Color?

[lostnstars]

Hello!
I'm going to be getting an Americauna chick in a week and I want to choose by color of the bird. I only have 4 adult hens currently but we are already overwhelmed with eggs so I'm only getting this chick to add color. 100% vain I know but we have plenty of space so I don't care lol.

So are there any links that help you determine what a chick will look like as an adult? Thanks!

 

[Michael OShay]

Where are you getting your Ameraucana chick from? If it is coming from a hatchery or feed store instead of an Ameraucana breeder, it will be an Easter Egger as opposed to a true Ameraucana, which are relatively rare and expensive, and lay only blue eggs. The only hatchery that I am aware of that sells true Ameraucanas is Meyer Hatchery, which breeds Blue Ameraucanas, and their Ameraucanas cost 5 times what their Easter Eggers cost. Our Easter Eggers are my granddaughter's (pictured in my avatar) favorite hens. She loves the different colored eggs that they lay.

 

[lostnstars]

I'm getting it from a feed store and it will only be about $4. They are getting at least a couple hundred in so it's probably going to be an Easter egger which is fine because I'm not so concerned about the eggs as much as the color of the hen as an adult.

 

[nhanson521]

They will most likely be EE then. I got 6 all different colors as chick's last year. Most of them will be "chipmunk" but a black/brown with a black head will be a dark colored brown adult, a normal brown chipmunk will be a brown with blackish penciling, and a chipmunk with a grayish/silvery down will be white with dark penciling.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

As mixed breed birds, Easter Eggers are a huge mixed bag - the wide variety of final feathering color/pattern is what I like about them, but also makes it pretty hard to predict their final appearance as day-olds. We started with three chipmunk patterned chicks of various darkness - we ended up with one blue/red cockerel, one blue hen with gold flecking and one orange and grey/blue hen. The problem is that you have no idea what the parent stock for each chick was as there are multiple breeds that can be used in the breeding of EE.

 

[nhanson521]

As mixed breed birds, Easter Eggers are a huge mixed bag - the wide variety of final feathering color/pattern is what I like about them, but also makes it pretty hard to predict their final appearance as day-olds.  We started with three chipmunk patterned chicks of various darkness - we ended up with one blue/red cockerel, one blue hen with gold flecking and one orange and grey/blue hen.  The problem is that you have no idea what the parent stock for each chick was as there are multiple breeds that can be used in the breeding of EE.

X2. All will be different

 

[OR4-hmom]

Out here we can't get single chicks, and thankfully the single hatch chicks have been under a broody so they had Mom for company. You could get an assortment and see what you like best as they grow. Selling pullets isn't a problem, compared to cockerels.

 

[Michael OShay]

As mixed breed birds, Easter Eggers are a huge mixed bag - the wide variety of final feathering color/pattern is what I like about them, but also makes it pretty hard to predict their final appearance as day-olds. We started with three chipmunk patterned chicks of various darkness - we ended up with one blue/red cockerel, one blue hen with gold flecking and one orange and grey/blue hen. The problem is that you have no idea what the parent stock for each chick was as there are multiple breeds that can be used in the breeding of EE.

I agree. We've raised EEs for years, and you will likely get a wide variety of color patterns.

 

[lostnstars]

Well I guess we'll just be surprised! I have 3 buff Orpingtons and one RIR already. I just picked up an Australorp today. I want an EE and a barred rock which I should be able to get next Saturday. I think with the EE, no mater what color she is we will still have a nice variety in our flock

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