The EE braggers thread!!!

[SunnyDawn]

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I intend to officially call mine "North American Quechua", as that is (scientifically and culturally speaking) the most proper name for those that make the grade. The sad thing is that if it wasn't for the blue egg gene being dominant, then they would not be bred so haphazardly, crossed with everything under the sun, and the term "Easter Egger" probably never would have been thought of.

Ok Medicine Man I got a question for you, I often see people, specially breeders, say that at hatcheries cross all kinds of chickens to create EE's, I get condused tho because most of the EE's I've seen from hatcheries have common features amongst each others like pea combs, beards, green legs or other color legs but yellow. But in my experience, I've crossed my EE hens with a BCM rooster and I think I only got like 1 chick with all those features together, some I got with green legs but straight comb, other with a pea comb but yellow legs.
So My question is, is that really true that hatcheries cross their EE's to all kinds of breeds?

Since most EEs look so similar to each other it's a safe bet they don't cross them to a bunch of different birds but keep the breeding consistent. It sure would be fun to spend a few weeks studying their breeding programs!
Sorry, I'm not Medicine Man.

 

[SunnyDawn]

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Ok Medicine Man I got a question for you, I often see people, specially breeders, say that at hatcheries cross all kinds of chickens to create EE's, I get condused tho because most of the EE's I've seen from hatcheries have common features amongst each others like pea combs, beards, green legs or other color legs but yellow. But in my experience, I've crossed my EE hens with a BCM rooster and I think I only got like 1 chick with all those features together, some I got with green legs but straight comb, other with a pea comb but yellow legs.
So My question is, is that really true that hatcheries cross their EE's to all kinds of breeds?

I'll defer to the expert on this one: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=402512&p=1

In spite of the half-baked logic perpetuated on BYC, the hatcheries are much, much more selective in their "Ameraucana" breeding than they get credit for. Yes, the hatchery Ameraucanas do have a lot of traits in common (typically) because they have come from an old race (Quechua) and they are really not all that far removed from it. It's all the amateur backyardigans crossing them to Buff Orpingtons and what-not and calling them "Easter Eggers" that are ruining the race.

Love the link Medicine Man! That is facinating stuff! DH and I are currently exploring the idea of retiring in South America and this info really peaked my interest.

 

[crash0330]

It was an open question Sunny I just refered to Medicine man cuz I read on past posts that he was trying to breed for a specifical color on EEs!!! lol
I agree with you guys that's what I was thinking otherwise I would think you'd end up with a bunch of non alike EE's from hatcheries if they just crossed their EEs with whatever right?, I also want to keep my EE's from cross breeding to another chickens but I also wanted olive egger, thats why I crossed them with a BCM Roo.

 

[Wild Trapper]

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I'll defer to the expert on this one: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=402512&p=1

In spite of the half-baked logic perpetuated on BYC, the hatcheries are much, much more selective in their "Ameraucana" breeding than they get credit for. Yes, the hatchery Ameraucanas do have a lot of traits in common (typically) because they have come from an old race (Quechua) and they are really not all that far removed from it. It's all the amateur backyardigans crossing them to Buff Orpingtons and what-not and calling them "Easter Eggers" that are ruining the race.

Love the link Medicine Man! That is facinating stuff! DH and I are currently exploring the idea of retiring in South America and this info really peaked my interest.

Medicine Man, I second that on that link, although I have not taken the time to explore it completely, I did subscribe to it so I can find it again.

SunnyDawn, Got a specific country in mind?

 

[puredelite]

It would be interesting to know just how the commercial hatcheries work with supplying their customers with EE chicks. Have read that most of the larger one's have contracts with area breeders that supply the eggs for hatching. That does seem practical due the volume of chicks produced. Also would explain the consistency of most of the EE's sold commercially with just a few variations in type and color according maybe to different areas of the US. Like previously stated, nothing in the breeding like what goes on in backyard flocks fabricated EE's from any and all types of chickens. I personally would like to find others like myself that have been raising EE's for 10-15 yrs. with a closed flock that have been culled and selected for a consistent type and egg color. Especially those that have been bred to produce only blue eggs and none of the pinks, tans or green hues. When I first started out with this "breed" they were , altho maybe erroneously, labeled as Arauacana's. Altho, according to the International Arauacana Standard guidelines they were correct as it accepted most of the standard color patterns and also muffs, beards, tufts, etc. As most of you are aware there is an ongoing, too often vicious, debate about EE's / Amerauana's / Arauacana's and their common connection and origination. Not to step on any toes or offend , but the similarities are just too obvious to deny...

 

[puredelite]

In the 1960's or 70's even further refined Quechua arrived in the United States and were given the name of Easter Eggers. These original Easter Eggers were the progenitors of the North American Quechua or Ameraucana as it better known.

The above quote came from Resolution's research of the SA Quechua and it's development and one can choose to agree or not. But by studying the photos in his original post and comparing to the photos posted on this thread of the majority of hatchery EE's it is almost an insult to define these as "mutts". As stated by Med. Man these that conform to the N. Amer. Quechua type do need to be selectively bred and labeled as such and not categorized as simply Rainbow Egg or Easter Egg'ers.

 

[gootziecat]

I was going through some back posts and noted quite a few of the pullets/hens were muffless and beardless. Does a large percentage of these lay blue/blue/green eggs (rather than pink/brown)? I'm assuming without the muff and beard they are bred closer to whatever they cross the EEs with, ie. rock, wyandotte, etc. Just curious as I like them but wouldn't want to give up the egg color.

 

[emjay]

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I have 17 EE's, and it's pretty much half and half (+1) of girls with beards/muffs and without. All of mine lay blue, blue/green eggs.

some have parents who are both EE's and some have parents where only the dad is an EE.
lucky for me the dad has very strong genes.

 

[SunnyDawn]

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Love the link Medicine Man! That is facinating stuff! DH and I are currently exploring the idea of retiring in South America and this info really peaked my interest.

Medicine Man, I second that on that link, although I have not taken the time to explore it completely, I did subscribe to it so I can find it again.

SunnyDawn, Got a specific country in mind?

Yes. Ecuador.

I am totally smitten with the idea and have been studying everything I can get my hands on! They are super sweet people and very accepted of "Gringos" (not an insulting term there) they are also very chicken friendly! Even in the city you wake up to the sound of roosters. At least that's what I've been hearing.

 

[SteveH]

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There were landraces of chickens in S. America and some layed blue/green eggs; none have been kept pure and its doubtful the exact physical description of the landrace that layed the blue/green is even known.

Punnet studied the genetics of the blue egg many years ago. This research article of his may be an interesting read for some, as it mentions the appearance of those birds [back before even I was born

] and the crosses he made during his study,
http://www.ias.ac.in/jarch/jgenet/27/465.pdf