Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[Christie Rhae]

Quote:
It seems like the egg color should be part of the goal with ameraucanas. Someone posted a question a while back about what the goal or plan was with the ameraucana breeders club... were they breeding for what the bird looked like first and then egg color or was egg color as important as the bird? ( I am terribly paraphrasing here...lol) Anyway, I don't remember him being answered.
I have the egg color chart and there is really a lot of variety in color.
Check out this egg shell...
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/62282_eggshell.jpg
This is from an easter egger that I have. I wonder what kind of ameraucana one of her parents were.. Here is a pic of her... https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/62282_eegirl.jpg
So obviously she does not conform to any ameraucana color standard.

But I am just curious if there are any egg color standards that are being worked on? Or is does the ameraucana breeders club have any plans for making egg color standards in the future?
I would ask this question on the ameraucana.org message board but it is closed unless you are a member.

Do you notice how different the browns are in common everyday brown egg layers? There are a variety of browns in New Hampshires, Orpingtons, Brahmas, Langshans, Wyandotte, etc, etc. And notice how rich some colors can be depending on the hen's laying cycle? Jean posted a very impressive Ameraucana egg a few months back where she said the egg got an extra dose of coloring because it remained longer in the ovaduct...on my computer it registered something near turquoise. I would hate to see the richness of these impressive eggs be dq's because it is said that the Silver Ameraucanas are supposed to lay the best representation of the Ameraucana color...and I'll tell ya...it's a very light, boring blue.

Our Ameraucana girls lay different blues depending on where they are in their laying cycle also. My lavs have gone from a greenish hue in March to a shade near turquoise this summer, and the blacks have gone from a light sky blue to a Maxfield Parish Blue (google it), and some of my Wheatens have laid beautiful light blue eggs but now are almost close to white (weird).

I think the chart is good for at least comparing and noting what color your girls are laying and when, because it will in fact change! Your March egg colors may be different than June...keeping track is very interesting and could be helpful if breeding certain birds! For myself, I "prefer" the richest, deepest blue I can get my hands on...they are by far the prettiest!

I feel making one color (or a value of just a few colors) the standard will be difficult to put into affect...one reason being that people see blues differently

.

Also, I see a sparse beard and muffs in your EE (partial Ameraucana)...but as with all EE's, unless you know for certain the lineage of BOTH parents, it would be difficult to tell the source of just one.

I understand that eggs are different shades at different times. The article from Bev Davis' site said that the flock of birds had to demonstrate that they COULD lay a #4 color egg. Of course at different times of the year egg color can be lighter, darker, etc.

I did see Jean's turquoise egg... beautiful.

I am just curious, I am sure this has been discussed in great detail by the ameraucana breeders club. What is the standard regarding egg color? Is there none?
If a bird with two pure ameraucana parents does not come close enough to the SOP it is called an EE. If the birds legs are a shade too green, it is an EE. What if an ameraucana fit the SOP perfectly but could not lay anything but a white egg? Would it still be an ameraucana? Or an EE?
Just asking... I hadn't thought about it until I read about the egg color standard for marans. And egg color is one of the things that makes marans unique. It is the same with ameraucana... the egg color (among other things) makes them unique.

 

[TK Poultry]

Quote:
Yeah the County Fair brings out some interesting birds! I'm working on the lavender's angle but the Brown Reds are a work in progress and theres not many people with them! I'm hoping to get some hatched out soon... I'm excited to see how these new babies shape up. The black cockerel is the son of the first black cock bird and I think I made some good progress with him.... I hope! At least in the comb department if nothing else...

 

[Illia]

Quote:
If they match the SOP very well, nothing DQ-able, yet they lay say a green or white egg, I'd still call them an Ameraucana. Buff Ameraucanas commonly lay khaki-green eggs, and they're still Ameraucanas. Some birds just need improvement

I don't know about anything on the chart being a serious goal (except everyone raves the idea of an egg in the A region) but there is a general want for a true blue egg. Not a turquoise, though those are gorgeous, but a true sky blue egg.

 

[Goose and Fig]

Quote:
Ugh well I guess I wont get my hopes up

lol I appreciate the response happymtn! Ill post some pix of him soon he's still got a lil baby fluff on his body and his neck is just starting to fill in...in other words he kinda fugly right now lol. Im thinking of picking up a couple more chicks this week. Do you think I need another brooder or will they be ok? These new guys will be a little younger...

I keep different ages of chicks together-just let "newborns" get their land legs first- maybe 3 or 4 days old first. As long as they are only a week or so apart they should be fine. And introduce in groups.

 

[Muggsmagee]

Quote:
Do you notice how different the browns are in common everyday brown egg layers? There are a variety of browns in New Hampshires, Orpingtons, Brahmas, Langshans, Wyandotte, etc, etc. And notice how rich some colors can be depending on the hen's laying cycle? Jean posted a very impressive Ameraucana egg a few months back where she said the egg got an extra dose of coloring because it remained longer in the ovaduct...on my computer it registered something near turquoise. I would hate to see the richness of these impressive eggs be dq's because it is said that the Silver Ameraucanas are supposed to lay the best representation of the Ameraucana color...and I'll tell ya...it's a very light, boring blue.

Our Ameraucana girls lay different blues depending on where they are in their laying cycle also. My lavs have gone from a greenish hue in March to a shade near turquoise this summer, and the blacks have gone from a light sky blue to a Maxfield Parish Blue (google it), and some of my Wheatens have laid beautiful light blue eggs but now are almost close to white (weird).

I think the chart is good for at least comparing and noting what color your girls are laying and when, because it will in fact change! Your March egg colors may be different than June...keeping track is very interesting and could be helpful if breeding certain birds! For myself, I "prefer" the richest, deepest blue I can get my hands on...they are by far the prettiest!

I feel making one color (or a value of just a few colors) the standard will be difficult to put into affect...one reason being that people see blues differently

.

Also, I see a sparse beard and muffs in your EE (partial Ameraucana)...but as with all EE's, unless you know for certain the lineage of BOTH parents, it would be difficult to tell the source of just one.

I understand that eggs are different colors at different times. The article from Bev Davis' site said that the flock of birds had to demonstrate that they COULD lay a #4 color egg. Of course at different times of the year egg color can be lighter, darker, etc.

I did see Jean's turquoise egg... beautiful.

I am just curious, I am sure this has been discussed in great detail by the ameraucana breeders club. What is the standard regarding egg color? Is there none?
If a bird with two pure ameraucana parents does not come close enough to the SOP it is called an EE. If the birds legs are a shade too green, it is an EE. What if an ameraucana fit the SOP perfectly but could not lay anything but a white egg? Would it still be an ameraucana? Or an EE?
Just asking... I hadn't thought about it until I read about the egg color standard for marans. And egg color is one of the things that makes marans unique. It is the same with ameraucana... the egg color (among other things) makes them unique.

Well...if a pure Ameraucana does not come close to the SOP it is still considered an Ameraucana. Say someone bred 2 Wheatens and hatched a pullet that only got one copy of the muff gene. She's still an Ameraucana, but be dq'd if shown, and most often shouldn't be bred. Green legs indicate Easter Egger. The Marans egg color DOES make it unique, but the color of the egg doesn't factor into the SOP. If someone has a typey, beautiful Black Ameraucana that they show, and she lays an almost white egg...it won't affect how her body shape and type are judged. Because they don't judge the egg with the hen. Does that make sense? The egg is irrelevent.

The Marans are known for their dark chocolate egg. By breeding for darker egg layers, breeders can put their stamp on the breed...it is a goal to achieve. For those of us that breed Ameraucanas, we can breed solely for type (comb, body shape, size, etc) or for type AND egg color by choice. If I had an Ameraucana hen that laid an emu blue egg color, that would be pretty special. We all like to breed for something special!

 

[TK Poultry]

Quote:
I understand that eggs are different colors at different times. The article from Bev Davis' site said that the flock of birds had to demonstrate that they COULD lay a #4 color egg. Of course at different times of the year egg color can be lighter, darker, etc.

I did see Jean's turquoise egg... beautiful.

I am just curious, I am sure this has been discussed in great detail by the ameraucana breeders club. What is the standard regarding egg color? Is there none?
If a bird with two pure ameraucana parents does not come close enough to the SOP it is called an EE. If the birds legs are a shade too green, it is an EE. What if an ameraucana fit the SOP perfectly but could not lay anything but a white egg? Would it still be an ameraucana? Or an EE?
Just asking... I hadn't thought about it until I read about the egg color standard for marans. And egg color is one of the things that makes marans unique. It is the same with ameraucana... the egg color (among other things) makes them unique.

Well...if a pure Ameraucana does not come close to the SOP it is still considered an Ameraucana. Say someone bred 2 Wheatens and hatched a pullet that only got one copy of the muff gene. She's still an Ameraucana, but be dq'd if shown, and most often shouldn't be bred. Green legs indicate Easter Egger. The Marans egg color DOES make it unique, but the color of the egg doesn't factor into the SOP. If someone has a typey, beautiful Black Ameraucana that they show, and she lays an almost white egg...it won't affect how her body shape and type are judged. Because they don't judge the egg with the hen. Does that make sense? The egg is irrelevent.

The Marans are known for their dark chocolate egg. By breeding for darker egg layers, breeders can put their stamp on the breed...it is a goal to achieve. For those of us that breed Ameraucanas, we can breed solely for type (comb, body shape, size, etc) or for type AND egg color by choice. If I had an Ameraucana hen that laid an emu blue egg color, that would be pretty special. We all like to breed for something special!

I love how you put this! I have a Brown Red hen who is very typey but lays a brown egg. But I'm keeping her for breeding and showing.

 

[Christie Rhae]

Thank you all for the input. I guess that does answer my questions.
But just let me play devils advocate here... if an ameraucana lays a brown egg, can it really be called an ameraucana? Is not the blueish egg just as important as the slate legs? I mean truly?
From what I read it seemed like the egg color is relevant to the marans breeders.

This whole conversation has probably been had numerous times, I am just new and it only dawned on me today.. lol
Please bear with me trying to wrap my novice brain around the egg color thing.

 

[Muggsmagee]

Quote:
You don't have to play devil's advocate to ask questions!

Keep them coming if you have them.

The pea comb and blue egg gene go hand in hand. Therefore it is most unlikely that a pure Ameraucana will lay a brown egg.

The color of the egg is important, because it is a trademark of the breed.

 

[OSUman]

Quote:
You don't have to play devil's advocate to ask questions!

Keep them coming if you have them.

The pea comb and blue egg gene go hand in hand. Therefore it is most unlikely that a pure Ameraucana will lay a brown egg.

The color of the egg is important, because it is a trademark of the breed.

Muggs, there are breeds that have pea comb that lay brown eggs. If your bird lays a brown or green egg while the judge is judging they can be DQd.

 

[Christie Rhae]

Quote:
You don't have to play devil's advocate to ask questions!

Keep them coming if you have them.

The pea comb and blue egg gene go hand in hand. Therefore it is most unlikely that a pure Ameraucana will lay a brown egg.

The color of the egg is important, because it is a trademark of the breed.

Oh ok, I forgot about blue egg and peacomb thing. So really it is important but breaders can choose to focus on egg color as well as type if they choose.
Ok makes sense to me.
The ameraucana breeders club does put importance on egg color but type is the first priority?