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Ameraucana

The Ameraucana was developed in the 70's by a few people who were trying to standardize the...
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General Information

Breed Purpose
Dual Purpose
Comb
Pea
Broodiness
Average
Climate Tolerance
All Climates
Egg Productivity
Medium
Egg Size
Medium
Egg Color
Blue/Green
Breed Temperament
Friendly, Flighty, Easily handled, Calm, Bears confinement well, Quiet, Docile
Breed Colors/Varieties
Black, Blue, Blue Wheaten, Brown Red, Buff, Silver, Wheaten, and White. Colors being worked on include Lavender, Splash, Splash Wheaten, Mottled, Salmon, Red Pyle and Black Gold.
Breed Size
Large Fowl
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The Ameraucana is an American breed of chicken developed in the USA in the 1970s. It was derived from chickens brought from South America (Chile) that carried the blue egg gene and was bred to maintain the blue egg colour gene of that breed. There is also an Ameraucana bantam variety and both the LF and bantam variety were added to the APA Standard of Perfection (SOP) in 1984. Recognised varieties are: Black, Blue, Blue Wheaten, Brown Red, Buff, Silver, Wheaten, White.

The Ameraucana is one of the few chicken breeds to lay blue eggs, another being the Cream Legbar, which also have an Araucana influence. The Ameraucana breed shows many similarities to the Araucana breed, such as pea combs and of course the blue egg gene. The Araucana however has earmuffs and is rumpless, whereas the Ameraucana has a tail and is muffed and bearded. Their earlobes are small and round, wattles small or absent, earlobes, comb and wattles are all red. Their shanks are slate-blue, (tending to black in the Black variety). In Australia and UK both Ameraucana and Araucana breeds are viewed as varieties of the Araucana - tailed and rumpless.

Less rare than Araucanas, Ameraucana are still considered quite rare. They are often confused with Easter Eggers (EE's are often advertised and sold as Ameraucanas), which can lay blue AND green eggs.

See here: Differences Between EEs, Ameraucanas, and Araucanas

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Ameraucana eggs

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Ameraucana chicks

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Ameraucana pullet

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Ameraucana rooster

For more info on Ameraucanas and their owners' and breeders' experiences, see our breed discussion here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/975512/chicken-breed-focus-ameraucana/0_30
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Latest reviews

Fluffy_Moth_With_Silkies
The perfect mid chickens
Pros: Docile
Good for both eggs and meat
Love the cheek fluffs
Cons: Not large eggs
Not a lot of eggs (Still good for eggs though)
I love americaunas, and they are definitely a good breed to get for eggs and meat. Very sweet when trained.
Lots of colors and once more, we love the cheek fluffs.
Great review, love it! Good job.
EmmaRainboe
Love my Ameraucanas
Pros: Beautiful, friendly, adorable, gorgeous eggs, funny, curious, nice size.
Cons: Can be towards the top of the pecking order

Often confused with Easter Eggers.

Feedstores sell EEs as Ameraucanas.
Ameraucanas have always been my favorite breed. I have raised several blue wheatens, and currently have white and lavender. Have had both male and female, never had one I didn’t adore.
Purchase Price
$10, $19.95.
Purchase Date
March 2020, February 2021.
Ke11yMack
A True Favorite!
Pros: So adorable, super personable when raised from hatch, beautiful to look at and wonderful blue eggs to mystify your non-chicken friends with. A very intelligent chicken compared to many others.
Cons: None
I found a beautiful Easter Egger and dove into the history of the Ameraucana after. It amazed me that they were so sought after that shops used phony names! What is the wonder of this breed? I saved my pennies and shipped a few purebreds across the country and I am smitten. Beautiful funny intelligent birds who have become family overnight!

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Comments

SDC
amoarmstrong said:
What are the roosters like? I have been offered an 11 week old and wonder if generally they are friendly? Aggressive? Mostly toward people as I think my 1 year old hens and 10 week old girls will keep him busy!
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Mine are aggressive towards other roos NOT in the flock he manages but i wouldnt say they are mean towards people. However I have a cuckoo or barred roo I got from a barred rock mom and a wheaton or duck wing male who is a terror in the yard. Challenges every roo, running up to the Pens and doin his thang. I finally seperated him from his barred rock hens and he is calm enough to host a younger Amer. Roo in his pen with him.
 
C
I have two hens that are americaunas. Both just started laying very pretty light blue eggs. One of them does not have a beard though...so is it actually an EE or can Americauna's not have beards? (sorry if it's a dumb question..I'm new to this!)
 
breege
amoarmstrong said:
What are the roosters like? I have been offered an 11 week old and wonder if generally they are friendly? Aggressive? Mostly toward people as I think my 1 year old hens and 10 week old girls will keep him busy!
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I'm no expert, as I've only had my Ameraucanas for 1-1/2 yrs, but, I think it really depends on the individual rooster. In the original day olds we acquired, we ended up with 6 roosters. 3 were sweethearts & followed us all around (we kept 1 of those; the blue was & still is on the skittish side (still have him); the gold black was great with both hens & everyone else except my husband - he's gone & a red splash started out sweet but turned evil towards both the hens & people (gone)
 
Larrycauna
My 6 week old pullets have been raised by a 12/13 year old since they were 3 weeks old. She just took to them like a fish to water. We are now letting them out of the cage for a few hours a day to free range. But due to their age we watch them very closely. I have been coming home and letting them out and they seem to greet me now when I get home. My problem is we are moving into the storm season and today we had 20 mile an hour winds and horizontal rain. Because of their young age I'm afraid to let them out because of the wet rain. They seem to be doing well and their pen is at around 60 to 70 degrees (red heat lamp). Anyway should I keep them in the coop when it rains. They have plenty of room to stretch.
 
Cari C
amoarmstrong said:
What are the roosters like? I have been offered an 11 week old and wonder if generally they are friendly? Aggressive? Mostly toward people as I think my 1 year old hens and 10 week old girls will keep him busy!
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I have 4 Ameraucanas, 1 is a rooster. He is great with all of my hens, but a cocky, jerk to people. I raised him in the house for 2 months, did not over handle... he is only still alive b/c he is so good to my girls, all 15 of them. He has a go at me almost weekly.
 
breege
amoarmstrong said:
What are the roosters like? I have been offered an 11 week old and wonder if generally they are friendly? Aggressive? Mostly toward people as I think my 1 year old hens and 10 week old girls will keep him busy!
Click to expand...
Cari C - Have you tried :
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/how-to-train-a-rooster-to-be-nice.66507/
https://countrysidenetwork.com/daily/poultry/feed-health/how-to-tame-aggressive-rooster-behavior/
 
Cari C
amoarmstrong said:
What are the roosters like? I have been offered an 11 week old and wonder if generally they are friendly? Aggressive? Mostly toward people as I think my 1 year old hens and 10 week old girls will keep him busy!
Click to expand...
breege - Thanks! The first article was not for me, but the second one was. I have employed some of her tactics, but I think I can be more effective with them now. After having been spurred & flogged more than once, ugh, it is hard to be confident, LoL, but I will try again, or until I find someone with a docile rooster that needs to be re-homed.
 
Cari C
RoosterCogburn7 said:
A beautiful breed. They have odd quirks. If your rooster or hens carry a gene for black and splash when you have the Blue variety, they need to be separated. They tend to attack varieties that are not the same color as they are. I have had to take the Black variety and put them in with the more accepting French Black Copper Marans to make Olive Eggers just so the black variety was not savaged by the Blue variety. Apparently Chickens can tell color. When they go broody and hatch their own, if the offspring turns out splash or black they will peck it to death.
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I buy misc chicks at my feed store, usually 2 or 3 of each breed and although they all live together, and eat together in harmony, they tend to hang out more with their own breed. It is so odd. I just bought 5 chicks, 2 Adalusians & 3 Cochins and they sleep in 2 separate piles. I thought it was a fluke when my first bunch did it 2 yrs ago.
 
Isolde-1
jburts said:
I have one Ameraucana left, she is 6 yrs old this year, lost my other one last yr that was 5, but still a long time for a chicken, she still laid eggs this summer, large blue eggs.
she is the top hen, and when I got chicks three yrs ago had to slowly intergrate them, she was trying to let them know she is boss. had to watch her, but when the other chickens got big enough to defend themselves and she accepted them, everything went well, but they all know she is boss.
plan to get more next march.and by the way she is a pretty brown multi color, she is friendly when she is not molting, and she is big. Don't know how long she will last, but she has never been sick.
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I also have 3 Ameraucana and all 3 are lucky with no sickness. Will be retiring them with a friend that has many type of birds from Guinness and turkey's. will be getting new hens in Spring
 
Isolde-1
lifein1840 said:
I love this breed. I am taking a break from them this year to try new breeds, but next year I plan to get some more! They are great layers, happy, healthy, hardy hens! I had one go broody and wasn't the best mom, but still got them off to a good start. Not to mention the egg colors!!!!
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what exactly do you feed them? Mine stopped laying this past June. very surprised:(
 
Isolde-1
Sylvester017 said:
@SHERRING7712
Go on the Ameraucana online websites - there are 2 Ameraucana clubs - and view the photos of the 8 approved colors. Also go on the BYC thread for "Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds updated" - you may get some breeder referrals for your region. If you are unfamiliar with the difference between EEs and Ameraucanas I would not purchase until completely assured of the difference. I waited -- did 6 months research before purchasing my first 2 Blue Wheaten Ameraucanas from an actual show breeder. And understand that just because an Ameraucana is one of the 8 approved APA varieties does not guarantee it will meet all SOP standards as breeding can sometimes produce not-so-perfect birds. That's why you need to go to a highly approved quality breeder to get true Ameraucanas. So far feed stores only sell EE chicks. Some private sellers list their EEs as Ameraucanas simply because they bought chicks through a hatchery or feed store that had labeled the EEs as Ameraucanas. Buyer beware. If you want your lady's birds critiqued on the BYC thread take photos and post them on the "Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds updated" and BYC answers will most likely quickly ID whether the birds are Ameraucana or not. Hope this helps you!
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could you post what web site you found? Please
 
Liz Birdlover
I just adore my Ameraucanas! They are all very sweet natured, and a few have even become very friendly, running to me, and are so gentle when they take meal worms off of my hand. They lay the most beautiful blue eggs daily. Many of them were really afraid and traumatized when I first got them, as they were in an overcrowded environment. They have really calmed down and seem to be very happy now in their new home, often letting me pet them. The smaller young Roo is such a lover boy, he sits on my lap, or loves to be carried around, laying his head on my shoulder. The larger, older Roo isn't friendly, but he is gorgeous and gentle when I do catch him, and he has a lovely, deep toned crow. I have 2 Roo's, and when I call them they both answer me with crowing, deeper tone crow and a baby sounding crow, and they make me laugh. The hens are very friendly. I really love my sweet Ameraucanas!
 
Liz Birdlover
RoosterCogburn7 said:
A beautiful breed. They have odd quirks. If your rooster or hens carry a gene for black and splash when you have the Blue variety, they need to be separated. They tend to attack varieties that are not the same color as they are. I have had to take the Black variety and put them in with the more accepting French Black Copper Marans to make Olive Eggers just so the black variety was not savaged by the Blue variety. Apparently Chickens can tell color. When they go broody and hatch their own, if the offspring turns out splash or black they will peck it to death.
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I noticed this behavior with Cockatiels years ago, when they had babies, if they produced a Lutino (red eyes, pale yellow or white feathers) they'd kill the baby...now how they knew a bald baby with closed eyes could tell what it would grow up to be is amazing. I'd have to pull the hatchlings, set up the brooder and handfeed/hand raise or give to another pair raising babies the same age that didn't care about what colors babies would be.
 
Liz Birdlover
RoosterCogburn7 said:
A beautiful breed. They have odd quirks. If your rooster or hens carry a gene for black and splash when you have the Blue variety, they need to be separated. They tend to attack varieties that are not the same color as they are. I have had to take the Black variety and put them in with the more accepting French Black Copper Marans to make Olive Eggers just so the black variety was not savaged by the Blue variety. Apparently Chickens can tell color. When they go broody and hatch their own, if the offspring turns out splash or black they will peck it to death.
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I recently rescued 12 Ameraucanas, 1 was totally plucked bald. I nursed them all back to health, tended to boo boo's and set up a few "hospital cages" where 4 could recover in peace. The bald one started growing feathers, pure black. When all were well, I let them all be together, and they started picking on Pepper Sprout the black one.
 
Liz Birdlover
RoosterCogburn7 said:
A beautiful breed. They have odd quirks. If your rooster or hens carry a gene for black and splash when you have the Blue variety, they need to be separated. They tend to attack varieties that are not the same color as they are. I have had to take the Black variety and put them in with the more accepting French Black Copper Marans to make Olive Eggers just so the black variety was not savaged by the Blue variety. Apparently Chickens can tell color. When they go broody and hatch their own, if the offspring turns out splash or black they will peck it to death.
Click to expand...
Well, she plucked right back, so if someone plucked out a feather of hers, she plucked out a feather of theirs. I put pinless peepers on all birds for 1 week, giving them all a rest from plucking and picking. Then I introduced mineral blocks, extra feeder, hanging cabbage and 2 hanging toys...an removed the pinless peepers. That was in September, and no one has picked on anyone else since, so I guess I lucked out that it worked. Pepper Sprout is still fully feathered and everyone seems happy.
 
M
mockingbird said:
I only have room to focus on one breed and for me this is it! I have blue, black, and splash. I couldn't resist the adorable fuzzy faces, friendly personality, and the beautiful blue eggs!
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I myself only have one I have five chickens I got my Ameraucana given to me from a neighbor took her a while to adjust to my other four. She still gets chased now and then a little pack but for the most part she is awesome. If I could turn it around I would have only this breed. Took her about three weeks to give me her first egg big blue egg we were pretty happy I believe she is a pure bird as well. Looking forward to getting more in the future.
 
Lostchicken
I have one Ameraucanas rooster and two hens. They are not as friendly as my Silver Laced Wyandotte's not quite as smart. I hope they come around but they
DSC_1115

DSC_1115

Silver Laced Wyandotte that is the boss chicken.
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silver Laced Wyandotte
are about 1 year old and laying pink eggs. this is my Wyandotte Rooster and I hope to load my Ameraucana Roo.
DSC_1115

DSC_1115

Silver Laced Wyandotte that is the boss chicken.
 

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Chicken Breeds
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