Ameraucana vs Easter Egger debacle

[Egghead_Jr]

Color varieties are put into breeds every other day. As long as the breed fits the standard in all other aspects when the project is done it's that breed. If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck then it's a duck. The photo in question doesn't show if the bird indeed has muffs and beard. Wouldn't even know about body type confirmation- not my breed, but if everything stacks up excepting color than it's simply a new color for breed. Take the unrecognized Wyandotte variety of blue laced red for example. They indeed look like Wyandotte in every way but that variety is not in the standard.

 

[junebuggena]

I understand that, but until you get something that is breeding consistently, it's an Easter Egger. And 'wild-type' partridge birds do not breed true. They have so much going on, genetically, that it's kind of impossible to get them to breed true. The bird I'm questioning looks just like many hatchery sourced Easter Eggers. It doesn't even come close to one of the recognized color varieties for Ameraucana, or any other breed for that matter.

 

[Chicken5555]

Thanks! Any clue when we can tell her sex?

wing and tail feathers can give you a hint... all of mine with very short tail and wing feathers up to two weeks old turned out to be my cockerels. It isn't perfect though. Only about 3/4 of my boys had the shorter wing and tail feathers at that age.

 

[junebuggena]

Cockerel.

 

[zrodimel]

Wow, thanks all. I wasn't expecting that but I'm glad to have the extra variety. The wife, on the other hand, isn't going to be so happy. I guess as long as the easter eggers lay some blue eggs she won't make me sell all of them Goes to show you can't always trust people on craigslist.

Thanks again for the help!
Zach

 

[hadouglas]

My first chicks... We were told she is an Blue Ameraucana Cochin, but now I'm curious... What is an EE??

 

[junebuggena]

My first chicks... We were told she is an Blue Ameraucana Cochin, but now I'm curious... What is an EE??

Technically, and Easter Egger is any bird with the blue egg shell gene. Hatchery sourced "Ameraucana" are actually descended from the original imported stock that true Ameraucana are derived from. It's the hatchery birds that most people know as Easter Eggers. But your bird would also fall into the general category of Easter Egger, since one parent was true Ameraucana and can be guaranteed to have a blue egg shell gene.

 

[rsneddon10]

In my profile pic are my ameracauna ( dark one) the other is my Easter egger ( the golden one)

 

[Chicken5555]

In my profile pic are my ameracauna ( dark one) the other is my Easter egger ( the golden one)

Can I ask you a question? I got some chicks from someone. They said that father of all of them is a pure Ameraucana, and the mothers were Cuckoo Marans, Blue Splash Marans, and pure Ameraucana. Short of waiting to see what color eggs the girls lay, is there any way for me to tell which ones are the pure Ameraucana chicks? Thank you.

 

[Lincy]

The miss labeling of EE is causing me grief when selling my extra rooster. Everyone comments asking to buy the Americana and then backs out when I correct them. *sigh* I kind of understand why people sell EE as Americanas. My bad.... Ameraucana