Questions about Americanas

We have a few questions:

1. We 1 Buff Orpington and 2 Americanas - AND THEY JUST LAID ONE EGG (we are not sure which one laid it Any clues how many eggs we might start expecting?

2. What is the difference between Americanas, Americaunas, and Easter Eggers?

3. We want to start having them lay in the nest box, but can't seem to get and keep them in there to lay - any clues?

4. We may want to introduce other breeds to this group... Anything we should avoid?

1. You can expect 3 to 4 eggs per week per hen from your BOs and Ameraucanas (probably EEs and definitely so if it was misspelled as Americana). If the egg is brown, it came from your BO, any other color (blue, green, pale pink, etc.) it came from your Ameraucana/EE.

2. Ameraucanas are a true breed whose colors reproduce true and which lays only blue eggs. Easter Eggers are hybrids produced by crossing Ameraucanas with other breeds to produce eggs in colors other than just blue. Hatcheries often market EEs under the labels, Araucana (another true blue egg laying breed that is tailless) or Ameraucana (frequently misspelled as Americana or Americauana by the hatcheries). There is a good article on the differences between Ameraucanas, Araucanas, and Easter Eggers at http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2011/09/ameraucana-easter-egger-or-araucana.html.

3. Make sure your nest boxes are large enough, in the darkest part of the coop and dark inside the box, have plenty of soft litter in the box (pine shavings work very well), low enough to the ground that the hens have no problem getting into them, and put a fake egg (ceramic or wood, or even a golf ball will usually work) in each nest box to induce them to lay there.

4. New chickens need to be introduced slowly and carefully to an already existing flock. There is a good article on introducing new chickens to the flock at http://poultrykeeper.com/general-chickens/introducing-new-chickens.

Thank you SOOOOO much for your information!!!!!! It definitely cleared up a lot of questions
thanks again!!!

kingsartisans said:

Thank you SOOOOO much for your information!!!!!! It definitely cleared up a lot of questions
thanks again!!!

Click to expand...

You're welcome.