Ameraucana color question

[RockyToggRanch]

This is my cockeral. He was the only chick I got from my expensive ebay eggs from Texas. I have one lone chick hatched from my last attempt as well. Hopefully a pullet to keep him company. What color is this? He's mostly irradescent blue with white around his neck.

 

[sugarbush]

Somewhere between silver (what his neck is) and black (what the rest of him is.

The color standards are Black, Blue, Blue wheaten, Brown red, Buff, Silver, Wheaten, and White....so that makes yours and EE I guess.

 

[klf73]

I don't think he could be considered a true ameraucana, looks more like an EE.....how old is he?
A silver has a silver head, shoulders and saddle feathers when mature...

 

[speckledhen]

Looks like his base color is showing through. can happen with blues and blacks, both. Base is usually gold or silver. I had a black Ameraucana who had base color leakage in his hackle area. Yes, he was a true Ameraucana, but it means that he does not have enough melanisers to cover his base color. I'll post a pic in a moment.

EDITED to ADD Pic-here is Scout who came from a black over blue Ameraucana mating.See the gold leaking through his black? He came from good stock, Cree lines on his sire's side.

 

[klf73]

I have that happen with my black araucana, but I thought it was because of a cross futher back? I am still trying to figure out all these color things

 

[pips&peeps]

He appears to be black.

Yes, he has gold or silver leaking through. I cannot tell from the picture exactly which one.

He is not breed quality though. Never breed with a blue or black bird that has silver or gold feathers leaking through.

 

[speckledhen]

pips&peeps :

He appears to be black.

Yes, he has gold or silver leaking through. I cannot tell from the picture exactly which one.

He is not breed quality though. Never breed with a blue or black bird that has silver or gold feathers leaking through.

True. I did breed from Scout for awhile, but then the leakage became apparent and I quit. Wasn't really into breeding the Ameraucanas anyway at that time. If I did resume that project, I would certainly get other stock. If you aren't breeding them as anything but backyard flock birds, you certainly could breed him as well as anyone breeds EEs. They just won't be the breeder quality some need/want.​

 

[RockyToggRanch]

Thanks. I don't plan on breeding him. I was looking for a few blue or green egg layers. So I guess he is only here to make me laugh. I was just curious, as I don't understand the whole EE/ ameraucana thing.

 

[Momo]

I have a black Ameraucana rooster who came from a black/blue pen (and a very reputable breeder) who has silver hackles and some silver in the saddle feathers. He's very pretty even though his colour is incorrect, and he's a nice mellow fellow, so he didn't end up in the soup pot. He'll be going to a new home with a varied backyard flock, to be a pet rooster, not breeding stock.

 

[Solsken Farm]

Quote:
Hey there. So many don't understand because the hatcheries sell their mutts as Ameraucanas or Araucanas. This confuses new chicken owners, or folks that never get a chance to learn what a true Ameraucana is. The EE/Ameraucana thing is pretty easy, really. I'll try to explain it as best I can. Ameraucanas come in 8 colors recognized by the APA (am Poultry Assoc). These colors can reproduce themselves. That is, if you breed a blue to a blue, you get a blue. Or a white to a white, you get white. Type is also dictated by a pea comb, muff and beard, and legs that are only several colors. There are other standards as well. The ideal lays a true blue egg, not blue/green.

EEs are mutts. They are a cross between Ameraucanas and other fowl. They come in many many colors (most not recognized by the APA), and these colors cannot reproduce themselves. They may also have a variety of comb types. Often, but not always, EEs have green legs. This is due to the breeding of slate legs (ameraucana) to a yellow legged bird (non-ameraucana). Because EEs have been created from different types of birds, the eggs are often a cross of a blue egg and a brown egg. Thus their eggs are often more greenish. They also lay brown, pinkish or white eggs.

I love EEs. They are a surprise. They have some stunning color patterns. However, they are a mutt.

There is one other caveat. Ameraucanas sometimes don't breed true, due to a hidden gene, for example. These are still Ameraucanas, but they would be disqualified for not meeting the breed standard.

Go here, for the standard, so you can understand.

http://www.ameraucana.org/index.html

Your boy is very handsome. Enjoy him!