What is the difference between an Ameraucana and an EE ?

[Cindiloohoo]

Quote:
I thought I was....I get SO confused with those breeds and I thought I finally had it right!!! LOL! Guess not....

 

[faykokoWV]

 

[Dora'smom]

I am no expert, but I know enough to tell when the information regarding these birds is listed incorrectly on a feed store identification tag. I visited a feed store last week, that had EE chicks, but the tag said Auraucana, and also mentioned Easter Egger as the alternate description. When I commented on this to the attendant, she immediately said, "no, they are Ameraucanas---which are also called Easter Eggers, but we have to label them like this because it's how the hatchery wants it". What a load of misinformation. There was no reasoning with her, either. No wonder so many people are confused. It really should be illegal to label them so inaccurately, and lead people to believe that they are something they are not.

 

[Akane]

My problem is what to advertise my EEs. I list them as easter eggers or anything else anywhere but a chicken forum and people go "huh? What is that?" and I get few other responses. Listing them as a breed like the hatcheries do seems quite wrong though and they aren't quite rainbow layers since the ones I was selling all laid the same color. When I sold some hatchery hens I just listed them as ameraucana from such and such hatchery so everyone knows they are hatchery stock and I'm just using the name the hatchery gave them. I figured it was the other person's responsibility to know the difference and at least I'd weeded out the ones that didn't lay colored eggs for them. They'd be no better off buying from the feedstore or local hatchery I did and if they cared they'd do the research and get purebred birds. My bantam EE which are such a mix of breeds you really can't trace them to anywhere I just advertise as mixed bantams and then mention in the add they have a certain chance of laying blue or green depending on what I know I mixed.

 

[MISS MILLIE]

I did a lot of reading in books and internet and here of course. Americaunas and Aracaunas (sp?) are two distinct different breeds. The Ameracaunas have a nice website describing the breed in detail. Aracaunas have no tails and are missing a bone in that area, giving them a stunted appearance in the rear. Easter eggers are mutts, generally derived from ameracaunas mixed with something else. all three types carry the blue/green egg laying gene, but the EE can also lay pink, brown, whatever (they're mutts so you wont get consistency).
I had a similar experience when I called the local feed store and the girl told me they were selling Ameracaunas. I asked her if she was sure thats what they were, could they be aracaunas or something else? she completely screwed up the description for each of the breeds, and never mentioned the fact that they could be easter eggers. I didnt argue with her because what good would it do? I went to the store and purchased two "Ameracaunas" knowing full well they were EE- but I dont care because I dont plan to breed or show them, i just want the colorful eggs. A lot of the EE are very beautiful birds and theyre like a box of chocolates- "you never know what you're gonna get", LOL

 

[FrenchToast]

Ok so to make matters more complicated, is it true that even if a roo came out of a blue or green EE egg and the hen you breed him too lays green or blue eggs are bred together their offspring hens won't always lay a green or blue egg???

Even if they have been bred for several generations of EEr's??

Another question I have about the EEr's, If they are so called mutts that just happen to lay blue or green eggs then why do all the pictures I see of them look so much like the Amauracana's?

I can see if you cross an EE with a lets say RIR and their offspring hens happen to lay green eggs that would be a mutt chicken,or EEer, right? And it wouldn't necessarily look like most of the EEr's or Amauracanas.

I just hatched out my first batch two weeks ago which are a cross of BR,BO,RIR, sexlink,LB hens to my one and only Hugh Hefner EE Roo. And they all look different and don't look like the two EE'r hens I have. I also hatched out 5 eggs out of a EE hens to the EE roo and they do look like the hen. It will be interesting to see what they look like when they are fully feathered out. They are gorgeous (I'm a proud mom).My question isn't Who's your Daddy, It is Who's your Mama !!!
So, if my question makes any sense go ahead and explain away. LOL