Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[FuzzyButtz]

Okay guys, I got four new juvies today to add into my flock. 2 are Ameraucana's that she got from a breeder.. but when I picked them up she said they may be considered an EE because of their colour.. I realize it's a poor photo - i'll get better ones tomorrow. You can only see one clearly (left-centre foreground - with the few black feathers) .. for the record, the other is behind the big black Orp Pullet and you can only see her head..

I really can't tell if she's just dirty or is more of a lavender shade, but given that she has black feathers i'm guessing she's just dirty. Admittedly I didn't pay that much attention and now that it's dark and they're under a red light, it's impossible lol. Tomorrow i'll take my actual DSLR out there and get better pics.

That aside.. she said she's quite sure they're pullets but not 100% positive as they're a difficult breed to sex.. anything particular to look for when I take a better look at them tomorrow? I'm really hoping they're pullets.

 

[ChickNmamma]

My new babies!

Salvador ^^^

Johnson (^^^), actually just a ball of fluff.

Salvador again... (Loves the camera)

Two beautiful Ameraucana ladies! (Both ladies, regardless of their names)

Congratulations on your new babies! They are adorable, but they are not Ameraucanas. They are Americanas and they are called Easter Eggers on this site. We have our own thread to celebrate these wonderful friendly birds: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/273489/the-ee-braggers-thread/13010#post_12392422 This thread is used for discussing breeding and showing of the breed Ameraucana. Come join us over there

 

[ChickNmamma]

Okay guys, I got four new juvies today to add into my flock. 2 are Ameraucana's that she got from a breeder.. but when I picked them up she said they may be considered an EE because of their colour.. I realize it's a poor photo - i'll get better ones tomorrow. You can only see one clearly (left-centre foreground - with the few black feathers) .. for the record, the other is behind the big black Orp Pullet and you can only see her head..

I really can't tell if she's just dirty or is more of a lavender shade, but given that she has black feathers i'm guessing she's just dirty. Admittedly I didn't pay that much attention and now that it's dark and they're under a red light, it's impossible lol. Tomorrow i'll take my actual DSLR out there and get better pics.

That aside.. she said she's quite sure they're pullets but not 100% positive as they're a difficult breed to sex.. anything particular to look for when I take a better look at them tomorrow? I'm really hoping they're pullets.

We will wait for better pictures, but I don't see anything that says "boy" to me. AM Easter Eggers, yes - those colors do not look correct for the Breed. If all you wanted was some blue egg layers, chances are pretty good you got them.

 

[shmccarthy]

What's AM Easter Eggers? Is that an Easter egger that has the right color but something else is off or an Ameracauna with the wrong color?

 

[hosspak]

What's AM Easter Eggers? Is that an Easter egger that has the right color but something else is off or an Ameracauna with the wrong color?

That's exactly what that means. They say that if the colors are not SOP than they are referred to as EE's or AM EE's. I think that's just a way to make them seem more special than just calling them EE's. Kinda like a "PureBlood EE's" I think I have 2 of those...

 

[Penny Hen]

That's exactly what that means. They say that if the colors are not SOP than they are referred to as EE's or AM EE's. I think that's just a way to make them seem more special than just calling them EE's. Kinda like a "PureBlood EE's" I think I have 2 of those...

It is not just to make them seem more special. It is to designate a difference in breeding. EE's from hatcheries that lay green and brown eggs have DNA of brown egg layers of various breeds in them. An AM EE has only Ameraucana DNA and lays only blue-green eggs but is not one of the approved colors.


But as to the chickens, they may be splash with the black feathers and bluish tint to the rest of them. Splash is not a recognized color but is used to breed blues which IS a recognized color. A Splash x Black cross will produce 100% Blue. Truthfully, I don't understand why the Splash wasn't made official when they admitted the Blues.

Breed a Splash to a Splash and you will get a Splash. They fit the criteria of breeding true more than the Blue does (breed a Blue to a Blue and 50% will be Blue and 50% will be Splash).

 

[FuzzyButtz]

We will wait for better pictures, but I don't see anything that says "boy" to me. AM Easter Eggers, yes - those colors do not look correct for the Breed. If all you wanted was some blue egg layers, chances are pretty good you got them.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/840021/what-are-we-a-hopeless-brag-of-my-new-ameraucana-ees

 

[shmccarthy]

So if I had a solid white Easter egger hen, that lays bluejay green eggs and had dark but not slate legs, is she considered an AM Easter egger or just an Easter egger? I'm curious

 

[ChickNmamma]

So if I had a solid white Easter egger hen, that lays bluejay green eggs and had dark but not slate legs, is she considered an AM Easter egger or just an Easter egger? I'm curious

It would depend on what she looks like. AMs have a certain shape that is not found in hatchery EEs. They also have cleaner genetics than is found in the hatchery EEs. If your bird is a cross of two AMs then you know her genetics and (as long as the soles of her feet are NOT yellow) you can call her an AM EE. If you don't know her parentage just keep calling her an EE. EEs can lay beautiful blue eggs but not have the rest of the genetics to be an AM. There is more to AMs than dark legs and blue eggs and beards and muffs and correct color, there is shape and stance and tail angle and ear color and.. well... a lot more.

 

[rbaker0345]

Can anyone tell me how long a hen has to be in with a rooster before all of her eggs will be fertilized by that roo? I separated by ams into breeding pens and I had them in there for at least a week when I put an egg in the bator to test fertility. it hatched this past weekend and the darn thing has pink spots on its toes and sparse muff and beard. Pretty sure its a mutt.