EE/Ameraucana frustration

[halo]

If I take my barred plymouth rock and breed him to my buff plymouth rock, Im not sure I can call the resulting chicks plymouth rocks, since they will not be a standard color, nor will they breed true in any shape or form. At least with Ameraucanas, the off types, or off colors, can be called EEs, to designate that they are colored egg layers.

 

[cjwaldon]

You forgot emphasize "some genetic diversity." If you want 100% uniformity and predictability, clone it.

 

[cjwaldon]

To quote the OP, "I have a friend that posted pics of his eggs online and one of our mutual friends said the green eggs were from "Americanas"...so I just kinda added that the green eggs are from easter eggers, not purebred Ameraucanas."

Therefor, the eggs a paid a pretty penny for from "Wheaten Ameraucanas" arrived in the post and they were green. Therefor I must have been scammed. I now have some expensive green egg layers that look a lot like what Wheaten Ameraucanas should look like. I wonder what the next generation will look like - they cannot possibly they breed true, now that I know they are really Easter Eggers by the tell tale sign that their eggs are not blue.

To again quote the OP, "I just guess I feel frustrated because 1. someone was dishonest or ignorant and mislead this guy 2. he is continuing to perpetuate the falsehood and 3. everyone else on the post now thinks his birds are Ameraucanas."

Seems to me the Ameraucana breeders are just as guilty of spreading misinformation when they are misrepresenting their stock.

Please stop calling every possible color on the Ameraucana Breeders Club egg color reference chart "blue". The term "blue" is not a one size fits all that covers every possible shade of blue, gray, slate, turquoise, teal, or green.

And if it's true that any green egg layer must be an Easter Egger, why are all these other egg colors included on the chart? If all these other egg colors are acceptable, why are you telling a newbie that green is not acceptable? Can't have it both ways.

 

[halo]

I also dont think that dog and horse discussions have any place in this thread. With purebred dogs and horses you have a genetic map to follow for 5, 6, 8 generations and more. With poultry there is none. You have nothing more than the physical individual in front of you.

 

[braindead101]

Then start your own 'pedigree' with what you have. Keep volumes of data on what is happening in your flock, what you bring into it, what you get out of it. You'll be snowed under by paperwork, but you'll be able to tell others what you have. I don't think they'll appreciate your work. After all, to the less interested "it's only a chicken".

 

[braindead101]

And let's not forget, with horses and dogs you get 15 to 30 years of one individual to study. You are not afforded that luxury with chickens.

 

[cjwaldon]

Dogs and horses were included as comparative to what is being done in other species. By a "genetic map", are you referring to the pedigree? The paperwork is only as reliable as the honesty of the breeder, in any species. I personally know breeders who have intentionally filed false paperwork. Therefore, you only have the physical individual in front of you and the integrity of the person representing what they have. This applies to any species. I think the comparison has relevence to this discussion.

 

[braindead101]

Not only the honesty of the breeder should be examined. There are places that a pedigree splits hairs with the phrase "should be within" as reference to weight, height, etc. It allows for deviations not mentioned in the SOP. Some people tend to cross those lines out to fit their need or desire.

 

[braindead101]

Love halos avatar. I need a cool avatar.

 

[chickened]

I would have to agree with this, with chickens you are judged by the end results as with dogs but with chickens there is no official paper trail to verify your breeding's. As an example breeding a barnevelder to a laced breed to enhance the lacing is acceptable but breeding a chihuahua to a great dane to increase size is not acceptable.
One of the arguments in favor of chickens being types not breeds

And let's not forget, with horses and dogs you get 15 to 30 years of one individual to study. You are not afforded that luxury with chickens.