Ameraucanas and Easters: A Common Misconception

[blueshirt8876]

Many times I hear people calling Ameraucanas, "Easter Eggers". I can't help but correct them. This is a common misconception, but I'm here to set the record straight. "Easter Eggers", or "Easter Egg Chicken", is any chicken that lays blue/green eggs. "Easter Eggers" aren't just a nick-name for Ameraucanas. So that means that Araucanas are "Easter Eggers" also. Ameraucanas are a chicken breed that is in the catagory of "Easter Eggers", but is not the only one. The Ameraucana Breeders Club defines an Easter Egger as any chicken that possesses the blue egg gene, but doesn't fully meet any breed descriptions as defined in the APA and/or ABA standards. Further, even if a bird meets an Ameraucana standard breed description, but doesn't meet a variety description or breed true at least 50% of the time it is considered an Easter Egg chicken.



Source(s):http://www.ameraucana.org/faq.html#TWO

 

[speckledhen]

There is a long running thread, stickied in the references at the top that few seem to read, about this very issue. This thread is wonderful for its discussion of the differences between Ameraucanas, Araucanas and what all the hatcheries sell, the Easter Eggers: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=128806