Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[Going Quackers]

Now you really have me confused. My comment that elicited your comment above was for a blue bird. I only saw pictures of two birds, a black and a blue. Granted the blue might be the very same bird as the black because the photo of the blue is over exposed while the black bird's photo is not. Confusing me even more is that I commented that I thought both birds you sent pictures of were (in my inexperienced opinion) cockerels.

What other picture did you send in other than the EEs?

Can you please send in a photo of the bird you are not sure of?.

They are not EE's? as for overexposed well, hard to get pictures of a moving object lol.

It was the blue one i was unsure of, many seem conflicted on the actual sex of it. The black bird was for showing one i knew of, they are most definitely NOT THe same bird lol

 

[jajeanpierre]

They are not EE's? as for overexposed well, hard to get pictures of a moving object lol.

It was the blue one i was unsure of, many seem conflicted on the actual sex of it. The black bird was for showing one i knew of, they are most definitely NOT THe same bird lol

Sorry about the EE reference--I was getting you mixed up with another poster.

Is the bottom bird below the bird you are confused about? I commented on both birds earlier and believe (NOT an expert) them to be both cockerels. If you look at the lighting in the pictures--just the brick wall--you can see the bottom blue bird's picture is over exposed. That is why I commented that they might be the same bird.

Both birds seem to have too much comb to be pullets. The bottom one might not have as much height and development at the front of the comb as the top bird, but I still think it is probably a cockerel. A pretty inexperienced opinion, though, so take it with a large grain of salt.

Quote:

They are not EE's? as for overexposed well, hard to get pictures of a moving object lol.

It was the blue one i was unsure of, many seem conflicted on the actual sex of it. The black bird was for showing one i knew of, they are most definitely NOT THe same bird lol

 

[jajeanpierre]

What is the difference between an EE and an Ameraucana?

A day or two ago someone posted a link to the Ameraucana Breeders Club's discussion on that very subject.

Here's a couple of links to explain where Ameraucanas came from:

http://www.ameraucana.org/faq.html#TWO

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

Bottom line, except for one hatchery, if you buy an "Ameraucana," "Americana" or "Araucana" from a hatchery, a feed store and probably 99% of Craig's list sellers, you are getting an Easter Egger.

An Easter Egger is just a bird that is supposed to carry the blue-egg laying gene. It is a dominant gene, so only one gene needs to be present for blue eggs. Some don't carry the blue-egg laying gene. They may be superior egg layers than a pure bred Ameraucana. Some sellers don't know they have (mutt) Easter Eggers; some do and don't mind lying to you. An Easter Egger is a cross-bred chicken. They have no standard and are not a recognized breed.

An Amerauca is a breed of chicken. They have a standard published in the American Poultry Association's (APA) book, Standards of Perfection (SOP).

You need to read the breed standard. You have to know enough about chickens and conformation to be able to take the printed standard in the American Poultry Associations' book, Standards of Perfection (SOP), and translate it into what that living breathing specimen should look like. THAT is not easy. I used to professionally handle dogs and have even judged a few dog shows. I bred racehorses and evaluated yearlings at sales. I've read the standard many times, but I don't understand it as well as I would like. It is not an easy skill to take the written standard and decipher what that written description really is supposed to look like on the live animal. Sometimes you have to go to other breeds to get a better understanding of what that written standard really means.

You can do a quick check list for faults that an Ameraucana should never have. First, is it one of the recognized varieties (colors)? If not, it is an EE. Project varieties like Lavender and Mottled are really, by definition, EEs. But, if you are asking if your bird is an EE, you are not dealing with a project color. Next, what color is the skin? If yellow, it is an EE. An Ameraucana needs a beard and muffs. There is a shape that is quintessential Ameraucana that will take a lot of training to learn to recognize.

Serious Ameraucana fanciers do get frustrated with the constant questions about Easter Eggers. No other breed has so many people buying what they believe to be purebred and getting cross breds. I'm involved with Cochins and rarely does someone post pictures of cross-bred Cochins that they honestly believe are purebred . It happens, but not as nearly as frequently as on Ameraucana groups, that's for sure. By the same token, I can buy a Cochin from a hatchery and I get a purebred Cochin. It might be a pretty poor quality Cochin, but it IS a purebred. That doesn't happen with Ameraucanas. I do understand all the posts from people asking about whether their EEs are Ameraucanas. I can understand their frustration and even heartbreak to not get what they were sold.

I hope that helps. I truly do understand the frustration people who thought they bought a unique purebred must feel to come on this list and be told they have a mutt bird.

 

[CluckEwe]

CJPines, thank you very much! I love the coloring too.

Cythina12, thank you! Your EE is beautiful too =) I suppose my pullets should be laying any day now... I am excited to see what kind of colors they pop out. Cheers!

 

[Chook-Girl]

Thank you guys!

 

[SonoranChick]

I got new pics of my one little flufflball we were unsure of the sex. Most feel it's a pullet. It's 9wks, so basically 2mths.

Looks like a pullet to me. The Ameraucanas can be so difficult to sex until they mature more. Either way..it's a cutie!

 

[cjpines]

CJPines, thank you very much! I love the coloring too.

Cythina12, thank you! Your EE is beautiful too =) I suppose my pullets should be laying any day now... I am excited to see what kind of colors they pop out. Cheers!

I have one just like your pictures.

 

[Cynthia12]

My blue..and yes, it can take some time to tell with those Ameraucanas.





Pullet in these photos..real close to laying!

 

[cjpines]

HERE IS THE LINK FOR EVERYONE, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AMERAUCANA'S AND EASTER EGGER'S


http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2011/09/ameraucana-easter-egger-or-araucana.html

 

[jerryse]

I was at the state meet in Michigan this past weekend . Fowl Fest . Won large fowl best of breed and champion AOSB any other standard breed on a black pullet . What I really like is she was from my lavender breeding pen . Yes split for lavender . I think that is very good coming from lavender . She had recently reached point of lay and looked good . I had been very busy this summer and did not pen here up for hand training . She posed very well for her Poultry Press photo . Did not fly away or freak out . So a calm sweet nature was more genetic than anything .