EE?

[feather13]

Hi! We have two roughly six week old chicks that McMurray's sold to us as Amercauna. but strongly suspect they are Easter Eggers. It doesn't matter at all to me, but it does seem strange they would mis-identify breed and sell them as something they're not. They are 2x the size of the other chicks, super cute, and while not bullies or mean, do have a tendency to push all the other chicks out of the way when they want to eat. They had face muffs as chicks, but those seem to be going away Their legs are green (I included a photo of a Phoenix with grey legs for reference).

Also, can you tell if this one is a pullet or cockerel? I'm guessing pullet.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.

 

[Northwest_Wannabe]

Unless from a breeder who breeds to the SOP for Ameraucana they're Easter Eggers! Cute babies!!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

We have two roughly six week old chicks that McMurray's sold to us as Amercauna. but strongly suspect they are Easter Eggers. It doesn't matter at all to me, but it does seem strange they would mis-identify breed and sell them as something they're not.

The difference between Ameraucana and Easter Eggers.. is easy.. and MOST hatcheries state their birds are meant to be a representation of Ameraucana.. since they don't select for the standard with color pattern, etc. These are sold in the $4 price range.. from Mc Murray's site..

"Our Ameraucanas are sold as a mixed flock only, and specific feather coloring is not available. Our birds have muffs, but not all will have beards. Hens will breed true for egg color. "

Some hatcheries ARE selling real Ameraucana.. and they do so for closer to $18-20.. and ALWAYS by their specific color.. blue, black, white, etc. My pet chicken, and Cackle to name a couple.

You are correct.. us chicken snob folk that are in the know will indeed call your beauties EE. Having had both.. EE are fine and fun birds with fantastic variety in colors and patterns!

Even if it doesn't truly matter.. it's still good to be informed.

 

[feather13]

Unless from a breeder who breeds to the SOP for Ameraucana they're Easter Eggers! Cute babies!!

Thank you!

 

[feather13]

The difference between Ameraucana and Easter Eggers.. is easy.. and MOST hatcheries state their birds are meant to be a representation of Ameraucana.. since they don't select for the standard with color pattern, etc. These are sold in the $4 price range.. from Mc Murray's site..

"Our Ameraucanas are sold as a mixed flock only, and specific feather coloring is not available. Our birds have muffs, but not all will have beards. Hens will breed true for egg color. "

Some hatcheries ARE selling real Ameraucana.. and they do so for closer to $18-20.. and ALWAYS by their specific color.. blue, black, white, etc. My pet chicken, and Cackle to name a couple.

You are correct.. us chicken snob folk that are in the know will indeed call your beauties EE. Having had both.. EE are fine and fun birds with fantastic variety in colors and patterns!

Even if it doesn't truly matter.. it's still good to be informed.

Thank you so much! I wasn't buying the chicks as rare breeds (we don't usually have roosters, so our flock are just egg-layers and wonderful pets), but do find it odd when chicks are sold as something they're not (or use deceptive language that leads people to believe they're buying something they're not). I thought the McMurray website meant that they don't sell their EE chicks as specific colors (separating by buff, wheaten, etc.), rather than just as mixed breeds whose ancestors somewhere along the line were Ameraucanas. Good to know, although I really do love these sweet, enthusiastic EEs (and "Easter Egger" is a cute name).

As an aside, I've been a BYC member since 2002 and can't say enough how much I appreciate the kind and generous advice of experts and folks like you, @EggSighted4Life and @Northwest_Wannabe (and everyone else who takes the time to help newbies like me). Raising chickens is much, much harder than I thought it would be (even though I grew up in a rural area and my parents raised chickens for meat...) and I would have given up long ago without this BYC community.

 

[Northwest_Wannabe]

It can be difficult but it's also rewarding so just keep pushing on! What's great about BYC is if you have something and it's stumping, overwhelming, confusing or you just want some opinions on it, you can make a thread! there's such a wide variety of people here with such a wide variety of knowledge there's rarely a question that goes unanswered!

I agree the whole EE/'Americana' is confusing, I love EE's, they're EASILY in my top 3 breeds, along with cochins and Cochin/EE mixes! They're a little spicy and can have a noisy mouth on them but they're so unique and colorful, when I volunteered at my local feedstores for a few years I tried to make sure everyone got at least one and also knew what they really were, despite the name tag <3 I mean who doesn't want a bearded chicken?

 

[chrissynemetz]

You have beautiful Easter Eggers