Myths and Facts about Ameraucanas

[speckledhen]

This is a great link for those of you who need more explanation about the breed:

http://groups.msn.com/ABCShareingPlace/ameraucanamythsandfacts.msnw

 

[hinkjc]

I just found this site myself today. I thought it was interesting and points out some of the obvious differences well. Thanks for posting it.

Jody

 

[speckledhen]

Hey, besides this type of site, you've taught me alot about the breeds, especially the sexing tips, LOL. And see, you were right about the black Ameraucana being a cockerel very early on when he/she was confusing me a little bit. Remember? Formerly Delilah, now Scout.

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Great link. It can't be new 'cause it's one I had bookmarked on this old computer I ressurected.
But no matter how many times you link it and explain it, there will always be the confusion.

I'm about ready to throttle my pal I go to the Farmers Market with, for telling customers that blue / green eggs are 28% lower in cholesterol.
I correct it when I hear her, but she truly believes it.
If I had some facts, I could shut that up.

Lisa

 

[aran]

Jody i read the latest explanations with pictures that you posted in another thread and i cant seem to find it now. You had posted pictures of your ameraucanas and also your EEs...the rooster that is with your EE...is he an EE too? I think he is awesome looking! Do your EE for the most part still give coloured eggs? I know there is no guarantee because they are mutts to a certain extent.

 

[aran]

ok now im confused...i just read that link right the way through then went out to my new "ameraucanas" to check them out. The two females have the curved "neutral" horn coloured beaks, the beards and muffs, the blue legs with paler soles to their feet. They have the red-brown eyes. They are red-browns by the pictures on that website. They have the red ear lobes They have pea combs as does the roo.These were not hatchery birds but rather from a private farm breeder. Having said that my rooster looks pretty similar to that rooster in your EE picture jody. Although he also has slate legs, the neutral beak, the pea comb and basically no wattles and the pale soles to his feet. All three birds have white skin. The two females from my untrained eye look exactly like the red-brown pictures on that website. The rooster though as i said doesnt conform to any of those standard colours though. Does this mean he is a mongrel or could he just not be a show quality standard colour ameraucana? They seem to fit the description on that site in every other way.

 

[Anne]

It's really hard to say... considering where you bought them, they could be either. Sometimes (rarely, but it does happen) Easter Eggers just happen to meet the Ameraucana standard. The rooster could be a "mixed variety" Ameraucana, or his lack of standard color could be an indication that the parents were Easter Eggers. You'd really have to talk to the breeder again, ask him some questions about where he got his stock, and maybe take another look at his birds to be sure.

-Anne

 

[aran]

Holy smoke Anne....your website has my rooster's color on it! In your for sale section there is a rooster for sale for $45 which is called a golden cockerel on your site...that bird has the EXACT same colouring as my rooster. Except of course yours has no bum! lol

 

[aran]

yup i just took another look...galeno has the same colour also. That is such an awesome colour too i think. Would there be any point in breeding an araucana to an ameraucana in terms of egg colour?

 

[hinkjc]

Aran, Anne is right in that the only way to be sure is to talk to the breeder and understand what he is using for breeding. If they are all, what I consider "non-standard", then I call them easter eggers. If meet the standard for Ameraucana, then you have ameraucana. In that case, there is definitely the opportunity of getting nice ones and not-so-nice ones, as no one can guarantee that every bird will be perfect and meet the standard.

My duckwingish rooster, Oreo and all of his hens are Easter Eggers, as far as I'm concerned. They are not perfect ameraucana based on the standard of perfection. I chose the color of birds I did, to keep the variety in that breeding pen. I also use black ameraucana in my EE pen for additional color and will be adding a white ameraucana pullet as well soon (she's still growing out). I still consider them EEs because once you have a mix in there, they are EEs as the ameraucana strain has been damaged.

As for my eggs, the majority of my eggs are teal blue from this pen, but I do get a couple olive green and a couple pinkish brown ones. The one brown egg is almost a mauve color..very pretty.

My Araucana lay various shades of blue and bluish green eggs.
My bantam buff ameraucana only lay blue eggs.

Jody