I just double checked my post and I never called easter eggers a "breed", although I did call them a hybrid and say that they are bred for certain characteristics, which they are.
I referenced that thread for the photos. If you notice the photos, you'll see that all the easter eggers do have similiarities in appearance. I was also referring to the americana/easter eggers bred & sold by the hatcheries (not experiments or accidental breedings). These americana/easter eggers do not have all types of combs (like the first post on that thread says). I'm sure there are exceptions to the rule, but generally EEs do have pea combs and usually beards/muffs. Even in purebred araucanas, you can have exceptions to the rule (some are born tailed or with no tuffs).
According to the hatcheries that sell easter eggers (araucana, ameraucana, americana, etc) the consensus seems to be that the easter eggers they are selling do have muffs/beard, pea comb, are a med. size chicken, all different types of colors, and lay colored eggs (see below). The muffs/beard and pea comb traits are helpful when identifying a mystery chicken as a possible easter egger.
From MyPetChicken:
"They are friendly, great layers of large blue and green eggs, and (very rarely) even pinkish eggs. Their smaller body size makes them good in the heat, and their small pea comb means they do well in cold, too, because they are not as susceptible to frostbite. "Easter Eggers" are hybrids that carry the blue-egg gene of the true Araucana breed. We like to think that the pea comb is linked not only to the blue egg laying gene, but also to the "sweetness" gene, as well. Because this is a hybrid variety (not a breed), even if you have a whole flock of them, you can often tell them apart because they come in so many different colors - which isn't always possible with other breeds."
from Murray McMurray:
"Adults are of medium size with pea combs and our breeding stock is selected for their ability to produce colored eggs. They exhibit a wonderful combination of colors and color patterns."
From ideal:
"Ameraucanas, known as the "Easter Egg Breed", are a multicolored breed. They have beards, muffs and a normal tail"
"excellent, efficient producers of large eggs of many colors and shades including blue and green."
From Cackle Hatchery:
"Cackle hatchery offers for sale the Ameraucana or better described as the "Easter Egg Chicken:. Cackle hatchery's breeding program objectives for the "Easter Egg Chickens" are: to produce chickens with a wide variety of colors, patterns, combinations of colors, with a full beard under the beak and high egg production of colorful eggs. The color of their egg shells vary from pale blue to dark blue, to various shades of green. We do not offer a specific color variety of this breed; however, we do breed for a wide variety of colors."
Welp hatchery:
"Ameraucana (Araucana) Chicken - Medium size with pea combs. Come in a variety of color patterns. Extremely hardy. Recommended for laying and not exhibition. Lay blue-green shade egg from turquoise to deep olive. Weight: Female 5.5 lbs."
Estes:
"Plumage Color: Multi-colored plumage with mixed shades
including whites, reds, browns, greens, blues, etc.
Egg Shell Color:greens, blues, etc.
Mature Weight: 5.5 lbs.
Rate of Lay: Good"
I referenced that thread for the photos. If you notice the photos, you'll see that all the easter eggers do have similiarities in appearance. I was also referring to the americana/easter eggers bred & sold by the hatcheries (not experiments or accidental breedings). These americana/easter eggers do not have all types of combs (like the first post on that thread says). I'm sure there are exceptions to the rule, but generally EEs do have pea combs and usually beards/muffs. Even in purebred araucanas, you can have exceptions to the rule (some are born tailed or with no tuffs).
According to the hatcheries that sell easter eggers (araucana, ameraucana, americana, etc) the consensus seems to be that the easter eggers they are selling do have muffs/beard, pea comb, are a med. size chicken, all different types of colors, and lay colored eggs (see below). The muffs/beard and pea comb traits are helpful when identifying a mystery chicken as a possible easter egger.
From MyPetChicken:
"They are friendly, great layers of large blue and green eggs, and (very rarely) even pinkish eggs. Their smaller body size makes them good in the heat, and their small pea comb means they do well in cold, too, because they are not as susceptible to frostbite. "Easter Eggers" are hybrids that carry the blue-egg gene of the true Araucana breed. We like to think that the pea comb is linked not only to the blue egg laying gene, but also to the "sweetness" gene, as well. Because this is a hybrid variety (not a breed), even if you have a whole flock of them, you can often tell them apart because they come in so many different colors - which isn't always possible with other breeds."
from Murray McMurray:
"Adults are of medium size with pea combs and our breeding stock is selected for their ability to produce colored eggs. They exhibit a wonderful combination of colors and color patterns."
From ideal:
"Ameraucanas, known as the "Easter Egg Breed", are a multicolored breed. They have beards, muffs and a normal tail"
"excellent, efficient producers of large eggs of many colors and shades including blue and green."
From Cackle Hatchery:
"Cackle hatchery offers for sale the Ameraucana or better described as the "Easter Egg Chicken:. Cackle hatchery's breeding program objectives for the "Easter Egg Chickens" are: to produce chickens with a wide variety of colors, patterns, combinations of colors, with a full beard under the beak and high egg production of colorful eggs. The color of their egg shells vary from pale blue to dark blue, to various shades of green. We do not offer a specific color variety of this breed; however, we do breed for a wide variety of colors."
Welp hatchery:
"Ameraucana (Araucana) Chicken - Medium size with pea combs. Come in a variety of color patterns. Extremely hardy. Recommended for laying and not exhibition. Lay blue-green shade egg from turquoise to deep olive. Weight: Female 5.5 lbs."
Estes:
"Plumage Color: Multi-colored plumage with mixed shades
including whites, reds, browns, greens, blues, etc.
Egg Shell Color:greens, blues, etc.
Mature Weight: 5.5 lbs.
Rate of Lay: Good"
