OH, NO....Is she actually a HE? EE or Ameraucana?

[Zinjifrah]

Just before reading this thread, I was on the phone with a local lady that breeds and sells fowl, who I'd just heard about... And I asked if she had Ameraucana. She said 'yes! She has a bunch, 3-4 months old! They lay lovely blue, green and pink eggs.' So I said... 'you mean, they're Easter Eggers.' 'Yes! Ameraucanas are Easter Eggers!' 'Do you have genuine Ameraucanas, in self-blue, and bantams?' 'Sure! They lay colorful eggs, too!' I decided I didn't really need to go buy any.

 

[TheDirtyLawyer]

I think if there is a breed standard and it's not met then it's dishonest. Otherwise not so much?

That's my legal opinion but I don't know much about chickens.

 

[Glitterchicks]

That's my legal opinion but I don't know much about chickens.

I agree...just out of curiosity, i think I'll call them tomorrow and see what they say.

 

[louisebarnhill]

Thank you...it doesn't really matter to me because she is super docile and friendly, I just wondered what she was. Do they look 8 weeks...maybe 9 by now...I'm very new and these are my first girls. Thank you.

 

[SteveWin]

As I understand it, the Araucana is a rumpless (no tail bone) bird from South America that lays blue eggs (usually, and due to an overexpression of a biliverdin transport molecule in the oviduct). Unfortunately, the rumpless gene is linked to some other kind of genetic problem. So, someone decided to cross Araucana with some other breeds, to try to breed out the rumplessness and the related defect. The result of that effort is the recognized Ameraucana breed.
"Easter Eggers" are not a recognized breed - that's an informal term with somewhat variable meanings to different people. I think of it like a general category name. Sort of like how GMC makes lots of different models of "truck", but "Truck" is not the actual model name for any of them. EE's (and OE's - "Olive Eggers") are usually crosses of different breeds (blue, light brown, dark brown, and/or white layers, trying to create as many different egg colors as possible. Some people include recognized breeds like Ameraucana and Legbar in the "EE" category - it's fine to do so, since there is no standard definition of "Easter Egged". But it's dishonest to call an EE "Ameraucana" if you bred it from other breeds.

 

[louisebarnhill]

As I understand it, the Araucana is a rumpless (no tail bone) bird from South America that lays blue eggs (usually, and due to an overexpression of a biliverdin transport molecule in the oviduct). Unfortunately, the rumpless gene is linked to some other kind of genetic problem. So, someone decided to cross Araucana with some other breeds, to try to breed out the rumplessness and the related defect. The result of that effort is the recognized Ameraucana breed.
"Easter Eggers" are not a recognized breed - that's an informal term with somewhat variable meanings to different people. I think of it like a general category name. Sort of like how GMC makes lots of different models of "truck", but "Truck" is not the actual model name for any of them. EE's (and OE's - "Olive Eggers") are usually crosses of different breeds (blue, light brown, dark brown, and/or white layers, trying to create as many different egg colors as possible. Some people include recognized breeds like Ameraucana and Legbar in the "EE" category - it's fine to do so, since there is no standard definition of "Easter Egged". But it's dishonest to call an EE "Ameraucana" if you bred it from other breeds.

Got it...Thank you for the EE lesson...I have learned so much in just the little amount of time I have joined...

 

[bruceha2000]

@louisebarnhill !!

Unfortunately, the rumpless gene is linked to some other kind of genetic problem.

I don't think that is true. There is a genetic problem with the ear tuft gene. Two copies spells death for the chick.

I remember when they were called Araucanas too.

I think the biggest failure here belongs to the APA. They allowed the people who developed the APA Araucana chicken to use the common name used for a bunch of birds that had no standard from which the Araucana, and later the Ameraucana, were developed. They should have been required to come up with a new name. It isn't like the "original" Araucana disappeared when the APA granted them the right to use the name.

This is where I got mine... they are using all 3 names. I can't tell if they're trying to be totally honest or create confusion.

Don't know but they are totally wrong. An APA Araucana and an APA Ameraucana can ONLY lay BLUE eggs. And there were NO birds called Ameraucana until they were specifically developed and named. They are liars or carelessly ignorant.

How about these? One of my "amerucanas" from feed store has no tail!

No tail yet?? "Tailless" means they are missing the last vertebrae in their spine. And it can certainly happen given the "Araucana" of the 50's and 60's included tailless birds. Otherwise they couldn't have been used to develop the APA Araucana. I have no idea if there is a gene that causes them to be tailless.

Just before reading this thread, I was on the phone with a local lady that breeds and sells fowl, who I'd just heard about... And I asked if she had Ameraucana. She said 'yes! She has a bunch, 3-4 months old! They lay lovely blue, green and pink eggs.' So I said... 'you mean, they're Easter Eggers.' 'Yes! Ameraucanas are Easter Eggers!' 'Do you have genuine Ameraucanas, in self-blue, and bantams?' 'Sure! They lay colorful eggs, too!' I decided I didn't really need to go buy any.

Good plan. Again likely totally ignorant but selling EEs as APA birds to unsuspecting people.

 

[SteveWin]

I don't think that is true. There is a genetic problem with the ear tuft gene. Two copies spells death for the chick.
...

Yes, You're right. I forgot about the ear tufts. Thanks for the correction!

 

[TheDirtyLawyer]

Yes, You're right. I forgot about the ear tufts. Thanks for the correction!

This is some fascinating stuff! Who knew there would be so much to learn!

 

[Zinjifrah]

Good plan. Again likely totally ignorant but selling EEs as APA birds to unsuspecting people.

Yep. Don't get me wrong - I've got no problem with EE's! Until recently, I'd never even heard of either. I just like the self-blue color, the bantam size, the beard, and the temperament I've been told the Ameraucana have... and I couldn't give a fig about the eggs (Shameful secret - I don't like eggs, except for hatching). So... if I'm going to get what I want, best to be sure of what I'm getting!