Based on the Ameraucana Breeders Club definition, the answer to your questions is simple. The EE who comes from two Ameraucanas or one of each and does not get the blue egg gene from either parent is not an EE. It is just a barnyard mix. And likewise, your hen who came from a BBS Ameraucana flock and who has a peacomb and slate legs, but who lays a brown egg is not an EE either. The problem with the ABC definition is that it becomes impossible to determine visually whether or not a bird is an EE. There is simply no way to tell by looking whether or not a bird has the blue egg gene. The problem becomes even worse when dealing with a rooster as he will never lay, so there will never be anyway to determine visually whether or not he carries the blue egg gene. I suppose a set of EE standards could be established requiring EEs to have pea combs, beards, muffs, greenish legs, etc., but of course in doing that you are, in effect, establishing EEs as a breed, which of course is ridiculous as they will never breed true as long as they continue to lay eggs in various colors (it requires hybridization to bring this about). The other and better solution would be to completely throw out the EE label, even where the blue egg gene is concerned, and simply label them as barnyard mixes that happen to lay colored eggs. This would probably be the best approach, but the reality is (especially as hatcheries continue to propagate the EE label) that this is never likely to happen and generations from now, chicken breeders will still be debating what makes an EE an EE. I guess the upside to all of this is that it makes for some interesting post discussions.what do you call an EE who comes from two EEs or two Ameraucanas or one of each and does not get the blue egg gene from either parent? That's what you get with many of the hatchery EEs, who look the part but who end up laying brown eggs. They obviously did not inherit the blue egg gene so what do you call them? For lack of a better term, they are still EEs, IMO. If you call them a barnyard mix, well, to me that's what an EE is anyway.
I have a hen who came from a BBS Ameraucana flock, not hatchery stock, but breeder Ameraucanas, who has has a pea comb and slate legs, but who lays a brown egg. By her type, her spurs, her lack of beard, everything, she has some Sumatra in her lineage from generations back. Both parents were Ameraucanas, not EEs, but what the heck do I call this mutant hen? I would call her an EE, but some have issue with that. I can't call her Ameraucana, though that is what she is, genetically. She's apparently in a class by herself. She should have the blue egg gene from at least one parent, but she doesn't. Bizarre what genes can do, isn't it?
