The Ameraucana Thread: Where everything and anything about the breed can be discussed (APA, Non-Stan

[Outrun Acres]

Good morning I wonder if someone could explain to me the difference between Araucana and Ameraucana also what makes a EE Thanks for any answers

I will give this my best shot. In a nut shell . . .

Araucana: A rumpless, blue-egg-laying bird that has tufts.

Ameraucana: A blue-egg-laying bird that has various shades of slate colored legs, beard and muffs, and comes in 8 different approved colors: black, white, blue-wheaten, wheaten, blue, brown red, silver, and buff. Here is where the classification controversy comes in regarding this breed. Generally if a chicken of a specific breed doesn't conform 100% to the breed standard it is still genetically considered said breed. When it comes to Ameraucanas some people will consider birds that don't conform to the standard, non-standard birds. Others will refer to them as Easter Eggers.

Easter Eggers: A Araucana and/or Ameraucana genetically based bird or crossbreed. Easter Eggers can look like Ameraucanas in type but do not conform to any APA standard color for the breed. If they are an Ameraucana crossbreed they may display some of the phenotypic traits of the breed, or they may not. There is not standard to compare an Easter Egger to because technically it is considered a "variety" not a breed.

Hope that helps a little bit!

 

[Wildviolets]

Hello all, I just joined Backyard Chickens. I am new to raising chickens and I have a question that may seem silly, however.....I have a beautiful Ameraucana rooster and two black hens. The hens are about 8 months old, but are so very small. We purchased them as purebred. The rooster was a ? to the previous owner as he had multiple hens and roosters, however he looks very Ameraucana with the slate/purple legs. Can a rooster be too big to mate with a hen? That is my question. One of my hens back, just before her tail feathers start, has several places where the feathers are gone. Can anyone answer this for me without laughing? My husband thinks I'm silly, but I don't want him to "hurt" them. Thanks for any advice...Wildviolet....(Frankie)

 

[jerryse]

Hello all, I just joined Backyard Chickens. I am new to raising chickens and I have a question that may seem silly, however.....I have a beautiful Ameraucana rooster and two black hens. The hens are about 8 months old, but are so very small. We purchased them as purebred. The rooster was a ? to the previous owner as he had multiple hens and roosters, however he looks very Ameraucana with the slate/purple legs. Can a rooster be too big to mate with a hen? That is my question. One of my hens back, just before her tail feathers start, has several places where the feathers are gone. Can anyone answer this for me without laughing? My husband thinks I'm silly, but I don't want him to "hurt" them. Thanks for any advice...Wildviolet....(Frankie)

Don't worry should be fine.I have crossed bantam and large both directions with no problems.There are limits.I tried a barred rock over a white silkie last year no fertility.No damage to hen.

 

[Outrun Acres]

Hello all, I just joined Backyard Chickens. I am new to raising chickens and I have a question that may seem silly, however.....I have a beautiful Ameraucana rooster and two black hens. The hens are about 8 months old, but are so very small. We purchased them as purebred. The rooster was a ? to the previous owner as he had multiple hens and roosters, however he looks very Ameraucana with the slate/purple legs. Can a rooster be too big to mate with a hen? That is my question. One of my hens back, just before her tail feathers start, has several places where the feathers are gone. Can anyone answer this for me without laughing? My husband thinks I'm silly, but I don't want him to "hurt" them. Thanks for any advice...Wildviolet....(Frankie)

Hi there and

!

I know that Ameraucanas come in two sizes, bantam and large fowl. Do you know which one you purchased? If you post pictures on this thread there are many knowlegeable people on here that will help you critique them.

Many things can cause infertility in chickens. If you have one hen missing lots of feathers and the others aren't, then your rooster has just picked him "favorite lady." Sometimes if the rooster is too big or two small, they can have trouble getting the job done or they can manage to mate just fine. When a rooster mates a hen he grabs on with his talons and if he has them spurs. When they have a favorite, that hen can be mounted many times a day and during the process some feathers may get pulled out

. We have a hen that is missing all of the feathers on her back, poor girl! It may look ugly, but it's mother natures way. If he gets too rough with them you can either separate them or buy a saddle for your hen that will protect her back from the rooster.

 

[unkadan]

Don't worry should be fine.I have crossed bantam and large both directions with no problems.There are limits.I tried a barred rock over a white silkie last year no fertility.No damage to hen.

mad science is everywhere!

 

[watership]

Oh wow, I had no idea, that splash pullet has more cream than even the wheatens! Well, I must have a lot of blue wheaten cockerels then!! Thanks for the pic!

 

[grannychicken54]

I will give this my best shot. In a nut shell . . .

Araucana: A rumpless, blue-egg-laying bird that has tufts.

Ameraucana: A blue-egg-laying bird that has various shades of slate colored legs, beard and muffs, and comes in 8 different approved colors: black, white, blue-wheaten, wheaten, blue, brown red, silver, and buff. Here is where the classification controversy comes in regarding this breed. Generally if a chicken of a specific breed doesn't conform 100% to the breed standard it is still genetically considered said breed. When it comes to Ameraucanas some people will consider birds that don't conform to the standard, non-standard birds. Others will refer to them as Easter Eggers.

Easter Eggers: A Araucana and/or Ameraucana genetically based bird or crossbreed. Easter Eggers can look like Ameraucanas in type but do not conform to any APA standard color for the breed. If they are an Ameraucana crossbreed they may display some of the phenotypic traits of the breed, or they may not. There is not standard to compare an Easter Egger to because technically it is considered a "variety" not a breed.

Hope that helps a little bit!

Thanks it does explain alot more than I knew to start with .What is the lethal gene I have read about in Araucana and are they harder to breed than the Ameraucana.Also which one lays the bluest eggsThanks

 

[TipihlowLadies]

what are these 5 days old

 

[my sunwolf]

what are these 5 days old

They're fluffy Easter Eggers

 

[salt and pepper]

The ear tuft gene in araucanas is lethal, if you breed two birds that both have tufts, over 75% of the chicks will die in the shell, and right after hatching, and the one that survive have a good chance of deformities. This is why you must breed a bird with ear tufts to a bird without. Araucanas also have a lower fertility rate than other breeds, because of them being rump less, the feathers get in the way, and they don't have as much support. because of this, you need to keep their hind feathers trimmed. Hope this helps! The Araucana in know to lay the bluest egg. But it is possible for the ameraucana to lay one just as blue (just not as common)