The Ameraucana Thread: Where everything and anything about the breed can be discussed (APA, Non-Stan

[blipit007]

I have been referred to the Ameraucana Breeders Club webpage by other members where they have a scrapbook tab that provides pictures of the APA standard colors for the breed. Any bird that does not phenotypically match one of the standard 8 colors can not be considered an APA Standard Bird. As it stands now the breeders club claims that regardless of parentage, offspring that does not fall into one of these color categories is considered an EE. (I have hard time making sense of this and have been criticized on other Ameraucana threads for questioning the SOP of the breed). On this thread feel free to adhere to the SOP or refer to said offspring as Non-Standard Ameraucanas. EE's include crossbreeds. A Non-Standard Ameraucana is not a cross breed. Since most of the controversy with this breed revolves around color. Here is a like to the ABC websites scrapbook page that contains pictures of all 8 APA- standard colors of Ameraucanas. Have I confused anyone yet?

http://www.ameraucana.org/scrapbook.html


If your opinion differs from mine, please feel free to state your own. I would like people of differing opinions to feel welcome on this thread!

I looked at the scrapbook of all the different colors. Not sure what I have, but by looking at the chick photos, only one is like my chick. I think I have a silver female. What do you think?

 

[blipit007]

here is an older shot of her.

 

[ChickNmamma]

here is an older shot of her.

I believe you have an Easter Egger, not an Ameraucana. There are no gold based chipmunk chicks and your chick is not silver.

Come on over to the thread that celebrates Easter Eggers in all their different colors: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/273489/the-ee-braggers-thread/10760#post_10924522

I love my Easter Eggers, great egg layers and very friendly!

 

[Outrun Acres]

here is an older shot of her.

I have to agree with ChickNmamma. Your chick does look like an Easter Egger. Besides the coloring it looks to me like it has yellow legs instead of slate and I don't see much "fluff" that would indicates muffs and/or a beard. But Easter Eggers are wonderful chickens with great personalities and hybrid vigor! I think the best think about EE's is that you don't know what they are going to look like or what color eggs they are going to lay when they mature. So it's very fun and exciting watching them grow. It can be a bit more difficult to find true Ameraucanas. Could your chick have been a bird from someones project pen? When did you purchase your birds from?

 

[jerryse]

I like all colors, am considering getting some buff eggs to incubate and hatch at the same time as my BBS will arrive. I've seen the color charts on breeding BBS, what happens if you add buffs to the same flock???
I currently have black Jersey Giants and am getting BBS JG chicks along with the ameraucanas. I am biulding a second coop to keep all the babies in,after the brooder, until the JGs are large enough to free range with my existing flock. Then the new coop and run will be for the ameraucanas. I will have to alternate who gets to free range daily to keep the breeds separate. Besides selling and hatching out separate breed chicks and am worried that my big JG Roos would hurt the ameraucanas.
After they all start laying I will be having BBS of both breeds. Oh I also have coturnix quail and a trio of peafowl, AND cattle, horses, and mules, all on 85 acres. AND a husband, two kids and full time jobs, a little busy!!

Buff is a wonderful color but do not mix with BBS.The result will not be a standard color.These were a bantam buff projeject.The goal was improved egg laying and egg color.The rooster was pure buff.It can take 3+ generations to return to good buff color.

 

[jerryse]

Here is the mystery chick, any thoughts on gender, and what color it will be? It's a pure ameraucana, I was thinking splash, but it only has the odd feather that is dark.



Thank you!

My guess is a white cockerel.Most white ameraucana are recessive white.They sometimes have a dark feather.Splash should show more blue feathers.Color on splash does vary but not that white in my experience.

 

[salt and pepper]

Thank you.

 

[blipit007]

I have to agree with ChickNmamma. Your chick does look like an Easter Egger. Besides the coloring it looks to me like it has yellow legs instead of slate and I don't see much "fluff" that would indicates muffs and/or a beard. But Easter Eggers are wonderful chickens with great personalities and hybrid vigor! I think the best think about EE's is that you don't know what they are going to look like or what color eggs they are going to lay when they mature. So it's very fun and exciting watching them grow. It can be a bit more difficult to find true Ameraucanas. Could your chick have been a bird from someones project pen? When did you purchase your birds from?

I got them from out local feed and grain store here in Ct, Shagbark. They hold a chick day every year. Auraucana was the breed listed. I dont know anything about them. She does have to big fluffy cheeks though. And her feet are a light stone grey.

 

[Outrun Acres]

I got them from out local feed and grain store here in Ct, Shagbark. They hold a chick day every year. Auraucana was the breed listed. I dont know anything about them. She does have to big fluffy cheeks though. And her feet are a light stone grey.

I wanted to ask where you bought them from because it helps to add another piece to the puzzle. Most feed stores purchase their chicks from Hatcheries. Most hatcheries list there easter eggers as Ameraucanas/Americaunas/Araucanas. It's a shame they feel the need to do this. Some people told me that they focus strictly on a producing bearded birds that lay blue/green eggs with no regard for the standard. I have come to learn that the only way to get purebred Ameraucanas is to purchase your birds directly from a breeder. Even then you have to ask them the right questions and ask to see pictures of their birds to make sure they know what they are doing and breeding to the standard. I have 5 Easter Eggers that I knowingly purchased under the title of "Ameraucanas" from our local feed store. They all have beards and most have slate colored legs, but that is where the commonalities end between them and the Ameraucana standard. Most have pea combs so I am hoping for some nice blue eggs, but none of them are Ameraucanas based on their type and coloring. I will try to find their chick pictures and post them on here so you can see what they looked like. An Araucana is an entirely different breed than the Ameraucana. I don't know very much about Araucanas either other than they are a tufted, rumpless, blue-egg-laying breed. I can see the fluff under her chin a bit better in the bottom picture, but I still can't see her legs very well. I can also see a nice pea comb, so hopefully you will get some nice blue eggs from her. Did you purchase these birds in hopes of breeding and/or showing them? If so I hope you aren't upset and don't feel discouraged or deceived. This happens to a lot of people. You still have a beautiful chicken that is going to lay some lovely eggs!

 

[Outrun Acres]

These are some pictures of my Easter Eggers (listed as Ameraucanas) that I bought from my local feedstore. Some of there characteristics match the standard for the breed, but they aren't the entire package and shouldn't have been advertised as Ameraucanas.
























This bird is an Ameraucana x Silkie cross - a true Easter Egger.


This chick below feathered in orange with a black beard.


Since many of the Ameraucanas traits are dominant a crossbred bird can still be close to the standard without and still be considered a non-standard bird and/or an easter egger. The bird below is also an Ameraucana x silkie cross. Other than is feathered feet, it would be a little bit harder to tell that is wasn't an Ameraucana. The standard is strict and now that I have done some heavy research on the breed I can understand why it has to be. If you breed an Ameraucana to an Ameraucana and the offspring doesn't conform to the standard it is still an Ameraucana, just non-standard. If you having no way of knowing the parentage of your birds they probably aren't non-standard Ameraucanas, but Easter Eggers like these birds.