ameraucana's or Araucana? new Question

[missourichickenmama]

does Araucanas lay blue(green etc.) eggs like ameraucana's ?
are ameraucana roosters mean?
are Araucanas broody,how about ameraucana's?
what kind of cross is a ameraucana?
what are the differences of the 2,how about the similarities?
do either have a lethal alltite combo?
i have lots of questions, don't i?

 

[The Chicken Lady]

Questions are good! That's how one learns things!

I wouldn't say I'm an EE expert, although I've had a few of them. I can answer a couple of your questions, and I'm sure someone else can fill you in on the rest.

EEs are a less "purebred" form of Araucana, I believe. Both breeds share a lot of the same characteristics, but EEs aren't showable.

They both lay the blue and green eggs, since the name "Easter Egger" (EE).

 

[Anne]

Actually, Easter Eggers bear almost zero relation to Araucanas. The only real similarity is that some Easter Eggers can lay blue eggs (though more often they lay green or sometimes brown eggs). The main reason people get them confused so frequently is that hatcheries tend to label their Easter Eggers as "Araucanas" or "Ameraucanas," using the name of standardized breeds to market their non-standardized production-type colored egg layers.

To answer your questions:

1) EE roosters can be mean or they can be docile. EE's are a genetically mixed bag so you can never predict what you will get. "Purebred" Araucanas are usually very docile.

2) Araucanas are very broody. With EE's, some hens may be good broodies, others may show no interest whatsoever. Again, there's no telling what you might get.

3) An EE is most often a mix crossed with a mix crossed with a mix for many, many generations. Usually they received the traits for colored eggs and beards/muffs from Ameraucana breeding stock (a different blue-egg-laying breed) somewhere in the recent or distant past.

4) SIMILARITIES: Some EE's might lay blue eggs. Many EE's have pea combs. Occasionally you might see a rumpless or tufted EE X Araucana mix.
DIFFERENCES: Araucanas are a breed listed by the Standard of Perfection; EE's are not. Araucanas are rumpless; EE's are tailed. Araucanas have pea combs; EE's may or may not have pea combs. Araucanas are supposed to lay blue eggs; EE's most often lay green eggs, and sometimes brown. Araucanas have tufts; EE's do not. Araucanas do not have muffs or beards; EE's often (though not always) do. Araucanas come in standardized color varieties; EE's do not. Araucanas must have the appropriate leg & skin color for their variety; EE's have all sorts of leg colors. Araucanas can be shown; EE's will usually be disqualified (though sometimes in 4H and Youth events judges will make exceptions). Araucanas are usually extremely docile in temperment; EE's are unpredictable and vary from bird to bird. Araucanas are small birds; EE's are medium or large. Araucanas are fair layers; EE's are great layers. In other words, they are not alike at all!

Here are a couple pictures, I chose these pics because the birds' colors are similar but their physical differences are obvious:

Araucana:

Easter Egger:

Those were good questions. If you'd like to take a look, I have a page on my website where I briefly explain the differences (with pictures) between Araucanas, Ameraucanas, and EE's: http://www.araucanasonline.com/page5.html

I hope this info has been helpful!

 

[Anne]

Double post, sorry.

 

[BawkinOnTheBench]

Great reply Anne! I've got a pair of EE's and I've been wondering a lot. There's an Easter Eggers club on the internet and they claim that EE's are a 'breed' and that they are actually an older breed than Araucana or Ameraucanas - but they sounded kinda ... militant.

Do the hatcheries that sell EE's generally breed them to each other, then, or do they keep throwing other breeds into the mix?

 

[sugarbush]

According to the araucana club EEs are what the commercial hatcheries sell as araucanas. The green/blue egg is a domanant trait, but because of the lethal trait it is not economically viable to breed pure araucanas, so they mix breed them and the colored egg trait comes through.

The EE is not a recognized breed, they are considered a mix.

 

[Anne]

Quote:
Thanks Zul! Hope it answered some of your questions.

Quote:
Actually, minus the "breed" part (EE's are so far from having standardized traits and colors that they cannot be qualified a breed), that's more or less true. The original blue-egg-laying birds imported from South America were a mix-and-match of traits and colors, and were a far cry from today's Araucana and Ameraucana breeds. Before Araucanas and Ameraucanas were developed and standardized, ALL colored-egg-layers were nicknamed "Easter Eggers." There's a great article about it, should be required reading for everyone who owns colored-egg-layers: http://www.backyardpoultrymag.com/issues/2/2-3/John_W_Blehm.html

Quote:
I suspect that hatcheries mostly breed EE's to each other, and perhaps "refresh" their stock every so often with a couple of real Ameraucanas to improve egg color. But, not ever having worked at a hatchery, I don't know for sure. I have received a couple hatchery Easter Eggers that quite obviously had Leghorn blood in them, and another that appeared to be part Brahma, but how recent or distant these other-breed ancestors were is anyone's guess.

 

[missourichickenmama]

Quote:
I'm sorry, i did not know it was a double post. changed the name of it.
the new question is underlined.

 

[klf73]

Quote:
I'm sorry, i did not know it was a double post. changed the name of it.

I think Anne meant HER post double posted, happens sometimes

Krista

 

[GardienneWings]

Araucanas are a breed, Ameraucanas are a breed, and Easter Eggers are cross-breds. Alot of hatcheries sell Araucanas and Ameraucanas that are really EEs.

A few years ago we decided to reduce down to just two laying breeds and so we stayed with the Doms and the Ams with no regrets!

My Ameraucanas are a little more flaky than my Dominiques but are also more responsive to me. I walk out the door and call them and they are are right there. The Doms ignore me but the Ams follow me around. The Doms allow me to pick them up the Ams don't.... The roos I have are quite calm and once order is established they separate into their own territories and leave each other alone.

Ameraucanas have Slate blue legs and EE's usually have green legs. Ams lay a blue eggs where EEs lay a blue-green to green egg. Both can be excellent brood hens. I have a couple oops Dom x Am cross hens that are SUPER brood hens having gotten the best from each breed. They have yellow legs but lay green eggs.