Differance btw EE's and Americaunas

[NewHopePoultry]

Amercauna roos are very pretty,I had 4, but I had to sell them, they were too mean for me.

 

[Frozen Feathers]

Yup, I've tried 3. I can't keep anything that attacks my little girl. I know they think they are trying to protect their flock but there has to be a line drawn somewhere. I had one that would beat up my hens,

he did not last long. And the other two both had a go at my daughter and were promptly dismissed from to flock, to put it politely. I haven't any trouble with any other breed. My little Jap roo (who I talk about all the time) lets my daughter lug him around like a baby doll and even "purrs" to us. I love my amercauna hens, they are sweet and friendly, I just seem to have trouble with the boys.

 

[Critter Crazy]

una boy is just the sweetest!! He is my Calmest roo. and is the first to come over and visit with me. I am quite pleased. I didnt even intend on having a Americauna roo, but I got my trio from my aunt who ended up with an Overabbundance!

 

[cookinmom]

That was a very interesting link. I guess I have to change my signature now... Eleanor has ear tufts, and neither her nor Cleo have muffs or beards! That's OK, though...we're not fancy here. I can't wait til they start laying. Kind of like Christmas ya know, wondering what you're gonna get!

 

[Rafter 7 Paint Horses]

I haven't had any trouble with my Ameraucana roosters.
I don't pick them up & carry them around, but I've never had one come at me, even when I pick up one of the girls.

I have some young ones right now, waiting to see how they act & I will pick the best one to keep for breeding.

I hope they will follow in their fathers footprints and be nice also.
I do not tolerate a mean rooster.


Jean

 

[mudhen]

Since I joined BYC, I've learned that "Easter Eggers" (EE's) are not a breed but do have some Araucana/Amaraucana genetics to make blue/green egg shell colors. EE's include:

the Araucanas (descent from two rare South American types of chicken - the Collonca, and the Queteros. The Collonca is a naturally clean faced, rumpless, blue egg laying fowl. The Queteros is tailed, has ear tuffs and usually lays a pinkish brown egg. The cross between the Collonca and the Queteros resulted in the Araucana. It is tailess-aka rumpless-(no Coccyx, or tail vertabrae), have pea small combs and ear tufts (clumps of feathers growing from small tabs of skin usually found at or near the region of the ear openings. This feature is unique in the U.S. to the Araucana breed. The gene for tufts is lethal when both parents have it, these chicks die in the shell or will be very short lived if they do hatch tufted ears).

the Ameraucana - These do have tails, do NOT have ear tufts. but rather, have muff/beards which are beneath the beak, at the throat, and should have red earlobes. They are a standard breed recognized in several color varieties and are supposed to make blue egg shells. ( The pea comb is known to be related to the blue shell gene, both breeds have pea combs.) Sometimes the Amaraucana are misrepresented when referring to EE's.

Most the time, Easter Eggers are crossbreeds whose egg shells can be green, blue, brown or any color/shade in between (I'm guessing this includes pink). They can be defined as any chicken that possesses the blue egg gene, but doesn’t fully meet any breed descriptions as defined in the APA and/or ABA standards.

Oh, and some hatcheries include Salmon Faverolles when they list their "Easter Eggers/Tinted Eggs". But the Salmon Faverolles eggs are slightly tinted, instead of white. They were orginally bred by the French to be layers as well as for meat. They have feathers beards and feathers on their feet and legs too. They do not possess the blue egg gene.

There is something about green legs too on EE's and/or Ameraucanas and/or Araucanas, but I'm not sure yet which is supposed to have them. My Cleo, sold as an Ameraucana by MM hatchery, has green legs and a muff.
EE or Ameraucana, I think she is beautiful!!

So there you go, probably more than you wanted to know!

 

[Anne]

I raise Araucanas, but my first experience with colored-egg-layers was with Easter Egg chickens. I adore Easter Eggers for their pretty colors and fun personalities, and you're absolutely right, no one needs a "snobby purebred label" to have fun with poultry.

Unfortunately, the only problem with calling Easter Eggers something they're not is that is spreads misinformation. I can't even guess how many e-mails I've received from people (kids and adults alike) who are really disappointed when they get some "Ameraucanas" because they wanted to raise a show flock, only to discover that when they try to show their birds, every one is disqualified.

To add to what people have said above -- one way to tell whether you're getting Ameraucanas or EE's is in the advertising. If they're Ameraucanas, the color variety will probably be specified (i.e., Black Ameraucanas, Blue-Wheaten Ameraucanas, etc.). With Easter Eggers, they will probably be advertised as "many color varieties", or colors may not be mentioned at all.

-Anne

 

[Anne]

Quote:
Ameraucanas must have slate (blueish-gray) colored legs and white skin, except for blacks, which should have black legs.

Araucanas must have willow (green) legs and yellow skin, except for blacks, which should have black legs, and whites, which should have yellow legs.

Easter Eggers will probably have many different colors of legs, including slate and willow. Sometimes an Easter Egger will happen to have all the traits of an Ameraucana (slate legs, pea comb, muffs and beard) and can be shown as such.

 

[Frozen Feathers]

Very informative, Anne! You have very pretty birds on your site, also!

 

[Rafter 7 Paint Horses]

I have asked this many times before & nobody seems to know for sure.

I had Ameraucana hens & roosters. I did not keep my color varieties separate, so I ended up with some standard colored chicks & some multicolored ones.
Now...are these still considered Ameraucanas or are they considered EE since they are not of the recognized colors?

I would like your opinions on this one.


Jean