If Easter Eggers are 'mutts' does that mean...

[suzettex5]

If I cross an easter egger with any other chicken, are the chicks still considered EE's, or are they considered crosses? I know this might sound dense, but I had to ask!

I read all the time about how EE's are mutts, or cross breeds, but they all have similar looks, so are they really just mutts you can cross with anything and still call them EE's?
Or should you label the resulting chicks as- EE crossed with 'insert breed here'?

 

[Megs]

it is my understanding they would still be considered EE

 

[emvickrey]

I mixed a buff laced EE hen with a Splash Silkie roo and all the chicks have black skin. Some have 5 toes, some have 4 and then the others have both. All but a few are looking just like silkies. Almost all of them are white and grey as chicks and when feathered there is a variety of colors. I have lavender, white, buff laced, partrige and one acrually looks like a barred rock. Now I don't have any of them on the property so It must be in the bloodline somewhere. The pair has been in a pen by themselves and no other roo has touched her.....ever. When the eggs are collected her eggs are marked S/EE with the date. No way to mistake them. I'm trying to get one that looks like an EE but with the silkie feathering. That would be so cool. A soft looking EE.

 

[Redcatcher]

The term for a "mutt" chicken is a dunghill

 

[hallerlake]

Quote:
Wouldn't it depend on whether or not they have the "blue gene". If they laid ordinary white or brown eggs, they wouldn't be easter eggers, would they?

 

[suzettex5]

Quote:
Wouldn't it depend on whether or not they have the "blue gene". If they laid ordinary white or brown eggs, they wouldn't be easter eggers, would they?

I think EE's can lay just about any color egg, thats the point of the name- various colors of egg. But dont quote me on that!

 

[dutchhollow]

I guess I don't consider them ee's unless they lay colored eggs (blue or green). They arent' just any 'mutts' it is said that egg color comes from the roo, so unless he is carring the gene (also goes with pea combs) they won't be ee's. Say you cross your ee hens with a br roo, probably won't get many ee's from that cross.

 

[Chickenaddict]

I have 3 ee bantams and 3 ee/mixes 2 of the 3 mixes have the beard and lay colored eggs (1 lays pink eggs and one lays blue) the 3rd mix lays a cream colored egg but looks like an ee only with feathered feet. I guess I'd consider them ee/crosses

 

[Chris09]

I think the term Easter Egger (EE) is way over used.
I believe that if it is a EE then it should have a pea comb and lay a Blue, Green or a variation between. (Brown and White eggs layers don't count wouldn't count as a EE)

I got this off the Ameraucana Breeders Club site--

What are Easter Egg chickens?
The Ameraucana Breeders Club defines an Easter Egg chicken or Easter Egger as any chicken that possesses the blue egg gene, but doesn’t fully meet any breed descriptions as defined in the APA and/or ABA standards. Further, even if a bird meets an Ameraucana standard breed description, but doesn’t meet a variety description or breed true at least 50% of the time it is considered an Easter Egg chicken.


Chris

 

[suzettex5]

Quote:
Thank you Chris! That was really helpful, I didnt realise how important egg color genes were in defining the breed. It sounds like ANY mixed breed hen that lays the correct colored egg would be called an EE. Would that be a fair asumption? (yes, I purposely left out the second s

)