What do hatcheries use to make Easter Eggers / Fake Ameraucana? =P Just some random thoughts and que

MisfitMarie

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5 Years
Oct 20, 2014
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Just to clarify first, I am aware that Easter Eggers are technically mutts, not actual recognized breeds.

I bought my first "Ameraucana" pullets from a feed store. Having grown up on a farm with only brown egg layers, I did some light research on fun egg colors and the breeds that lay them and decided on Ameraucanas. Alas, I had not done enough research, and what I ended up taking home were actually Easter Eggers, falsely advertised as Ameraucanas.

NO BIG DEAL. They're awesome chickens with great personalities. I adore them.

But I was curious... Is there a typical breed combination that hatcheries use to create these Easter Eggers? Mine have the breads/fluffy faces and what not but most certainly are not pure.

So if they're not Ameraucanas... What exactly are they typically crosses of?

They all look fairly similar, so I figured it was worth asking if there is a go-to combination that the hatcheries use.

One of mine seems to have matured much sooner than the others. At 17 weeks, she is red-faced with a comb that seems to have doubled in size over past week. She's been squatting and spending time in the nest box. Funny, because the rest of my pullets all seem like they need plenty more time.

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Any blue egg layer (Ameraucana, Aracauna, Cream Legbar) crossed with any brown egg layer will make an Easter Egger, but most hatcheries cross Ameraucanas with brown egg layers to make their Easter Egger. They specifically cross Ameraucanas with chocolate egg layers such as Marans, Welsummers, Barnevelders, etc. to make the Easter Eggers known as Olive Eggers because of their dark olive green eggs.
 
Any blue egg layer (Ameraucana, Aracauna, Cream Legbar) crossed with any brown egg layer will make an Easter Egger, but most hatcheries cross Ameraucanas with brown egg layers to make their Easter Egger. They specifically cross Ameraucanas with chocolate egg layers such as Marans, Welsummers, Barnevelders, etc. to make the Easter Eggers known as Olive Eggers because of their dark olive green eggs.

Yeah, that makes sense. I'd hope mine are at least half Ameraucana. There was 'Olive Eggers' written underneath the label, so here's hoping for green eggs I guess! =P
 
I don't know this for sure, but I guess I'd just assummed EE have been around long enough hatcheries simply breed Easter eggers to Easter eggers. They may add in some pure blood blue egg birds from time to time, or something like Leghorn to increase productivity, but I really don't think the hatchery bird you buy has a pure bred parent that wouldn't be called an EE.
 
I don't know this for sure, but I guess I'd just assummed EE have been around long enough hatcheries simply breed Easter eggers to Easter eggers. They may add in some pure blood blue egg birds from time to time, or something like Leghorn to increase productivity, but I really don't think the hatchery bird you buy has a pure bred parent that wouldn't be called an EE.

Yeah, that makes sense. Crazy think that my "Ameraucana/EE" might not have any Ameraucana in them at all! Ha! Well, four of them DO have the fluffy faces, so there must be a little. Lol
 
I don't know this for sure, but I guess I'd just assummed EE have been around long enough hatcheries simply breed Easter eggers to Easter eggers. They may add in some pure blood blue egg birds from time to time, or something like Leghorn to increase productivity, but I really don't think the hatchery bird you buy has a pure bred parent that wouldn't be called an EE.

Yeah, that makes sense. Crazy think that my "Ameraucana/EE" might not have any Ameraucana in them at all! Ha! Well, four of them DO have the fluffy faces, so there must be a little. Lol
I don't know how many EEs are bred with other EEs at these hatcheries either, but obviously at certain points they have to add in pure blood Ameraucanas or eventually the majority of their EEs would just be laying brown eggs. Most of the EEs I've gotten from hatcheries are laying green eggs. :eek:)
 

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