Ameraucana vs araucana?

[Casey76]

OK, I'm a bit confused (it doesn't take much!)

What is the difference between an ameraucana and an araucana?

In Europe we have "rumpless araucana" (no tails but with tufts and beards) and "araucana" (which have tails and beards, tufts are less common). Rumpless araucanas are very rare in the UK, possibly becasue the semi(?) lethal genes associated with rumplessness and ear tufts. However it is perfectly permissable to show an araucana with a tail at PCGB shows as "araucana"

 

[Illia]

In the US our Araucanas are the rumpless ones. No beard, no crest, just the tufts and lack of tail. They also require willow legs and yellow skin, however white and splash birds are allowed yellow legs (though splash isn't recognized)

In the US, our Ameraucanas are more of a tailed, bearded/muffed version without the tufts, and having slate legs.

Then of course we also have the ever so common "Easter Egger" - which in almost all cases is tailed, and in most cases has beard/muffs, a brown coloration, and is falsely named the Americauna.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

A good explanation: http://www.ameraucana.org/faq.html

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Every poultry organization sets its own standards for breeds and varieties, and while in the US we are used to only the APA and ABA standards, in other countries their organizations have their own, and often different standards.

Rumplessness is not a lethal gene, although it is thought to reduce fertility; tufts are lethal whedn two copies of the gene are present, and occasionally with ony one copy. Thus, in breeding pens one often finds tailed and non-tufted birds.

Since splash isn't an APA or ABA recognised variety for araucanas, I would expect that they would require willow legs as does blue? Blacks may have black legs.

 

[radiodog]

so is a 'clean face' considered a fault in an araucana? thks, d

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

In the US, an araucana without two tufts would be DQed in exhibition. Likewise, if it had muffs & beard it would be DQed as that is not allowed in the US standard. Elsewhere in the world, THEIR standards apply.

Pretty sure that in Britain araucanas have crests, muffs, beards and tufts. Not sure about elsewhere, but there may be places where the standard allows a clean faced araucana.

 

[Illia]

Quote:
Clean face in SHOWING is a disqualification, however, it is a must in the breeding pen, as tufts are lethal when a bird has both alleles. Thus, having a clean faced bird and a tufted bird paired is better than both tufted birds. Both breedings give the same odds, except tufted x tufted gives a 25% death rate before hatching.

With Ameraucanas, having a clean face is a disqualification in shows and a serious fault/defect in the breeding pen. Must be culled out.

 

[Tank1]

I saw some pictures of Araucanas with tails but the standard say this is not suppose to be.

 

[LilyFarm]

Sooo, to be clear................I have an Auracana rooster (tufted) and 3 Americana/Easter Egger hens (tufted,) along with 15 misc brown egg layers. If I want more green or blue eggs from offspring of these guys should I remove the green and blue eggs (due to gene-driven mortality) from my broody hen and leave her the light brown eggs?? I assume my dark brown (Maran) and speckled (Welsummer) eggs' color would be harder to "overcome."

 

[donrae]

Sooo, to be clear................I have an Auracana rooster (tufted) and 3 Americana/Easter Egger hens (tufted,) along with 15 misc brown egg layers. If I want more green or blue eggs from offspring of these guys should I remove the green and blue eggs (due to gene-driven mortality) from my broody hen and leave her the light brown eggs?? I assume my dark brown (Maran) and speckled (Welsummer) eggs' color would be harder to "overcome."

Tufts are different than beards/muffs. Your EE hens won't be tufted. Can you post pics of your birds?