fuzzy cheeks, help me learn and educate

[Pecknscratch]

So I went and saw a friends flock today and he tells me that he's going to be ordering some Ameracaunas (sp?) later.
I spy 2 EE's (the lucky dog) in his flock already and tell him of this. That's not what he was supposed to have gotten from the store he tells me, but that's OK.

He tells me that he has had Ameracaunas before and that they did not have fuzzy cheeks.

So I finally get to my question...has my memory failed me from my learning here that Aracauna AND Amaraucans both have "cheeks" don't they?

EE's are a product of cross breeding with one of those two breeds with something else right? and they are the only ones with them right? and most of the time people will call them one of those two breeds when they are in actuality EE's.

Would someone please send me a link to their breed pages so that I may send it to my friend?

 

[stubbornhill]

I think you are right on with your recollections! Let wait and see if an expert has anything else to add. Perhaps, he only "thought" he had Ameracaunas before.

 

[Pele]

This is a very complex and closely debated topic actually, but you've come to the right place! I'll see if I can explain without getting confusing by breaking it down by breed:

Ameraucanas: These birds are hallmarked by a big muff at their throat, colored legs, a pea comb, and lays blue eggs. They are only recognized in 8 colors: Wheaten, white, buff, blue wheaten, black, blue, brown red, and silver. ANY deviation outside of those colors disqualifies the bird from being called 'Ameraucanas'.

Araucanas: These birds are hallmarked by colored legs, a pea comb, lays blue eggs, has no tail (rumpless), and as having ear tufts. This breed is more tricky, however, because the genes for having no tail, and the tufts, are always carried, but not necessarily expressed in all birds. Additionally, the tufted gene is lethal if inherited from both parents; it is for this reason that UK and Australian Araucanas are NOT bred to have tufts, as those countries do not require them in their breed standards. This breed comes in 5 colors: Black, black breasted red, white, gold duckwing, silver duckwing.

Easter Eggers: This breed makes up 99% of American flocks where the owners believe they have the previous two breeds. These are a mixing pot of genes, though the desired features are: pea comb, muff, green leggs, and green/blue eggs. Since this is not a monitored 'breed' of chicken, hatcheries can throw in whatever the heck they please. Sometimes they dilute the genes down so much that you only get one "ameraucana" feature in your EE. For example: You could theoretically get an EE from a hatchery that has a straight comb, green legs, no muff, and lays brown eggs. The hatchery would still call this bird an "ameraucana", despite the fact it clearly is only distantly related to one.

I hope that clears it up a bit. A very good resource for your friend to look at is: www.Ameraucana.org . This site discusses the differences in the three breeds.

I've found that a really easy way to tell which breed you have, without all the headache, is to just ask where the bird came from. If it came from a breeder, it's Ameraucana or Araucana (breeder will be clear about which, they take deep pride in their lines). If you got it from a hatchery, it's an EE.

 

[Pecknscratch]

Oh thankyou most knowledged knower of information

That was absolutly just what I was looking for.

I cut and pasted your responce and sent it to my friend.

 

[Pele]

Quote:
Lol your welcome. BYC is a wonderful place to get information. I was in your shoes when I first found the forums, so I'm not so much a knowedged knower of stuff to know, as a knowledge passer on-er