Ameraucana or an Easter Egger?

[juliecox]

The difference between Ameraucanas and Easter Eggers is kinda the same as buying a Golden Labrador from a breeder and picking up a puppy from someone who shrugs and says "Looks like a retriever to me." The former has very specific breed standards, the latter is probably related but doesn't conform completely to type.

They're both great chickens! Let us know what color eggs you end up getting from that beautiful bird!

 

[lisahaschickens]

ninanonna -

Where are you from? You don't have a location listed in your name.

We got ours from Murray McMurray Hatchery and they sometimes have that color. A few others on here have that color too and they're all from MM. So, your nursery probably bought their shipment of chicks from MM

As for the differences, I won't go into it in detail because there are LONG threads on here on the subject already, but here is the brief summary:

Araucana: extremely rare breed, totally rumpless with TUFTS (not muffs or beards) and lay BLUE eggs only. They also carry a lethal gene connected to the tufting gene which makes them hard to breed successfully. These come ONLY from breeders and are very hard to find. Hatcheries do NOT have them, but they often label their EEs as such.

Ameraucana: also rare, tailed, muffed, and bearded only available from breeders, not ever from hatcheries, though they are again often mislabeling EEs as Ameraucanas. These birds conform to very specific color requirements and any bird that is tailed, muffed, and bearded but is a different color cannot be considered an Ameraucana and then by default is generally called an Easter Egger. Ameraucanas lay blue eggs (and maybe green as well... I have heard debate on this and I am not an expert).

Easter Egger: a bird of mixed heritage that generally carries the blue egg gene. They are usually tailed, muffed, and bearded and because of their mixed heritage can sometimes be missing one or more of those traits and also they lay eggs in a rainbow of colors... ranging from light blue or green to bright blue, blue-green, olive green, bright green, lavender, pink, brown, and sometimes even gold. These are the birds you will get from hatcheries and feed stores and are very hardy, fun-loving, and great layers. Wonderful birds for the backyard if you don't plan to show.

 

[TK Poultry]

that is a really pretty EE you can do some research if you go to my site and click on ameraucana myths i lay it out its kinda long and pretty pic heavy but i think it will help

 

[allison finch]

Quote:
Araucanas do not have beards--at least not in the US. They do have tufts.

EEs have no standard. They are a mix, not a breed. Ameraucanas and araycanas are recognised breeds with specific standards.

Hmmmm...some standards! In the UK, araucanas have tails and beards. I guess they don't want the ear tufts because of the lethal gene. Why do we americans want to breed such a lethal trait in our araucanas?

 

[Tailfeathers]

Hi,

As a true Ameraucana breeder, let me say that most of the information you've gotten is spot on AND you do have a very nice looking EE there.

Someone earlier mentioned doinga search on BYC for info on the differences between Ameraucanas and EE's. I would echo that advice. There is definitely a LOT of misinformation out there and it can be difficult to sort through it all.

For the most comprehensive information on Ameraucanas, I would suggest you look at the Ameraucana Breeders Club site. You will not only see what constitutes a true Ameraucana but we have the most accurate historical information as well.

God Bless,

 

[jossanne]

I have an EE just like her. Mine is named Blondie. But I have another EE named Harriet, cuz she likes to eat our hair LOL.

 

[tulie13]

She's a "Buff Egger".

After I get rid of my 8 RIR roos, I'm going to get ONE BO roo to go with my BO, Speckled Sussex, and EE hens. I'll be breeding some "Buff Eggers"...

 

[Paul1980]

Here are my easter eggers. I guess they really weren't Ameraucanas

We still love them!

I bought them from Ideal Hatchery.

 

[M To The Maxx]

Blue wheaten ameraucana.

 

[Amy's Animals]

You've got a beautiful EE there! This is a pic of one of my EE's who just started laying at 16 weeks old. She was also sold as an "Ameraucana" but definitly isnt

Her name is Maddie.