EE Question by Newbie

[cabincrazyone]

Here's what I know (I think) so far ...

The Araucana is from Chile. The Ameraucana is an American version of it, therefor they're closely related.

An Easter Egger is a mixed breed Araucana or Ameraucana that lays colored eggs.

Can an EE be any sort of mixed breed chicken that lays colored eggs, or must there be the Araucana tie?

What else am I missing?

Thanks.

 

[KellyHM]

Actually, if I remember corrently, Araucanas and Ameraucanas were developed independently of each other and are not that closely related. The definition of an EE depends on who you talk to...some people refer to any bird that lays a blue/green egg as an EE, some people only call the ones with beards & muffs EEs, even if they lay pink eggs. I personally call anything that lays a blue/green egg an EE, but that's just me.

 

[chicmom]

Hello! My hatchery sells what they advertise as the "Ameraucana". Now, truly, the hens I bought are Easter Eggers. I had one that layed an olive green egg, and the two other eggs were a pale, sea-foam green.

You are correct in your thinking. The Easter Eggers do have Ameraucana or Araucana genetics, thus you get the greenish or blue-ish colored eggs. There are Araucana enthusiasts who are more than willing to tell you all the breed characteristics, as well as Ameraucana lovers who will also list the specific traits for you.

You can google breeders and breeders club for each breed, and they will provide pictures and list the breed standards for you. They are pretty specific from muffs, tufts, beards, leg color, egg color, rumpless, feather color.......it goes on and on!

If you're not real picky, I'd recommend you buy some EE chicks. They are beautiful, and you will be delighted with the egg color. But if you are thinking about becoming a breeder, then do your research! You won't be sorry--both breeds are just so interesting...

Sharon

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Both araucana and ameraucana were developed in the US from birds imported from Chile in the early 20th century. There were four separate Chilean breeds used to develop them. Both began being developed after the birds were imported, with different breeders having preferences for different traits. Araucanas were recognized a number of years before ameraucanas. Breeders who did not like the rumpless (lowered fertility) and tufted (lethal gene) look, eother for appearance or the isses associated with those traits continued breeding to a standard of what THEY wanted, and it was recognized a number of years later.

EEs have in ther background an ancestor who laid blue eggs. That ancestor may or may not have been an araucana or an ameraucana--could have been from a bird who is the descendant of some of the original crosses that was never used in developing the breeds.


edited for spelling

 

[cabincrazyone]

Quote:
Help me understand what that means .... do the hens have markings or feather coloration that is not purebred Ameraucana .... or does it have something to do with the egg color?

 

[Illia]

It has to do with leg color, egg color, plumage color, and often even lack of beard/muffs or wrong comb type.

One correction though, Easter Eggers are not crosses of Ameraucanas and Araucanas. The Easter Eggers from hatcheries originated to the first stock that was simply mixed breed colored egg layers from South America. Most of them were Quechuas or related to such. Then, after that, the Araucana got its standard, and the Ameraucana got its standard. Araucanas are completely unrelated to Easter Eggers, however Ameraucanas got their roots from what Easter Eggers had in them, too. Over time, Easter Eggers were crossbred with production layers and the sort. Ameraucanas were bred to an actual breed standard, and now follow that standard. Easter Eggers are just a variation of differences, with few things in common like laying green or blue eggs, having a pea comb, and the possibility of muffs/beard, green or yellow legs, duckwing based coloration, etc.

If Araucanas were a part of the creation of Easter Eggers, you'd see rumplessness, tufts, and yellow skin pop up a lot in them. But you don't.

If Ameraucanas were a part of the creation of Easter Eggers, you'd see blacks, solid blues, Wheatens, etc. - As well as a more common occurence of slate legs.

Technically Easter Eggers started out before Ameraucanas, but as time went on they became more and more of a "mutt."

 

[cabincrazyone]

Thanks very much to all of you for your info. :^)

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
Green legs indicate yellow skin plus the addition of id.

Araucanas are not unrelated to easter eggers; since hatcheries are in the business of hatching lots of chicks, birds with lethal genes or lowered fertility would be an issue, therefore using birds without tufts and with tails maks more economic sense than using ones that are rumpless or have tufts..

 

[cabincrazyone]

Quote:
Thank you for this information ... but it reminds me of years ago when I said something a little too profound to a favorite little tyke, and he replied "Gramdpa, I'm just a little kid".

 

[draye]

Try reading this link it is from the Ameraucana Breeders site: http://www.ameraucana.org/history.html.
According to them all three Ameraucana, Araucana, and Easter Egger are all related.