Araucana, Ameraucana or EE?

[dretd]

Quote:
I can't help you with the wisdom part, but I do think that you have lovely birds! Neither is show quality--the splash appears to be missing her crest and the dark one looks colored more like a black sexlink-golden around the hackles with a black body, although it may be her dirtiness and the photo. Here is the link to the British Araucana Clubs website if you need more information: http://www.araucana.org.uk/large_tailed_std.html
I am certain they both have the Araucana (English) heritage and should produce lovely green or blue eggs.

It is very kind of you to get a saddle for the dark one! Are they integrating into your flock? Do you have a roo? Good luck!
Oh, and in case no one has yet:

 

[dretd]

Quote:
Puredelite, thank you for posting this! It seems as though there has been a successful campaign by the ameraucana folks to brand their SQ birds Ameraucana and to get everyone to say EE's are mutts. Seems like everyone looks down their noses at the humble EE and slams hatcheries that have been selling Ameraucanas long before there was a breed standard as liars and such. Could go on, but I think your reminder about the history was right on the mark!

 

[pips&peeps]

FYI, I little excerpt from the ABC on the history of the Ameraucana.

ABC Charter Member Harry Cook, of New Jersey, had been working with what later came to be “Ameraucanas: since prior to 1960, and Harry generated letters between the ABC and Clarence Begler who bred bearded and muffed “Araucana” even prior to that, more than 44 years ago. Mike Gilbert also had written, “Back when I was experimenting with various Araucana stocks, birds were produced with BOTH tufts and muffs, but the lethal factor associated with the ear tufts resulted in their selective elimination…”​

 

[Pele]

Hi everyone,

Not to make the issue more complicated, but as some of the previous posts mention, The UK standard for Araucanas are WAY different than the US standard.

The first and major difference is that the UK and Australia view the cheek tufts on the US versions as a fault, since the gene connected to them can be lethal.

The second major difference is that the UK accepts both tailed and rumpless where the US only accepts the rumpless into shows.

The third major difference is that the UK standard includes a small crest on the top of the skull.

Here is a good site discussing the different standards in different countries, with pictures:

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGA/Arau/BRKAraucanas.html

The birds that are being discussed in this thread are a diluted quality UK standard. Even though they are very beautiful, they are nowhere near UK show standard, especially by laying green eggs. If they were here in the US, they'd be referred to as Easter Eggers.

I hope that clears things up a little bit!

 

[Sailing Dede]

Well thank you all for all your replies. I am indeed in England and I am very aware that the standards are different here then in America.
The web links that you have posted have been most helpful. I can now see that though these birds have some Araucana and even Ameraucana traits, they do not posses all of the right ones to fall neatly under there names.
I have collected 2 eggs from them today, so one from each, and here is a picture of them with the one from yesterday and one of my Bovan Browns eggs.
I am re thinking green, as they do look a little blue? Though maybe I'm colour blind!

And many thanks to all your lovely comments about how lovely they look. I have had them seperated from my flock but within sight of them for a while. I did intergrate them yesterday and the splash one looked as though it was getting savaged by the other 5 girls but after a few minutes she desided to show her true colours and was challenged and beat all of my girls in turn, including the boss (a bluebell called Conswala), and is now head of the flock! The little black one went the other way, and did get very pecked and took the running and hiding on a purch approach, so she is very much at the bottom. Luckily from her she is best friends with the new boss, so she can hang by her is things get dicey

 

[Lynn in Texas]

Your eggs are exactly the same shade of blue that I get from the girls ordered from Murray McMurray Hatchery. One of the things I really enjoyed was all the different colors and patterns the chicks turned into. I guess mine are what are know as EE's but I don't care - I LOVE them!!

 

[missred871]

I just want to add that I do NOT look down on EEs and mutt is not a derogitory word. It just is what it is. They are mixed, everyone calls a mixed dog a mutt, well a mixed chicken is too. It doesnt mean anything bad. I own EEs so for you to say that just because I call them a mutt that I look down on them is an insult. i love my EE girl and all my EE bantams. I only own one true ameracauna bantam hen and she is beautiful yes, but I think my EEs are much more beautiful due to their colorful appearances.

To the OP, I am glad to hear you got the girls integrated into your flock well. Hope the saddle helps her out.

 

[cashdl]

Here is a couple of pics of some of my Araucana based on the American Standard of Perfection. While mine are not perfect, they do have tufts, are rumpless, and lay blue eggs.

Harley my white double tufted roo with his girls.

Henry the 8th

And this is MEEP MEEP she is an araucana, ameraucana, polish mix, that will lay a georgous blue egg if I could get her away from the camera.

I am working on adding the tufts, to get a crested, rumpless, tufted, muffed and bearded, blue egg layer. They are so goofy looking.

Lanae

 

[Sailing Dede]

Very beautiful birds you have there and good luck on your project.
I have a Pekin Cockerel that has a very similar colour to your Henry the 8th, lovely

Bill the Pekin Bantam Cockerel

 

[cashdl]

Bill is georgous.

Lanae