Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[scflock]

Lots of people order "Ameraucana" from hatcheries, breed them, and sell the chicks as pure Ameraucana. They insist that they have Ameraucana because that is what the birds were originally sold as. The fact is that they had Easter Eggers all along. Did she tell what color, specifically this chick was? If she can't tell you exactly what you are buying, she doesn't have pure birds, or she's not a very good breeder.

That would have been me if I hadn't joined and learned the difference on BYC

 

[sssharon]

These are the chickens that she had and I think she said they were blue Wheaton.and this reply was to June and raven. She told me what they were but I don't have that message on my phone anymore and I'm thinking she said blue Wheaton. So she did tell me and maybe I'm a dumbo, she's a very sincere person. She's sending me a replacement eggs and free of shipping and handling charges and that sounds pretty honest to me.

 

[junebuggena]

Those are not Blue Wheaten. They are non standard colors. And a few of them clearly have yellow feet. She has Easter Eggers.

 

[OnceInaBlueMoon]

These are the chickens that she had and I think she said they were blue Wheaton.and this reply was to June and raven. She told me what they were but I don't have that message on my phone anymore and I'm thinking she said blue Wheaton. So she did tell me and maybe I'm a dumbo, she's a very sincere person. She's sending me a replacement eggs and free of shipping and handling charges and that sounds pretty honest to me.

Unfortunately those are not true Ameraucana's. I will attach a few pictures of our wheaten/blue wheaten/splash variety cockerels and pullets to show you what wheaten and blue wheaten should look like as they age and feather in. The lady who sold them to you likely ordered them from a hatchery or other seller that stated they were selling Ameraucana's, while they were actually Easter eggers. I'm so sorry! If you would like true Ameraucana's in that color variety, I offer them for sale occasionally. I am booked up right now but will have more available in late August.

The wheaten/blue wheaten/splash variety can be born with orange/flesh colored feet that turn slate as they age. Our birds are directly from Paul Smith and that is how ours progress. You can look at the Ameraucana Breeders Club for guidance. We are members there.

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

Here is a young blue wheaten cockerel to give you an idea on how they look at a young age:

Here is a young wheaten cockerel:

Pullet:

Here is what the wheaten/bluewheaten/splash look like as chicks:

I hope this helps you some. Feel free to send me a PM if you have any other questions. I am happy to help.

 

[Ravynscroft]

These are the chickens that she had and I think she said they were blue Wheaton.and this reply was to June and raven. She told me what they were but I don't have that message on my phone anymore and I'm thinking she said blue Wheaton. So she did tell me and maybe I'm a dumbo, she's a very sincere person. She's sending me a replacement eggs and free of shipping and handling charges and that sounds pretty honest to me.

I was not trying to imply that her or you were being dishonest in any way and hope you don't feel like that... she could very well believe those are pure, but any hint of yellow skin says not... also, breeding pure colors together in the wrong combination will produce EE's as well...
Ameraucanas should have white skin, at least 2 of those are showing yellow... also, breeding blue to wheaten does not make blue wheaten (that's a mistake I fully own up to believing at first as well, lol)...

Everyone here is really trying to help, not be argumentative...

 

[scflock]

I was not trying to imply that her or you were being dishonest in any way and hope you don't feel like that... she could very well believe those are pure, but any hint of yellow skin says not... also, breeding pure colors together in the wrong combination will produce EE's as well...
Ameraucanas should have white skin, at least 2 of those are showing yellow... also, breeding blue to wheaten does not make blue wheaten (that's a mistake I fully own up to believing at first as well, lol)...

Everyone here is really trying to help, not be argumentative...

I agree with what has been said, and like that this thread is being helpful without just telling people their birds are horrible like some other threads.
It hurt me when I first learned that my "Americanas" were actually Easter Eggers, but I'm glad I learned and now I have both

 

[junebuggena]

I think it's more frustrating than hurtful to find out that the beautiful birds that you are so proud of are not what you thought they were at all. I don't like how hatcheries lie to unsuspecting people and take advantage. First time chicken owners order Ameraucana, expecting to get pure Ameraucana that will lay blue eggs. Then those chicks grow up and start laying green or even brown eggs. While Easter Eggers are really fun birds and are great layers, it's frustrating that hatcheries and feed stores refuse to call them what they are. It's also really frustrating for the people who work very hard to maintain breed standards. It's almost insulting to all their hard work on the breed, for hatcheries to sell Easter Eggers as Ameraucana.

 

[scflock]

I think it's more frustrating than hurtful to find out that the beautiful birds that you are so proud of are not what you thought they were at all. I don't like how hatcheries lie to unsuspecting people and take advantage. First time chicken owners order Ameraucana, expecting to get pure Ameraucana that will lay blue eggs. Then those chicks grow up and start laying green or even brown eggs. While Easter Eggers are really fun birds and are great layers, it's frustrating that hatcheries and feed stores refuse to call them what they are. It's also really frustrating for the people who work very hard to maintain breed standards. It's almost insulting to all their hard work on the breed, for hatcheries to sell Easter Eggers as Ameraucana.

I will say that the finding yellow feet on my BCM bothered me much more than finding out my Ameraucanas were EEs. At least with the EEs, you can advertise them as EEs, and people know what they are getting. I still love my EEs, but I'm excited about the new Ameraucanas.
I totally agree that the fault lies with the hatcheries. Where I ordered mine, the hatchery website actually said "Our Ameraucanas are bred for egg color, not body color, so you will get a variety of differently colored chickens". That's not verbatim, but pretty much what was said

 

[sssharon]

OK everyone I actually appreciate the information and if I sounded like I was thinking that you were accusing me of anything I didn't even have that thought. What is amazing to me is that I know two different people that are raising chickens and evidently they don't know what they have either. It really doesn't matter to me anyway I like Easter egger chickens.I have others and they lay me some really pretty eggs. My favorite egg comes from my Olive Egger. She lays a beautiful dark olive .
Murray Mc Murray hatchery sells EE's and calls them A's. There was a video on the Internet and I imagine it was on their website kind of like a disclaimer about the fact that they call their chickens Ameraucanas. My farmers son in law bought some from McMurray's and they told him they were A's. I don't argue the point with him. He's a cattle farmer and chickens are just an added thing for his kids projects. I really never intended to get Any A's in the first place but when this woman was advertising them I decided to buy some. I just like chickens any kind of chickens I have lots of different breeds some pure.lots of them mutts. As long as they do what I bought them for I don't care what they are as long as they're pretty and entertaining which they are. I've been selling eggs like a Mad Hatter for 3.50 a dozen and happy with what I have.
To the person that posted the pictures of the beautiful A's I might look into that later on too they are really pretty. And thank you everyone. You can tell that this is just a hobby or a fun thing for me to do because We have all been on BYC around the same amount of time and me more than some and way less knowledgeable. Thanks again

 

[scflock]

OK everyone I actually appreciate the information and if I sounded like I was thinking that you were accusing me of anything I didn't even have that thought. What is amazing to me is that I know two different people that are raising chickens and evidently they don't know what they have either. It really doesn't matter to me anyway I like Easter egger chickens.I have others and they lay me some really pretty eggs. My favorite egg comes from my Olive Egger. She lays a beautiful dark olive .
Murray Mc Murray hatchery sells EE's and calls them A's. There was a video on the Internet and I imagine it was on their website kind of like a disclaimer about the fact that they call their chickens Ameraucanas. My farmers son in law bought some from McMurray's and they told him they were A's. I don't argue the point with him. He's a cattle farmer and chickens are just an added thing for his kids projects. I really never intended to get Any A's in the first place but when this woman was advertising them I decided to buy some. I just like chickens any kind of chickens I have lots of different breeds some pure.lots of them mutts. As long as they do what I bought them for I don't care what they are as long as they're pretty and entertaining which they are. I've been selling eggs like a Mad Hatter for 3.50 a dozen and happy with what I have.
To the person that posted the pictures of the beautiful A's I might look into that later on too they are really pretty. And thank you everyone. You can tell that this is just a hobby or a fun thing for me to do because We have all been on BYC around the same amount of time and me more than some and way less knowledgeable. Thanks again

FWIW, in my area, SQ ameraucanas don't sell for any more than EEs. 99% of people just want a pretty egg basket, and my EEs are laying machines