NEED info on EE from Murray McMurray

[crazychickens]

Has anyone ordered the easter egg chicks from Murray McMurray?
Do they lay blue or green eggs? I dont understand the EE vs the other blue egg layer, are they called Araucana? My kids want some green or blue eggs. What is the difference between to two types.
How often do they lay eggs? Thanks

 

[speckledhen]

Easter Eggers can lay brown or pinkish eggs, too. They are mutts, basically, not an individual breed. Ameraucanas and Araucanas are the true breeds and both are supposed to lay eggs in the blue to blue-green family. MM sells Easter Eggers so you won't know what they will lay till they do.

 

[lakecountychick]

The aracauna ia a southamerican chicken that lays blue to green eggs. The ee(easter egger) or the americauna is a hybrid of aracauna and an american layer breed usually brown egger. I have 2 ee from mcmurray's and one lays a robin egg blue and the other lays a greenish blue sometimes looking like a od green. they are fun and come in a variety of colors and some have combs and some don't. some have tufts of feathers on the sides of their heads and some don't: it's a hybrid thing I think. The chicks are adorable and it's fun to see what they will look like when they mature. Usually will lay at around 24 to 26 weeks. Although one of mine was 29 weeks when she layed her first egg. I hope I didn't ramble but I really like mine. Micaela

 

[speckledhen]

Just know that when you buy whatever MM is calling theirs, it will not be an Ameraucana or an Araucana. The spelling "AmerIcana" can sometimes be used to denote Easter Egger, but the breed is "Ameraucana". You just about have to get a true Ameraucana or Araucana from a breeder, not a big hatchery. Easter Eggers are fun birds, but you really will not be guaranteed blue or green eggs. Jody (hinkjc) breeds all three of them, but her Ameraucanas are bantams. I did breed blue and black Ameraucanas, but I have since stopped, as of last month. Mine laid a pastel blue egg.

 

[hinkjc]

Agree with Cyn. Hatcheries misrepresent the Ameraucana breed by misspelling the name and offering mongrels that do not meet the standard of perfection. If you are looking for the true breed and a guarantee of blue/green eggs, buy them from a breeder. If you are just looking for backyard pets and a mixture of colored eggs, then Easter Eggers (aka americauna as hatcheries call them) will fit the bill.

You can click on my site to see some of the differences in the 3 types of birds. You can also go to the ameraucana club or araucana club for clarifications on those two breeds. Easter Eggers are not really a breed but a cross bred chicken that resembles an Ameraucana and lays blue, green or pink (brown tint) eggs.

Jody

 

[crazychickens]

MM calls them Araucana/Americana The "Easter Egg Chicken"
My kids love to see the different kinds of eggs from our hens now.
They really want to see a blue or green. I'll check out hinkjc web site.

 

[chickaboo7]

If you want colored eggs I've heard that Naked-neck and Dorking lay colored eggs I just ordered some so we'll see.

 

[MNKris]

I have gotten MM Easter Eggers for the last 3 years or so. Some lay a more blue egg, others more of that typical springfoam green color. Out of about 14 of them, none of mine have ever laid anything but a blue or green egg. In fact, I am picking up 8 new EE chicks at the MM hatchery tomorrow too plus 25 of the bantam EEs and several other standard breeds to add to the flock.

I can't say enough good things about EEs in general. I love their shells. They seem to naturally be so strong compared to other breeds we have. They don't lay as well as the sexlinks, but we still get about 3 eggs a week out of 3 year old hens. I don't think that is so bad during our MN winters. When they were in their prime, they laid about 4 eggs/week. Size and shape isn't consistent, but they do add nice color variety to the flock. We have everything from pure white, to partridge, blues and wheatens. They aren't exactly friendly, but very easy to get along with and ours have been non-broody.

 

[crazychickens]

So when a Ameraucana and a brown egg layer breed you get an EE?
Why do they do this?
You know, the people, not the chickens.

Are EE's better for some reason?

 

[countryentertainment]

Cheaper maybe since they don't have to even have any of the real Ameraucanas or Araucanas.

This is the Ameraucana Breeders Club home page there is a list of breeders in the (down load) button, there are some good breeders in Wisconsin.

http://ameraucana.org/

Cindy