Easter Egger question

[Erin80]

I know EE’s are a mix of many different breeds, but is there one type of EE that is more common? I find a lot of them look similar....so are there typical breeds they use to create an EE?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Erin EE's are generally not made from other breeds, though each hatchery has their own way of doing it. Some may mix breeds to make theirs. The original EE's came from Chile, they developed naturally. They were basically the barnyard mix that the farmers raised. It's after they were discovered and taken to Europe and later the US that the colored egg laying breeds were made. Some hatcheries like Cackle have had their colored egg laying flock since before the Ameraucana breed was developed. Their flock may even pre-date the Araucana breed in the US also but I'm not sure.

That can be another source of confusion, the Araucana description in the US is quite different from the British description. The British Araucana look more like the US Ameraucana, but there are clear differences. Australia uses the British description.

People like to think there is something special about EE's. There is not except they might lay green or blue eggs. If you get your EE's from one specific hatchery there is a pretty good chance they will look similar. If you get them from different hatcheries that can still happen but the odds are there will be more differences. Different people have selected which birds get to breed and they can have different criteria for selecting their breeding stock.

Then you have toe individuals that do make their EE's from crossing colored egg layers with other breeds. That's what I did to create these EE's.

 

[Erin80]

That's what I was reading about....people taking their own birds and crossing a blue egg layer with a different breed (the article I was reading was a blue Ameraucana hen with a leghorn rooster). That's what got me thinking about my two EE's.....wondering if the hatchery uses specific birds and crosses them, or if they are just a big mix of whatever and happen to carry the blue egg gene. Probably the latter.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

I have heard that most hatcheries breed Easter Egger to Easter Egger and don’t mix 2 seperate breeds to create their Easter Eggers. @Ridgerunner what did you use to create your Easter Eggers? It looks like there’s some Speckled Sussex in the mix.

 

[Ridgerunner]

What didn't I use? The blue egg gene came from a breeder that is working with a consortium to create a new color/pattern Ameraucana. Kind if consider them Black Ameraucana, that's close enough. The spots came from Speckled Sussex. They also have Delaware, Black Australorp, and Buff Orpington in their background. Those hens were crossed with a Buff Rock to try to lighten the color a bit for some. I like playing with genetics just to see what happens.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

What didn't I use? The blue egg gene came from a breeder that is working with a consortium to create a new color/pattern Ameraucana. Kind if consider them Black Ameraucana, that's close enough. The spots came from Speckled Sussex. They also have Delaware, Black Australorp, and Buff Orpington in their background. Those hens were crossed with a Buff Rock to try to lighten the color a bit for some. I like playing with genetics just to see what happens.

Wow I never would have guessed that they had so much in them. I have a home made Easter Egger from someone on here that is Buff Laced Wyandotte cock and Lavender Ameraucana hen.
I wish I could have a rooster so I could breed my own chickens.