Amerauacana V.S. Easter Egger

[PoultryQueen101]

Okay, lets settle this over a drink.

if you are having troubles determining whether the seller of your bird correctly stated the breed, please ask. Dont be afraid, becasue you arent the only one to confuse Easter Egger and Ameraucana, and believe me, when we first got our Luna, I didnt know the difference either. And anybody who wants to barge in and help when I dont respond, go right ahead.

A little background...

THE AMERAUCANA

The modern Ameraucana was developed in the 1970s. Ameraucanas Were first admitted to the APA in 1984. They are a relatively hardy breed with a friendly personality. They have a medium pea, broad head, and large eyes with a stocky build and muffs.
So far, there are 8 colors admitted to the APA, with many being worked with to be standard, including the lavendar variation below.
The admitted colors include
Blue
Black
Blue Wheaton
Brown Red
Buff
Silver
Wheaton
White
Though there are a few varieties not yet recognized, so those variations can be claimed either way.
--information from Storeys Guide to Raising Poultry.

Some of the varieties in the works include ; Lavendar, Birchen, Chocolate, ... more to come maybe

★THE EASTER EGGER★
I have no book that tells much about Easter Eggers, so here is from my experience. If you have more to add, then post it.
An Easter Egger is basically the same as an Ameraucana, but it can have any combination of comb and color. Though, some colors of Ameraucana are being worked with, so there are still features that seperate the Ameraucana from the Easter Egger. Most of which is explained below.
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first off, here is a pure Lavendar Ameracuana we call Stormy.

head/comb/muff --- an Ameraucana should have a medium pea comb.

Body/color --- ameraucanas only have specific colors that they fit in, such as lavendar.

Feet/leg color --- ameraucana legs should be dark slate or black.

★next off, here is Luna, an Easter Egger who just so happened to fool us at the beginning because she laid blue eggs.★
Head/comb/muff --- easter eggers can have any comb but most commonly pea or a form of single.

body/color ---easter eggers can come in any color combination.

feet/color --- the legs of an EE can be a range of yellow, white, and green. But most commonly they are green.

EGG DISTINGUISHING
ameraucanas lay blue or green eggs, while Easter Eggers can lay any color egg. Below you will see the egg coloration differences. To the right is an Egg from Luna, which is bright baby blue. And to the left Is Stormy's egg which is a mild green. (I am 100% positive of this lol) To the bottom middle is a buff golden egg to example that Easter Eggers can lay these color eggs as well as many more shades.

so if you dont know if your bird is which, or if its a cockerel or a hen, or if your bird fits an ameraucana color, post here and we will help you. Also, if anybody wantsmme to add anything, just ask. Yeah, its not very organized, but thats because I am using my tablet. And yes, as soon as I get pictures, I will post that EEs can lay a rainbow of colors, while ameraucanas only lay blue or green eggs.

also, one more thing, if I made a typo, PLEASE tell me because I am a perfectionist and it will drive me crazy to know I made a mistake.

 

[BantamLover21]

Very informative! I just want to add that Lavender is not a recognized Ameraucana variety by the American Poultry Association. Therefore, a "Lavender Ameraucana" might technically be considered, by some, to be an Easter Egger.

 

[PoultryQueen101]

Are you sure? At the Ohio National Poultry show, there are quite a few Lavendar Ameraucanas every year. Though, I think its a recent addition, but I will see if you are right... but you did remind me to add something.

 

[Wyandottes7]

Very informative! I just want to add that Lavender is not a recognized Ameraucana variety by the American Poultry Association. Therefore, a "Lavender Ameraucana" might technically be considered, by some, to be an Easter Egger.

X2

According to the Ameraucana Breeder's Club, only Black, Blue, Blue Wheaten, Brown Red, Buff, Silver, Wheaten, and White are recognized.

 

[BantamLover21]

X2 on what Wyandottes7 said. Even unrecognized breeds/varieties can be shown, though they can't go any further than BV (in the case of unrecognized varieties) or BB (in the case of unrecognized breeds). The reason the Lavender Ameraucanas were at Ohio National was probably because their breeders are trying to increase interest in the variety, and eventually get it accepted into the Standard of Perfection.

 

[WyandotteIndeed]

I would also like to refer questions to the Ameraucana Breeders Club (http://www.ameraucana.org). They have a whole gallery of photos of accepted colors and forums for questions and "project" colors that people are working on.
Good note to remember is that all true Ameraucanas breed true to color and type from one generation to the next, so even if you have a beautiful hen that meets the breed standard, say a silver, if you breed her to a proven silver roo and the chicks are not all silver, then she is technically just an EE. Meaning that she has Ameraucana phenotype but not genotype. There is a slightly greater degree of trust needed in your breeder's honesty when purchasing true Ameraucanas.

 

[Michael OShay]

ameraucanas lay blue or green eggs, while Easter Eggers can lay any color egg.

True Ameraucanas lay only blue eggs. If a bird is laying a green egg, it is an Easter Egger. Green eggs are a result of crossing a blue egg gene layer (either an Ameraucana or an Araucana) with a brown egg laying breed. There is a good article explaining the differences between Ameraucanas, Araucanas, and Easter Eggers at http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2011/09/ameraucana-easter-egger-or-araucana.html#.

 

[PoultryQueen101]

Well, Easter Eggers were a contributing breed to the Ameraucana, and lavendar is a working color. Stormy is the only one laying more of the blue eggs, her sister nd their daughters all lay green eggs with hints of pink calcium speckles(<---this happens on occasion).
Thank you all for the helping info! I learn something new everyday.

Oh, and our Ameraucanas always breed true... with the occasional silkie mutt from our rooster Max..... They have always beeen pure lavendar chicks, though in the beginning, there were a few black splits, 3 if I remember correctly. And 1 from our last hatching. So the rooster definitely has black genes.


I dont have any Easter Egger rooster photos, so thats why I havent added roosters. But they are basically the same.

 

[PoultryQueen101]

Adding to this.
if you have any info on olive eggers, I would be glad to add.

also if you have ameraucana or easter egger photos you feel are worthy of sharing. I only have 1 easter egger, so rooster pics are encouraged!

 

[chad e]

Does any body know if this is a americana? I was told it was.