Could my hen actually be a rooster?

[TheOddOneOut]

Thanks for the info! He’s actually an Americauna. Although I guess I can’t be too sure now haha. But we did buy him at tractor supply with a couple others marked as Americaunas, which I think are similar enough to easter eggers though.

Americana=fancy name for EE.

 

[SophiaLinn]

Americana=fancy name for EE.

Ah, good to know, thanks!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Thanks for the info! He’s actually an Americauna. Although I guess I can’t be too sure now haha.

I bred Ameraucana for a while and he does not conform to the standard of perfection. He will not be viable for showing or breeding quality.. with regards to the Ameraucana SOP. But EE are perfectly good birds in their own right.. One of these days.. the hatcheries and subsequent retailers (TSC get their chicks from Hoover) *MAY* decide to be more clear about what they're pedaling, but for now it's just the avid fanciers who know, care about, and share the differences.

For us as consumers, they are honest about it.. but we HAVE to read the description... Taken for Hoovers site..
https://hoovershatchery.com/Americana.html

"Our Americana (Easter Egger) will give you an assortment of colors from turquoise, to olive, to light brown. The Americana breed comes from the Araucana and Ameraucana mix and has different color plumage variations. It is because of this genetic combination that our birds are not meant for exhibition. APPROX. 240 MEDIUM EGGS/YEAR | EGG COLORS: BLUE, GREEN, LIGHT BROWN MATURE WT: MALE 5.5 LBS. FEMALE 4.5 LBS."

I know these descriptions are often not posted at individual retail locations, and many folks don't know which hatchery their store gets chicks from.

Easter Eggers.. are often sold "as a representation" of the true breed and also often misspelled as well. They will not breed true.. meaning put out offspring with exactly their characteristic when bred to another that "looks" the same. That's one of the fantastic things about EE is that no two look or act exactly the same, one of the more fun birds to have a whole group of!

It's not truly important since you aren't breeding, but consider offering him as an EE when you do, since you do now know the difference. Here is a link that describes it pretty well..
https://the-chicken-chick.com/ameraucana-easter-egger-or-araucana/

http://ameraucana.org/Ameraucana Chickens

This is just one of those steps that keeps learning about chickens amazing and interesting.. even after 10+ years of poultry keeping, I still learn new things almost daily! Hope you enjoy the never ending learning adventures as much as I do!