Ameraucana breeding question

[Gooseluv]

Hi All
My chicken obsession started with a Black Ameraucana rooster we got last winter. We got him an Easter Egger hen and a Leghorn hen for company.
For fun this spring, we made a styrofoam cooler incubator and hatched a few of our hens' eggs. They are now 9 weeks old.
Part of my learning curve was understanding the difference between an Ameraucana and an Easter Egger. I thought the one charatcteristic was blue slate legs on the Ameraucana.
The Easter Egger we have has "orange" and black feathers and yellow legs, the chicks she had are pure black with slate blue legs.
The Leghorn's chick has white feathers (with a few flecks of grey), and yellow legs.
My question is, how would you distinguish my Easter Egger chicks from a true Ameraucana? I am new to the poultry hobby, and I want to acquire and breed Ameraucanas, my concern is, could someone fool me with an Easter Egger similar to mine, who are pure black with blue slate legs, but not true Ameraucanas?

 

[enola]

True Ameraucanas only come in a few accepted colors. Hens are supposed to only lay blue eggs.

Easter Eggers are all colors, can have most any color leg and feather colors. And since cream Legbars can produce EE chicks, they can even have single combs. They may or may not have beards and muffs. They will lay blue or green eggs if they have a blue shell gene.

 

[GNRMorgans]

It might be possible. I have had a black easter egger chick that had dark legs - perhaps not as dark as a true Ameraucana - but still dark. It might have been tough with that one. Usually though, if you are an experienced Ameraucana enthusiast, an EE would not fool you. There is generally some trait that gives away the EE.

 

[Gooseluv]

Wow, I guess I have some researching to do. I now have 2 week old Black Ameraucana chicks that I ordered from a breeder in New Brunswick (not far from us), it will be interesting to compare the 2 once they are all mature and see if I can spot the difference. Thanks all.
Anyone else who can offer some advice, I'd appreciate it, thanks

 

[GNRMorgans]

Wow, I guess I have some researching to do. I now have 2 week old Black Ameraucana chicks that I ordered from a breeder in New Brunswick (not far from us), it will be interesting to compare the 2 once they are all mature and see if I can spot the difference. Thanks all.
Anyone else who can offer some advice, I'd appreciate it, thanks

I think many also look at the bottom of the feet. There is a colour difference between pure Ameraucana and EE. I believe it's that the yellow often shows up on the bottom of the EE's feet. Have a look and see. It would be cool to see some pictures - we could all learn!

 

[Gooseluv]

I looked at the bottom of the feet, one has yellow on the bottom, the other is white, like the father's feet. One thing I do notice, is that the chicks legs are more black in colour then blue like their father's.
I took pictures, but I have no idea how to post them here.

 

[Gooseluv]

 

[junebuggena]

There all lots of things that set pure Ameraucana apart from Easter Eggers. Color is just one factor to consider. There is also comb type, skin color, muffs, beards, and body type to consider.

 

[GNRMorgans]

So yellow feet for sure say EE. I'm not too sure on the pale feet. But I think true Ameraucana's have dark bottoms to their feet.

 

[MrsBachbach]

So yellow feet for sure say EE. I'm not too sure on the pale feet. But I think true Ameraucana's have dark bottoms to their feet.

No, pale feet are fine. You can also see the darker areas on the bottom of feet. Usually, when determining skin color, you check the chick right out of the incubator or in the next day or so. You should see pink bottoms or white flesh colored skin. If the chick is carrying alot of melanizers you could see some dark grey skin extending to the soles also. You don't want to see yellow at this age and you don't want to see yellow or greenish colored skin at the age the birds in the picture are either. Pic two looks questionable in your post. I can only say questionable since it is a picture and hard to tell sometimes with pictures. And black legs are acceptable in black ameraucana.