there are many more reasons we love this breed than simply their ability to lay blue eggs.
For one thing, their egg production is reliable. Ameraucana hens typically lay more than 200 eggs yearly, averaging about 3-4 eggs per week.
They are also capable of laying in the cold winter months, provided they are well cared for.
While Ameraucanas, like most breeds, lay better in the warmer months, they are winter-hardy and versatile birds who will not let you down in the cold either.
To encourage consistent egg production, be sure to give your hardy birds plenty of calcium and plenty of space.
Being such a friendly breed is another trait Ameraucanas are praised for.
Not only are they excellent foragers and strong layers, but they are curious birds with real personalities!
Appearance
A big reason Ameraucana chickens are so well loved is their beautiful appearance.
Across all varieties, the Ameraucana has a bright-red pea comb and fluffy feathers.
However, their fluffy feathers’ wide variety of colors and patterns has earned them no shortage of compliments.
The Silver Ameraucana is one of the more popular varieties, as are the Blue Wheaten Ameraucanas.
These are two stunning plumage varieties not easily found among other chicken breeds.
While finding other birds with blue or silver feathers is not impossible, they are not very common either.
The bird in question is also found with black feathers, multicolored feathers, and countless other varieties, though.
You may not be surprised to hear it, but Ameraucana roosters have stunning tail feathers!
Couple these unique pattern varieties with excellent egg production, blue egg genes, and gentle hearts, and you have an incredible bird who fits in well with any backyard flock!
