EE or Ameracauna?

[reallemons1]

This pullet was hatched from a blue egg bought as a 'real' Ameraucana. Is she a reconized color or is she an EE? I don't know what color to call her. Thanks.

 

[katrinag]

Not sure, but pretty.

 

[The Monkey Mama]

Wow - she's amazingly pretty!

I think she'd technically be considered an EE because it doesn't look to me like she meets the color standards for Ameraucanas. [This website has pics of each color that is "accepted": http://www.ameraucana.org/scrapbook.html ].

But I wouldn't let that bother me - she is beautiful!

Kelly

 

[katrinag]

Did she look like this when she was little?
Is so I can not wait till she gets bigger. I hope she looks like yours.

Sorry did not mean to hijack.

 

[Tailfeathers]

See wwwameraucana.org for the approved variations of Ameraucanas. You pullet/hen looks similiar to the Silver hen but the black beard could be a DQ.

Where, or should I say "Who", did you get your "real" blue egg to hatch from? You don't need to post that here but if you like you can email me privately. You can also look at the "Breeders Directory" on the ABC website and see if they're listed.

Prior to buying your hatching eggs, did you talk to the person and find out what they would be sending you? Were you asking for hatching eggs from a particular variety?

I hate to say this but because of the "novelty" aspect of the blue egg and so much misinformation out there, there is just a high degree of probability that you've been taken. Here's just one example of the misinformation that's out there and taken from McMurray Hatchery's website:

"The "Easter Egg Chicken", This unusual breed gets its name from the Indian tribe of Chile where they were first discovered. Araucanas lay beautiful colored eggs of blue-green shades from turquoise to deep olive. These natural Easter Eggs will amaze your friends and make a great "show and tell" project for school. Adults are of medium size with pea combs and our breeding stock is selected for their ability to produce colored eggs. They exhibit a wonderful combination of colors and color patterns and 10 or 20 of these birds make an absolutely beautiful laying flock that is extremely hardy and will be the talk of the town. Baby chicks come in all colors, plain and fancy, just like the adults. This is a unique breed and great fun to have when the colored eggs start coming. Our Araucanas are recommended for egg laying color and ability and not for exhibition."

Anyone who wants to take just 10 minutes can do a Google Search and find out that "Easter Eggers" are NOT Ameraucanas nor Araucanas. They will also soon find out that Ameraucanas and Araucanas are two TOTALLY different breeds.

An “Easter Egger (EE)” or “Easter Egg Layer (EEL)” is the common name used by Feather Fanciers who know what a true Ameraucana or Araucana is. The EE is the progeny of either a true Ameraucana or Araucana and something else. These can me a hybrid of any number of things but have some Ameraucana or Araucana blood in them. Now, there is nothing at all wrong with having EE’s – just as long as you know what you are getting or have. In fact, I have both. Pure SQ Ameraucanas and EE’s. One of my EE’s lays a rather pastel pinkish/purple or purplish/pink egg sometimes. The true Ameraucana will lay a blue egg except for very rare occasions where a modifier gene (that hasn’t been eliminated yet) turns up and causes a green-tinted egg. The EE can lay eggs that could be any variation of blue, green, yellow, and purplish-pink or pinkish-purple.

For more info on true Ameraucanas see: “Myths & Facts” at http://groups.msn.com/ABCShareingPlace , “History” at www.ameraucana.org/ and “Ameraucanas” at http://www.backyardpoultrymag.com/issues/2/2-3/John_W_Blehm.html

Those will be very helpful and anything else I would say is likely redundant. As for “Araucanas”, they are a totally different recognized breed and I’ll leave it up to you to research them if you’re interested. Steve Waters in Marysville is a very well-known breeder of Araucanas and could help you as well.

God Bless,

 

[reallemons1]

Thanks. I like her coloring too. EE's are one of my favorite types. Love the variety of colors, great beards, and blue/green eggs! Yes, she did look similar to that.
Tailfeathers, I can't remember who we got the egg from. But we bought a dozen of them off Eggbid, I think, and only 2 hatched. The other one is a hen, black with silver markings, and I don't she meets the color standards eather. I was disapointed they were not 'real', but they are pretty girls anyways and I like them.

 

[katrinag]

Thanks.

 

[pasofinofarm]

She is a beautiful Easter Egger. I breed two varieties of Ameraucanas but have a deep and abiding love for EE's as they are how I got my start in chickens. A friend was moving away and couldn't take her birds which she gave to me... a wonderful EE flock, they laid beautiful eggs in blue, green, olive, turquoise, lavender, grey/silver, pink, tan and brown. Each had beautiful feather color and personality plus. They were my heart and soul until someone offered to buy them all and keep them together forever when I really needed the room for what I am doing now.

Enjoy her and don't let anyone convince you she is anything less than perfect. For more information about your girl see http://www.eastereggers.com/

Be Blessed,
Melissa

 

[Tailfeathers]

Hi Reallemons,

She is a nice looking bird and, like I said before, there's nothing wrong with having an EE - as long as that is what you wanted.

One recommendation I would make for you and others is to take a little extra effort when buying eggs from Eggbid or anywhere else and try to verify the Seller. For example, let's say you wanted to buy a particular variety of Ameraucana. One only has to go to the Ameraucana site above and you can easily find out whether the person is listed as a Breeder or not. If they're not listed then one has to ask why a Breeder would not be part of the breed's Organization and I would say they are suspect to not being true Ameraucanas.

My guess is this could be done pretty easily with just about any breed.

God Bless,

 

[dastardlydeed]

mine ended up mostly black brown. two are buff/wheaten something. one is black/gold spotty all over. and one is marked the same as the black/browns but very pale, not blue or lavender but almost gray. will get pics.