A little information about Ameraucanas
This is a little information that I found on the Ameraucana Breeders Club web page and the 2001 edition of the American Standard of Perfection.
This breed was developed in the 1970s in the United States. It resulted from efforts by persons who admired some of the traits of the Araucana but did not want to contend with some of the self-limiting factors inherent in that breed. Thus, developing a practical fowl for home food production flock that had the unique feature of pastel colored egg shells together with relatively small head furnishings and a plump, well-feathered body became the goal of these breeders. Ameraucanas lay eggs with blue shells and therefore are directly linked with the Araucana stocks brought to the U.S. in the 1930s Subsequent crossbreeding created a diverse genetic base from which dedicated breeders have evolved the Ameraucana breed with uniform and distinctive features.Ameraucanas were admitted to the Standard in 1984.
STANDARD WEIGHTS for LARGE FOWL
Cock 6½ lbs. Hen .5½ lbs.
Cockerel .5½ lbs. Pullet ..4½ lbs.
AMERAUCANA VARIETIES (Large Fowl & Bantam)
Black, Blue, Blue Wheaten, Brown Red, Buff, Silver, Wheaten & White
AMERAUCANA SHAPE (Large Fowl & Bantam Males)
COMB: Pea.
BEAK: Curved.
FACE: Nearly hidden by muffs.
EYES: Expressive.
WATTLES: Small, preferably absent.
EARLOBES: Small.
MUFFS AND BEARD: Full, well-rounded, medium length.
HEAD: Medium size.
NECK: Well-arched.
HACKLE: Full.
BACK: Medium length.
SADDLE: Medium in length.
TAIL: Well spread, medium length, carried at 45º above horizontal.
WINGS: Fairly large, tips carried above the hock joint.
BREAST: Prominent.
BODY AND STEARN: Body of medium length, stern well-tucked up.
LEGS AND TOES: Medium length set apart, four toes
AMERAUCANA SHAPE (Large Fowl & Bantam Females)
COMB: Pea.
BEAK: Curved.
FACE: Nearly hidden by muffs.
EYES: Expressive.
WATTLES: Small, preferably absent.
EARLOBES: Small.
MUFFS AND BEARD: Full, well-rounded, medium length.
HEAD: Medium size.
NECK: Medium length.
HACKLE: Full.
BACK: Medium length.
CUSHION: Moderate.
TAIL: Medium length, well spread, carried at 40º angle above horizontal.
WINGS: Fairly prominent, carried above the hock joint.
BREAST: Full.
BODY AND STEARN: Full but trim, fluff well-tucked up.
LEGS AND TOES: Medium length, four toes.
What are the major differences between Ameraucana and Araucana chickens?
Both breeds lay eggs with shells colored various shades of blue, have pea combs, and should have red earlobes. Beyond that few similarities exist in specimens meeting the requirements of recognized poultry standards. Perhaps 99 percent of chickens sold as Araucanas (or Ameraucanas) by commercial hatcheries are actually mongrels (aka Easter Egg chickens), meeting the requirements of neither breed.
According to the American Poultry Association (APA), the Araucana breed must be rumpless (no tail) and have ear tufts. Ear tufts are clumps of feathers growing from small tabs of skin usually found at or near the region of the ear openings. This feature is unique in the U.S. to the Araucana breed. This trait is nearly always lethal to unhatched chicks when inherited from both parents. Tufted Araucanas, therefore, are always genetically impure, i.e., they don't breed true and will always produce a percentage of "clean-faced" offspring.
The Ameraucana breed, on the other hand, has a tail and sports muffs and beard in the facial area. These characteristics are true-breeding. Other requirements of both breeds may be found in the APA's Standard of Perfection and in the American Bantam Association's (ABA) Bantam Standard.
What are Easter Egg chickens?
The Ameraucana Breeders Club defines an Easter Egg Chicken or Easter Egger as any chicken that possesses the blue egg gene, but doesnt fully meet any breed description as defined in the APA and/or ABA standards. Further, even if a bird meets a standard breed description, but doesnt meet a variety description or breed true at least 50% of the time it is considered an Easter Egg chicken.
I would like to add that the Ameraucana will not have any leg color other than black or slate and the bottom of the feet and toes should be white. Black Ameraucanas are the only Ameraucana to have black to dark slate legs with bottom of feet and toes being white. All other colors of Ameraucana colors should have slate legs with the bottom of feet and toes being white.
I hope this helps some of you about the Ameraucana.
This is a little information that I found on the Ameraucana Breeders Club web page and the 2001 edition of the American Standard of Perfection.
This breed was developed in the 1970s in the United States. It resulted from efforts by persons who admired some of the traits of the Araucana but did not want to contend with some of the self-limiting factors inherent in that breed. Thus, developing a practical fowl for home food production flock that had the unique feature of pastel colored egg shells together with relatively small head furnishings and a plump, well-feathered body became the goal of these breeders. Ameraucanas lay eggs with blue shells and therefore are directly linked with the Araucana stocks brought to the U.S. in the 1930s Subsequent crossbreeding created a diverse genetic base from which dedicated breeders have evolved the Ameraucana breed with uniform and distinctive features.Ameraucanas were admitted to the Standard in 1984.
STANDARD WEIGHTS for LARGE FOWL
Cock 6½ lbs. Hen .5½ lbs.
Cockerel .5½ lbs. Pullet ..4½ lbs.
AMERAUCANA VARIETIES (Large Fowl & Bantam)
Black, Blue, Blue Wheaten, Brown Red, Buff, Silver, Wheaten & White
AMERAUCANA SHAPE (Large Fowl & Bantam Males)
COMB: Pea.
BEAK: Curved.
FACE: Nearly hidden by muffs.
EYES: Expressive.
WATTLES: Small, preferably absent.
EARLOBES: Small.
MUFFS AND BEARD: Full, well-rounded, medium length.
HEAD: Medium size.
NECK: Well-arched.
HACKLE: Full.
BACK: Medium length.
SADDLE: Medium in length.
TAIL: Well spread, medium length, carried at 45º above horizontal.
WINGS: Fairly large, tips carried above the hock joint.
BREAST: Prominent.
BODY AND STEARN: Body of medium length, stern well-tucked up.
LEGS AND TOES: Medium length set apart, four toes
AMERAUCANA SHAPE (Large Fowl & Bantam Females)
COMB: Pea.
BEAK: Curved.
FACE: Nearly hidden by muffs.
EYES: Expressive.
WATTLES: Small, preferably absent.
EARLOBES: Small.
MUFFS AND BEARD: Full, well-rounded, medium length.
HEAD: Medium size.
NECK: Medium length.
HACKLE: Full.
BACK: Medium length.
CUSHION: Moderate.
TAIL: Medium length, well spread, carried at 40º angle above horizontal.
WINGS: Fairly prominent, carried above the hock joint.
BREAST: Full.
BODY AND STEARN: Full but trim, fluff well-tucked up.
LEGS AND TOES: Medium length, four toes.
What are the major differences between Ameraucana and Araucana chickens?
Both breeds lay eggs with shells colored various shades of blue, have pea combs, and should have red earlobes. Beyond that few similarities exist in specimens meeting the requirements of recognized poultry standards. Perhaps 99 percent of chickens sold as Araucanas (or Ameraucanas) by commercial hatcheries are actually mongrels (aka Easter Egg chickens), meeting the requirements of neither breed.
According to the American Poultry Association (APA), the Araucana breed must be rumpless (no tail) and have ear tufts. Ear tufts are clumps of feathers growing from small tabs of skin usually found at or near the region of the ear openings. This feature is unique in the U.S. to the Araucana breed. This trait is nearly always lethal to unhatched chicks when inherited from both parents. Tufted Araucanas, therefore, are always genetically impure, i.e., they don't breed true and will always produce a percentage of "clean-faced" offspring.
The Ameraucana breed, on the other hand, has a tail and sports muffs and beard in the facial area. These characteristics are true-breeding. Other requirements of both breeds may be found in the APA's Standard of Perfection and in the American Bantam Association's (ABA) Bantam Standard.
What are Easter Egg chickens?
The Ameraucana Breeders Club defines an Easter Egg Chicken or Easter Egger as any chicken that possesses the blue egg gene, but doesnt fully meet any breed description as defined in the APA and/or ABA standards. Further, even if a bird meets a standard breed description, but doesnt meet a variety description or breed true at least 50% of the time it is considered an Easter Egg chicken.
I would like to add that the Ameraucana will not have any leg color other than black or slate and the bottom of the feet and toes should be white. Black Ameraucanas are the only Ameraucana to have black to dark slate legs with bottom of feet and toes being white. All other colors of Ameraucana colors should have slate legs with the bottom of feet and toes being white.
I hope this helps some of you about the Ameraucana.
