Easter Egger question

[Cranman]

Is easter Egger a real breed? I bought two "EE" pullets at the feed store, but aren't they really something like Americaunas or Arauncanas or something?

 

[halo]

Easter Egger is more a "type" than a breed. They usually have muffs, beards, pea combs, and generally lay green or blue eggs, tho they have been known to lay pink and brown eggs also. They are a variety of colors, very pretty, and the roos are just gorgeous, all different colors. Looks like you have 2 very typical beardy muffy brown EEs...they will grow up to be very pretty.

 

[gaduke]

Of my chickens my EE is the most friendly, shes a great layer and very pretty!

 

[dsqard]

Basically an EE is a cross between a blue egg laying chicken and any other color egg laying chicken. They are not a breed since they do not breed true. Ameraucanas and Araucanas are breeds that typically lay a blue or green egg. I have to agree with halo though, some of the crosses make for gorgeous chickens! Also, as halo stated, you don't know what color egg the EE's will lay until they do.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Ditto what everyone else said. My EE was actually one of my top layers last year. (yes I'm odd, I keep a spreadsheet on who lays)

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Quote:
Not odd at all, or at least you'd have company if I could figure out who was laying what (I have 3 EEs, all green eggs).

Ameraucana are what I think they usually cross with other breeds to produce EEs. But then again, most hatcheries have had their EE stock for a long time, so they may not have added anything to some strains for a while...

 

[Illia]

Quote:
Not odd at all, or at least you'd have company if I could figure out who was laying what (I have 3 EEs, all green eggs).

Ameraucana are what I think they usually cross with other breeds to produce EEs. But then again, most hatcheries have had their EE stock for a long time, so they may not have added anything to some strains for a while...

Right there. Most people think Easter Eggers are Ameraucana x Araucana, but they aren't. Most EE's out there came from the original "mutt" stock we got from South America, and from there the hatcheries never bred towards anything while the Araucana was being created as well as the Ameraucana. Araucanas are actually from very different birds than Ameraucanas and EE's, too.