How NOT to help the Ameraucana/Americana/EE issue/cause

[Omniskies]

The only way we're going to win the war on having Easter Eggers called Easter Eggers is when the hatchery lists them as Easter Eggers and puts in a single sentence that explains that these are commonly, though incorrectly, referred to as X, Y and Z.

Until then we're fighting what the individual read in a very reputable catalog/book/etc. McMurray even puts that their Ameraucana/Aracana chickens are _sometimes_ called Easter Eggers and are selected for egg color. They _are_ Ameraucana/Aricana's, theirs just aren't "show quality."

If I didn't know any better I'd assume that the two names were interchangable and "Easter Egger" was some lame made up name. After all, that's what the hatcheries typically say and if I'm going to pick whose right it'll be the multi-million dollar, ancient rare breed hatchery that had breeds I'd never even heard of before. Not the guy who's been raising chickens in his backyard for a year or two.

I know that sounds bad - especially since I know that backyard breeders can put an encyclopedia set to shame with the amount of chicken information they somehow manage to keep straight. But that's just how it ends up.

Does the APA take an official stance on Easter Eggers? Maybe if someone can make them an unofficial breed described on the APA site (if it hasn't already been done) then that'll give credibility to the argument. And it may encourage some hatcheries to be a little more descriptive about what they are selling. Hell, it may even encourage one or two to offer Ameraucana's in addition to Easter Eggers.

Though, I'd keep my Easter Eggers

 

[amazondoc]

Speaking of which....

Last week I purchased some bantams from a guy not too far from me. He was advertising, amongst other things, bantam araucanas. When I talked to him on the phone, I specifically asked him whether they were rumpless and tufted, and he said they were.

Well, I got over there -- and of course there's this little EE in one of the pens that he's calling the only "araucana" he's got left.

But she was a pretty little thing, so I brought her home anyway!

edited to add -- oops, I just noticed I didn't put her in my sig line. Gotta stop ignoring that poor little girl!

 

[myfainters]

Too funny!!!!
I have now been educated (somewhat on EE and Ameracaunas!) I thought that I had Aracaunas but now find out they are EE's!! Sheesh... I have to go update my website!

 

[bearcat73]

I was just looking at mypetchicken.com and they actually DO list them as Easter Eggers. http://www.mypetchicken.com/Standards-Easter_Eggers-P246.aspx

These are one of our favorites! They are friendly, great layers of large blue and green eggs, and (very rarely) even pinkish eggs. Their smaller body size makes them good in the heat, and their small pea comb means they do well in cold, too, because they are not as susceptible to frostbite. "Easter Eggers" are hybrids that carry the blue-egg gene of the true Araucana breed. We like to think that the pea comb is linked not only to the blue egg laying gene, but also to the "sweetness" gene, as well. Because this is a hybrid variety (not a breed), even if you have a whole flock of them, you can often tell them apart because they come in so many different colors - which isn't always possible with other breeds. (Choosing your color is not possible because we can't tell what the chicks will look like when they feather out.)

Other hatcheries (misleadingly) sell these as "Ameraucanas," "Americanas" or sometimes "Araucanas;" however, only breeders can provide true Ameraucanas or Araucanas at this time.​

 

[KellyHM]

So, for those of us who are ignorant in this area, how DO you distinguish an Ameraucana from an EE if they have the muffs? I have two that have muffs and lay blue eggs, so how do I know what's what?

 

[Anne]

Quote:
Ameraucanas have all sorts of breed requirements, down to weight and eye color, but the most obvious are: They must come in one of the standardized plumage varieties (the Ameraucana Breeder's Club has great pictures of all the standardized plumage varieties), and they must be white-skinned and have slate-colored legs (except for blacks, for which "dark slate to black" is considered correct).