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

[Ravynscroft]

I call it the Donald Trump comb-over

 

[rottlady]

I could not live with a chicken with a comb like that creeps me out LOL

 

[weidnercharm]

Yeah, but hes not a criminal that endangers the lives of others. He protects the hens, pullets and babies, so he stays......... until a better rooster comes of age..... then he goes into the pot.

 

[aart]

Quote: Haha!

It is funny and kinda creepy......but what I really wonder is what kind(s) it is and where it came from?

 

[Selsley]

When the South American birds were imported to this country, they were all called Araucana. They were nicknamed Easter Eggers. It's those birds that the Araucana and Ameraucana breeds were created from. The birds that the hatcheries breed are descendants of those original imports. They are as close to the original imports as you can get these days. In order for hatcheries to have used true Ameraucana or Araucana in their lines, they must first have those breeds; and they never have, at any point had true Ameraucana or Araucana. They have always only had 'Easter Eggers'.
The confusing part is that, before the Araucana became a recognized breed, the blue/green layers were called Araucana. Rumpless, tailed, tufted, or muffed; it didn't matter. They were all called Araucana. What was called an Araucana in the 40s is not what we consider an Araucana these days.
Both Araucana and Ameraucana were derived from Easter Egger type birds.

The Araucana is a hybrid of two South American breeds: the Colloncas (a naturally blue-egg laying, rumpless, clean-faced chicken) and the Quetero (a pinkish-brown egg layer that has a long tail and prominent ear-tufts).the offsping were then selected and rebred to produce the recognised araucana breed.

in the uk a 3rd breed was introduced in the early part of the 1900s by a scotsman, this new breed is recognised as a tailed version of the araucana, (must meet colour specs)
around the same time in america someone did the same with a 3rd breed, the outcome of this selected breed was the ameraucana (must meet colour specs)

the easter egger is basically 1 of 4 things,
1, an araucana without the specific requirements, colour or, tufts, an untufted araucan is required to mate with a tufted so you dont get the 100% fatality rate, but an untufted doesnt meet requirements so isnt classed as an araucana, although from my point of view it should be. it just cant be a show bird, so gets called an easter egger (everthing else)
2 an ameraucana that isnt the right colour
3 a crossed araucana with a breed that wasnt the same 3rd breed as was used for the ameraucana
and 4 a crossed ameraucana

 

[rottlady]

But what an Eater Egger is NOT is an Americana that is a total made up name to confuse buyers

 

[junebuggena]

From the Ameraucana Alliance,
- "But one should first understand that the “Araucana” as we know it, was never a “pure” breed, even in Chile."

They were two 'landrace' types that were specific to their own regions. And then those birds were heavily crossbred with other, non-native breeds, producing the birds that were later imported to the U.S. They were far from a standard breed, especially at that point.

- "Later, in 1925, Mr. Keller of the Pratt Experimental Farm in Pennsylvania wrote about his small flock – the first Araucanas imported to the USA. The earliest imports were mostly of selected rumpless and tufted varieties. Later imports were made up of “Araucanas” of all types, among which were bearded muffed tailed varieties, all of which then were bred here in the USA. All of these were at that time labeled “Araucanas”."

Regardless of the physical features, they were all called Araucana.

- "Responding to a general “Araucana fever”, due to their promotions for “Easter Egg” chickens, and false and wildly exaggerated claims about the extra healthfulness of Araucana eggs, commercial hatcheries expanded a frantic effort to outcross blue egg laying “Araucanas” with everything else, and sell them as “Araucanas”, when they were nothing more than mongrels (which sales are still continuing today). However, there were a number of dedicated breeders who attempted to keep what they each viewed as the “original Araucana” from becoming extinct, and various groups formed, but each had their own idea of what a “Standard Araucana” should be."

It's those 'Araucana' that we now know of as Easter Eggers. They are the descendants of the landrace type 'Araucana', not bred toward any specific goal. And while they have been cross bred over the years with other breeds, they are no more 'mixed' than other hatchery sourced birds.

Hatcheries have never had, at any point, any breed that would be considered Araucana or Ameraucana, by today's definitions. They have had 'unrefined' Araucana; what we call Easter Eggers. You have to remember, what we now call Araucana, weren't a consistent breed until the 60s or mid 70s. And even then, the standards were heavily argued. Until the breed standard was accepted, in 1976, they were all basically Easter Eggers (even Ameraucana).

 

[Alaskan]

I call it the Donald Trump comb-over

Haha! It is funny and kinda creepy......but what I really wonder is what kind(s) it is and where it came from?

I wonder too. Comb genetics are fascinating. The basic rose comb, pea comb, single comb are straight forward but then there are many modifiers... Anyway, I sure wish I knew the genotype of that comb! And more photos, show us more photos!!

 

[ameliadanielle]

Omg. My EE roo has a comb like that. Lol. I call it the "wad of chewed up bubblegum" comb. Hahaha.

 

[Alaskan]

Omg. My EE roo has a comb like that. Lol. I call it the "wad of chewed up bubblegum" comb. Hahaha.

Have any photos?