EE, Ameraucanas, Araucana, mutts--my rant.

[CityChicker]

I already posted this on another thread last week, but I think the whole thing is a little ridiculous. I don't like to see "Easter Eggers" referred to as "mutts" as if they are somehow lesser than Araucanas or Ameraucanas. The absolute *fact* is that nearly all chickens are "mutts" if you go by the definition of having other breeds in their background. Even some of the expensive newer varieties would be considered "mutts".

The other main issue (as I see it) is that most hatcheries in the US have been around for decades and have sold these birds for longer than the terms "Ameraucana" and certainly "Easter Egger" have been around. I don't think we can necessarily force them to change what they call them simply because the national poultry organization (and breed clubs) decide to separate the birds into three breeds. It is not like breeding to the standard is law.

My opinion is that people take their issue with the separation of the three birds to an extreme. I don't think very many even somewhat serious breeders are mislabeling their birds (and even if they were it is not like the price difference is going make them millionaires, LOL). It is usually the hatcheries and backyard hobbyists that are using the wrong names. Is it really that big of a deal? How many really buy anything other than pet/production quality birds from these sources anyway?

If you know enough to know about the three different breeds, you know enough to not buy from these sources expecting anything other than mediocre quality and birds only loosely bred to the standard, if at all.

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

Quote:
agreed.....

 

[HobbyChickener]

roosty, I LOVE THAT SMILEY!! Where did you get it?

 

[farmgirlie1031]

Oh, I know. I told somebody at an auction I loved the Easter Eggers and they got right up in my face and said they are not mutts which EEs are they are 100% purebred Araucanas from McMurray Hatchery. They had tails and muffs and were a non-standard show color. Looked nothing like a true Araucana. I also see a lot of people who sale their birds at auction as Ameruacana when they are clearly EE. Everyone turned their nose up when I brought a beautiful EE rooster to sale (because I had a spare rooster and needed him gone) and said he was an EE. I wasn't going to lie but I sure could have gotten more $$ for him had I told them he was an Ameraucana. And that there is why the hatcheries list them wrong. To get more $$$$$ for them.

 

[geareduplyn]

citychicker wrote "Is it really that big of a deal?"


Yes

 

[roosty]

Quote:
I got it from chickencrossing...I think if you click here you can get it too.
or go to chickencrossing...I saved it then uploaded it here to use it.
Not really sure how else to do it

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/12683_beatinghorse.gif

 

[HarlansHollowFarms]

Quote:
I got it from chickencrossing...I think if you click here you can get it too.
or go to chickencrossing...I saved it then uploaded it here to use it.
Not really sure how else to do it

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/12683_beatinghorse.gif

I stole the smiley from you, just right click and save as, then uplosd it to BYC!

 

[CityChicker]

Do the facts *really* support that hatcheries are misrepresenting these birds to make more "$$$$$"? I'm sorry, I just don't buy that. Obviously, I have way too much time on my hands, LOL, but below is a list of hatcheries, the year they were founded, what they call these "mutts", and what they sell them for (straight run, minimum number of chicks).

Murray McMurray, 1917, Araucanas/Americanas, $2.51
Cackle Hatchery, 1936, Araucanas/Americanas, $2.42 (Bantam)
Meyer Hatchery, 1985, Ameraucanas, 2.38 (Bantam, $2.85)
Welp Hatchery, 1929, Ameraucana (Aracauna), $2.58 (Bantam, $3.43
Mt. Healthy Hatchery, 1924, Araucanas/Ameraucanas, $2.50
Estes Hatchery, 1922, Ameraucanas (Araucana), $2.53
Hoover's Hatchery, 1942, Americana, $1.54
Ridgway Hatchery, 1923, Araucanas, $1.98
Randall Burkey, 1947, Ameraucanas, $2.32
Ideal Hatchery, 1937, Ameraucanas, $1.89
Townline Hatchery, 1913, Araucanas, $1.80
Decorah Hatchery, 1923, Americans, $2.50

Okay, are these really "get rich" prices? LOL, seriously, I don't mean to offend, but I really think they use these names because most of them have been around for decades and that is what they have always called them. I really don't think most are being deliberately deceptive. I mean they are selling these birds for sometimes less than $2 a piece.

Put another way, imagine that you are a third or fourth generation potato farmer. You are proud of your family's history and your strain of potatoes. Now, someone comes along that has been raising potatoes for far less time than you and says, "You are deliberately ripping people off! What you are selling is nothing more than a *weed* called "Ameri-tatoes"! You are just trying to deceive people and make $$$".

Would you be offended and not want to call your potatoes "ameri-tatoes"?

I mean really, I am someone that believes in breeding to the standard and believes that all three breeds *should* be separate, but I also think that some people come across way too offensive and self-righteous on this.

 

[CityChicker]

Also, I want to say (as if I didn't already write a book, LOL!), what I am saying is meant in good nature. I am smiling as I am typing it, not trying to be rude. I know it is sometimes hard to read emotion in posts, especially those that disagree somewhat with others. Anyway, I mean what I said in the nicest possible way! No need to send me a nasty message.

 

[roosty]

I agree 100% with all of *Citychicker's* posts on this thread!
Im so tired of hearing all this

over this whole Ameraucana /Araucanas / EE debate. It really is NOT that big of a deal!
Like I said...

I am smiling!!