the differance between araucana and easter egger?

[raygirl4386]

i have 1 pullet sold to me as an araucana then i have a mystry chick in the basement with feather tuffs on her cheeks. and im just wondering how can you tell for sure which one is which?

 

[gg706]

Where did you get them? Feed stores and hatcheries do NOT sell Araucanas. You can only get true Araucanas from a breeder. There is an Araucana only thread you can check out if you wish. Here is the link. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/newestpost/288425
You can ask questions and post pics and get accurate answers as they are mostly all Araucana breeders on that thread. Araucana must be

rumpless
have tufts
no beard
no muffs
hens lay a slate colored egg

 

[Pele]

Where did you get them? Feed stores and hatcheries do NOT sell Araucanas. You can only get true Araucanas from a breeder. There is an Araucana only thread you can check out if you wish. Here is the link. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/newestpost/288425
You can ask questions and post pics and get accurate answers as they are mostly all Araucana breeders on that thread. Araucana must be

rumpless
have tufts
no beard
no muffs
hens lay a slate colored egg

Good information, only a slight correction: hens lay blue eggs

Also, keep in mind that the above is just the USA standard, and the rest of the world breeds them much differently.

 

[raygirl4386]

so if they lay blue eggs they are araucanas and any other color is an easter egger?

 

[speckledhen]

No. Ameraucanas lay blue eggs. Araucanas lay blue eggs. Ameraucanas are not like Araucanas at all.

NO hatchery sells either of those. Easter eggers lay any color eggs and have any color of plumage, any color of leg since there is no standard for them, being of mixed genetics. Hatcheries sell EEs as Ameraucanas/Araucanas/AmerIcanas or whatever, but they are falsely advertising.

You need to read this thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=128806

 

[Pele]

so if they lay blue eggs they are araucanas and any other color is an easter egger?

It would be nice if the differences were that simple, but unfortunately that isn't the case. I would recommend visiting Ameraucana.org, they have a really good breakdown of the three breeds that get commonly confused.

My own understanding of the breed features are as follows:

EE: this is not a recognized or standardized 'breed'. Usually bred in hatcheries out of various types of laying birds. The 'ideal' EE has slate or willow legs, a beard and/or muff, pea comb, and lays blue or green eggs. Because there is no standard, however, you can mix, substitute, subtract, and mess with these features all you like, and still call a bird an EE even if it only has one or two of the features (yes this means they could end up laying brown eggs for you).

Ameraucana: A very highly controlled show quality breed. These birds can only come in the following colors: Black, Blue Wheaten, Brown Red, Wheaten, Buff, Silver Duckwing, and White. ANY other color is not considered an Ameraucana. As I said, a very very highly restrictive breed. Their other features are as follows: Slate legs, pea comb, muff and beard, lays blue (ideally) and green (still acceptable) eggs.

Araucana: Another tightly managed breed, but a bit older in origins. This bird looks completely different than the other two, though hatcheries love to use the breed name on EEs because it increases sales for some reason. This breed has strange looking tufts of feathers sweeping back from their cheeks, and are considered tail-less (missing last two vertibrea). This breed MUST have blue eggs. No exceptions.

Hope that helps a bit!

 

[raygirl4386]

ill try to take pics, tonight or tomorrow and post them. the 18 week old pullet is not an Araucana because she has no cheek puffs that sweep back. i got them off a couple guys the one in the brooder is most likely an easter egger since she came from a light brown egg, i only had one green egg and sadly that didnt hatch. i will post pics of the older one but i think she might be an EE too. thats fine with me, its not like im trying to breed them or anything, but a colorful egg basket would be REALLY nice =) thank you

 

[gg706]

Not a cheek puff, Araucana dont have cheek puffs they have a tuft.....These are Araucana roos they both have tufts. By slate colored egg I was speaking of blue. I apologize if I did not word it correctly this is my first go round with Araucana. They are a very confusing breed. They are beautiful birds! I am VERY taken with them!

 

[raygirl4386]

the first pic is of the chick i hatched on may 2nd she (hopefull) came out of a brown egg. the second pic is of the one sold to me as an Ameraucana ( thought it was the other type but he deff said Ameraucana) but i think she is an easter egger too. oh well



the eggs to hatch were from a local backyard flock he sells his eggs for $3 a dozen and doesnt matter if your hatching or eating them, i was sold since that was my first time hatching eggs.
the older one is about 16 weeks i got her from a guy who moves poultry for big companies from the brooder barn to the laying barn and he takes and sells them once all the barns are full, i feel bad for them since they have clipped beaks =( but they are sweet girls. my 18 weeks cockeral is happy to have some females in the run. i bought 6 chicks from a chicken swap in our area and ALL 6 turned out to be roos =( so after growing up with all boys he is now happy to be the only boy with some girls now =)

 

[aoxa]

the first pic is of the chick i hatched on may 2nd she (hopefull) came out of a brown egg. the second pic is of the one sold to me as an Ameraucana ( thought it was the other type but he deff said Ameraucana) but i think she is an easter egger too. oh well



the eggs to hatch were from a local backyard flock he sells his eggs for $3 a dozen and doesnt matter if your hatching or eating them, i was sold since that was my first time hatching eggs.
the older one is about 16  weeks i got her from a guy who moves poultry for big companies from the brooder barn to the laying barn and he takes and sells them once all the barns are full, i feel bad for them since they have clipped beaks =( but they are sweet girls. my 18 weeks cockeral is happy to have some females in the run. i bought 6 chicks from a chicken swap in our area and ALL 6 turned out to be roos =( so after growing up with all boys he is now happy to be the only boy with some girls now =)

He's beautiful!