How Do You Tell The Difference Between Ameraucanas & EEs?

[juliect]

You guys amaze me sometimes. You can glance at a photo and tell if it is an Ameraucana or an EE, but I am over here with my magnifying glass out and STILL can't tell the difference.

How do you tell the difference? Or will you have to kill me if you tell me?

 

[chickenlover54]

there are many threads containing this info, but EEs are sold by commercial hatcheries as Ameraucanas/Aracaunas but they are crosses containing the green egg gene. They have green legs and are mixed colors(as a general rule), Ameraucanas generally are a solid color except for splash. The most common colors of Amer. are blue, black, splash, lavender and not as often seen white, buff and golden and silver duckwing(not as common). EEs only have muffs but Amer. also have beards and they have slate legs.

 

[juliect]

Quote:
Ohhh...so gray legs versus green legs. And solid versus multi colored. Thank you! Sometimes I need things summed up into one post because my ADD will kick in when reading threads.
One of my EEs has green legs & multi colored feathers but she does have a beard. Does that just mean she has a little more Ameraucana genes? I assume her beard was a genetic fluke, because she is also HUGE...she is twice the size of my other EE. For the first few weeks I thought she was a rooster due to her size and height.

Changing my own topic: I've heard that the darker the EE the more likely their eggs are to be blue. Is there any truth to that?

 

[smarsh]

at the same time, i have a bearded, slate legged, solid white bird that was hatchery stock and would be frowned upon for its heritage; hated worse by the true breeds for trying to look like the real thing.

 

[chickenlover54]

Quote:
does your bird have a beard or a muff? most people don't know the difference

 

[Buff Hooligans]

90% of what people think are Araucanas and Ameraucanas are actually mixed breeds that lay blue/olive eggs. (Easter Eggers)

It takes a lot of work to get yourself a REAL Araucana or Ameraucana. And to be able to spell those names correctly too.

 

[LeBlackbird]

yeah, what they said...

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

Quote:
Actually, most easter eggers sold at the hatcheries do have muffs & beards and many of them have slate legs. They can also be solid colored. They do not breed true (if you breed a white EE with a white EE, you might not get white offspring).

Ameraucanas breed true and come only in specific colors (not necessarily solid colors) - black, blue, blue wheaten, silver, wheaten, brown red, buff, & white. There are splash ameraucanas, but they are not a recognized color with the Ameraucana Breeders Club. If you have an 'ameraucana' from a hatchery, it is actually an easter egger - if your mystery bird does is not one of the recognized colors (see photos in the following link), it is an easter egger.

True ameraucanas:
http://www.ameraucana.org/scrapbook.html

This is my splash easter egger pullet - she has muffs & beard, but has green legs & came from a hatchery.

These are some more of my hatchery easter eggers - muffs/beard & slate legs, but are not a recognized ameraucana color.

 

[Moxiechick]

Quote:
does your bird have a beard or a muff? most people don't know the difference

Ok, I'll admit I'm a newb! What is the difference between a beard and a muff? (Sounds like a question that should have a punchline!)

 

[SteveH]

Quote:
does your bird have a beard or a muff? most people don't know the difference

Ok, I'll admit I'm a newb! What is the difference between a beard and a muff? (Sounds like a question that should have a punchline!)

I'll resist the urge to add a punchline

Beard and muff looks like the chicken has a beard and wearing ear muffs , a characteristic of the Ameraucana but not exclusive to the breed .
Ear " tufts " are one characteristic of the Araucana but there is a lethal gene connected to the tufts so breeders maintain non tufted birds to cross with their show quality birds . Aruacanas do not have beards , may have tufts , do not have muffs . Is that as clear as mud ?

edt to add : actually to me the " muffs " actually look like sideburns above the beard , and the pics above your post demonstrate beard and muffs very well