Not sure what breed my rooster is...

[melaniecantrell]

I specifically ordered ameracaunas from Ideal Hatchery if Im not mistaken. It was my first time with them...i only raise white leghorns, rhode island reds, and ameracaunas. He is a beautiful rooster and pretty friendly, he hasnt used his spurs yet :}

 

[speckledhen]

Ideal does not sell Ameraucanas, though they call them that. I have seen hundreds of their "Ameraucanas" at the feed store in town who gets thousands of chicks from that hatchery every year and they are Easter Eggers.

Ameraucanas come in only 8 colors, have slate legs, lay blue eggs only, have reddish bay eyes and a certain body type and if you want true Ameraucanas, the only way to be sure you get them is to get them from a good breeder.

Here is the description from Ideal's site, with bold words by me which hint that they are selling EEs and not Ameraucanas:


Quote:

Of course, Ameraucanas are not "multicolored", but come in 8 standard colors. They lay eggs only in the blue family, not of "many colors", whereas Ideal's EEs sometimes lay blue, green, brown or a pinkish color (technically brown). At least they distinguish between Ameraucana and Araucana, but they truly sell neither one. I rarely see an EE from any hatchery that looks like it fits the standard for the Ameraucana breed. Wish they'd be more upfront with folks, as there is nothing wrong with Easter Eggers at all. They just aren't Ameraucanas.

 

[goldfinches]

I specifically ordered ameracaunas from Ideal Hatchery if Im not mistaken. It was my first time with them...i only raise white leghorns, rhode island reds, and ameracaunas. He is a beautiful rooster and pretty friendly, he hasnt used his spurs yet :}

I don't know why hatcheries sell Easter Eggers and call them Ameraucanas, but they do. I would think they research each breed they choose to sell before selling them, and that would lead them to list them as what they really are. But, so many of them continue to sell EE's as Ameraucanas and fool the public into thinking they have a bird that they really don't have

 

[speckledhen]

What bothers me about it is when someone goes to the trouble of showing what they believe is an Ameraucana and their actual EE is disqualified by the judge because it is not what they thought it was, leaving them completely confused and angry.

 

[aoxa]

What bothers me about it is when someone goes to the trouble of showing what they believe is an Ameraucana and their actual EE is disqualified by the judge because it is not what they thought it was, leaving them completely confused and angry.

What bothers you, that they show an EE, or that the Hatcheries totally misrepresent?

I don't think it's the buyer's fault for not knowing what they are getting. Maybe it's too early for me to be reading posts. I need more coffee.

 

[melaniecantrell]

my ameracauna hens only lay bluish eggs...ive never had them lay any other color.

 

[aoxa]

my ameracauna hens only lay bluish eggs...ive never had them lay any other color. 

They are still Easter Eggers. They can lay any colour, but for the most part they are blue/green or pink.

 

[Pele]

I would recommend going to www.Ameraucana.org for a really nice detailed breakdown of what makes an Ameraucana an Ameraucana, and a good discussion on hatchery habits of mislabling thier birds.

I personally have contacted Meyer with helpful pointers on labling their birds correctly, but got a complete brushoff from them. To me, it's in the same category as selling spotted Labradors. People buy these birds, and get seriously disappointed that they've received a mutt that doesn't even fit the standard closely.

The worst part is that people breed these EEs, and then sell them to other people as 'Americaunas, or Americanas", which just perpetuates the disappointment, anger, and unhappiness in a hobby that should be nothing but joy. "But I got them from a breeder" is a common tale of woe that is posted here in the forums.

Besides, EEs are such a wonderful variety in and of themselves (I have a few myself), why not celebrate what they are, instead of trying to hide it? I guess we'll never know what goes on in hatchery heads.

 

[melaniecantrell]

I totally agree with you. Not to change the subject, but I contacted Ideal about the mixup...not only did I NOT receive all four "ameracauna" hens...they sent me the "ameracauna" rooster and on top of that...somehow I ended up with a an unknown breed of a bantam roo...I contacted them for weeks via email and telephone about the mixup and no one responded back to me.

 

[melaniecantrell]

I want to thank everyone for their inputs. It is my first time using a forum. I really appreciate the help...Not to bug anyone, but I have another favor...at the 1:08 on my video, the bantam roo that was sent to me in the mixup, comes out, is there anyway someone can help me try to identify his breed as well? I know the video isnt too clear, but any ideas will help out alot. Thank you so much