Differences EE, Ameraucana, & Araucana * Pls post pics*

Summarizing a confusing and often misunderstood topic-
Two are A.P.A. recognized breeds , EE are a mix of any breeds.
Pls show yours off and post pics of birds/eggs to help people.
Both types are birds are beautiful, friendly, and a delight to have but people seem confused with the facts.



Ameraucana:Ameraucana Breeders Club for info and pictures
Ameraucanas are not that common and should be purchased from Breeders
Breed info:meets APA's Standard of Perfection for breed and breeds true
Color Varieties:Black, Blue, Blue Wheaten, Brown Red, Buff, Silver, Wheaten, and White
Blue and Black may be bred together as may Blue Wheaten and Wheaten. Breedings not of the same variety could result in a nonstandard color for future breedings despite surface appearances and therefore is not a true Ameraucana if it does not breed true.
Combea
Wattles:none
Ear Tuffs:none
Eye:Reddish Brown
Earlobe:Red
Features:has muffs and a beard
Beak:horn, natural color
Skin:white
Legs:Slate, bottoms are white, black birds can have black
Eggsale blue, blue, blue green, and yes, sometimes green



Easter Egg Layer/EE/Americana
Breed info:not a true breed or APA recognized, mixed breed
can have Ameraucana traits but is not an Ameraucana b/c to be so it must be a recognized variety from standardized color varieties and breed true
EE's are common, from mixed breeding with Ameraucanas and Araucanas and hatcheries
Comb:any-Buttercup, Cushion, Pea, Rose, Single, Strawberry, V-Shaped
Wattlesossible
Ear Tuffsossible
Eye:any
Earlobe:any
Features:can have muffs and a beard
Beak:any
Skin:any
Legs:any or green
Eggs:has blue egg gene, eggs are blue, green, olive green, brown & pink

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

An excellent article on the topic written by one of our BYC members-

Ameraucana Myths & Facts
by Vicky Thompson

Much mis-information surrounds these 3 different varieties of poultry:

Araucana
Ameraucana
Easter Egg Layers
It is not uncommon that many people, even experienced poultry fanciers do not realize the differences between these are 3 separate types of poultry.

Lets cover the basic differences...

1. "Easter Egg Layers or Rainbow Layers"...are by far the most common "blue egg layer" sold by most commercial hatcheries, local feed mills, farm supply stores and backyard breeders. This type of chicken is commonly referred to as an "Araucana" or "Americana/Araucana" but the fact is these chickens are neither a purebred Araucana or an Ameraucana but they are a mixed-breed/mongrel variety. Some hatcheries are starting to refer to them as "Easter Egg Layers" or "Rainbow Layers" but many people and hatcheries still erroneously call them "Americanas" (often seen mis-spelling of Ameraucana) or "Araucanas".
Easter Egg Layers typically lay an olive or khaki green egg or a pale beige egg sometimes referred to as "pink", but many lay pastel blue or green eggs as well, but this does not mean they are an Ameraucana. Although they come in countless different colors and patterns they often resemble Ameraucanas with similar feather color and patterns. Some, but not all Easter Egg Layers sport muffs and/or beards but there is usually no consistency in type or coloring since they are a mixed breed and do not breed true to type. They often have a variety of comb styles and wattles. They may also have yellow beaks and yellow or "willow" (greenish-yellow) shanks and feet and this along with the light to dark green egg shell color may indicate they carry a brown egg breed genetics. These chickens are very popular and make nice backyard layers but they definitely are not an A.P.A. recognized breed nor do they breed true.

2. "Araucana"
Araucana's are not that common in the United States . While the A.P.A. claims some Araucanas originated in South America those described in the A.P.A. standard were developed in the US. They are a blue egg laying, "rumpless" (no tail) bird that sport ear tufts, clumps of feathers growing at or near their ear openings and no muff or beard. Despite their somewhat small numbers in the US it is their name that is most frequently and erroneously used in reference to Easter Egg Layers and Ameraucanas. You can see pictures of Araucana's on The Feathersite.


3. "Ameraucana"
While they also have some South America ancestors, Ameraucanas were also developed in the United States and have been recognized by the American Poultry Association since 1984.
Currently the APA only recognizes these 8 specific colors:
black
blue
buff
white
silver
brown-red
wheaten
blue wheaten
Ameraucanas have a pea-combs, a lack of prominent wattles, "bay" colored eyes (reddish brown), red ear lobes and "slate" (blue colored) shanks (blacks can have black colored shanks and feet) and feet and the bottoms of their feet are white. They have "horn" (neutral and not yellow) colored beaks. They lay various shades of pastel blue to blue-green eggs. They have white, not yellow skin.
With their pea combs and lack of wattles they are very cold hardy. They are mostly non-aggressive and easy to handle birds. They come in both standard (large fowl) and bantam size.
You can see photographs of Ameraucanas on the Feathersite or on the Ameraucana Breeders Club website.


Additional Notes:

Caution should be exercised when purchasing what some hatcheries, online auction sellers or breeders are claiming to be "purebred Ameraucanas". Unfortunately many breeders and hatcheries still aren't breeding according to the APA Ameraucana standard and have off colored plumage, beaks and shanks, single combs, missing muffs and/or beards and so on. These people are not necessarily being deceptive, rather uneducated about the breed. On the other hand some hatcheries have been enlightened by ABC members but apparently seem indifferent about the false advertising and continue to sell their birds under an erroneous and misleading name.
Caveat Emptor! Buyer Beware!
Always ask a lot of questions BEFORE you buy.
Refer back to the Ameraucana description provided here to verify the correct type and coloring which may help in determining whether sources have real Ameraucanas or not.
It is advisable to buy from an experienced breeder that is a member of the Ameraucana Breeders Club.


It should also be noted that Ameraucana's do not lay white, "pink"/beige, brown, olive,/khaki green or dark greenish brown or tan eggs but rather varying shades of pastel blue or blue-green eggs.

"Copyright 2002 by Vicky Thompson"

Two black Ameraucana hens:


Ameraucana Eggs:

and with EE eggs:

Wow! Those eggs are blue... I only get the olive-green ones.

By the way, those black Ameraucanas are beautiful.

Splash Ameraucana:



Blue Ameraucanas, Nora and Charlotte:



Easter Egger:



At the left, the bright blue egg is from my blue pullet,Nora, above. The green one is from an EE.



This is the egg from my EE, June, above:

EE Roo:


EE hens:


Blue EE egg:

My Ameraucana hen Blue


EE Shmicken

and


I forget her name already lol, but she's an ee as welland heres her green egg:

All of my easter eggers have muffs/beards, pea combs, & either green or gray/slate legs. Some have the single pea comb & a few have had the 3-row pea comb. So far, my EE layers are laying the green and mint colored eggs in my avatar pic (we have several that aren't laying yet). My first two batches came from the feedstore (they buy from Privetts) - the newest batch came from MPC (mypetchicken.com).

EE chicks:




2 of my EE pullets (Pippin & Cleopatra)


EE pullet (Sparrow)


single pea comb:


3-row pea comb:


same 3-row pea comb after she started laying

Here is what I have...so far!

EE: Courtney, Lays a "Navajo White" colored egg with a slight yellow tint. She has an almost identical sister named "Jill" who lays the same color egg. Both of these lay very infrequently... perhaps 2 a week. Will be rehomed on the 13th.



EE: Spotty, roo. Could win ugliest EE contest. Will be re homed on the 13th.



EE: Sunshine, pullet. lays a bluish egg. One in middle below.





Blue Ameraucanas from Pips & Peeps juvies at approx 16 weeks of age. Will be in isolation until the 17th (3 weeks from when we received them).
Still trying to determine names since He will become roo of our flock until we check out the little ones that are to hatch on the 21st and determine how many breeding pens I'm going to need!

Rhea, Blue Ameraucana pullet


Blue Ameraucana chicks, 4 or 5 days old


Cronus, Blue Ameraucana cockerel. Shown here with Barred Rock girlfriends for making an EE cross.


EE pullet, from the cross above, 12 weeks old in this photo


Lena and Clara, EE pullets (McMurray stock).


BoyToy, EE cockerel (Ideal stock)

Here are my 3 EE's the cockerel is looking for a new home. All came from Ideal hatchery, We had 4 but one of the pullets passed away at 2 weeks old They are just coming up on 16 weeks so no eggs yet. The darker pullet has willow green legs and the lighter pullet has slate blue legs. I always wondered if their leg color was any indication of what color eggs they will lay. These are bantams

Saffron


Sage


Cockerel



ETA: another EE roo pic
This is precious, his father is a white cochin bantam and mom was a LF EE same color as the pullet in the second pic