What is the difference between an Easter Egger and an Auracana?

[Chickyloubou]

I am new to breeds but not to raising chickens and would love to educate myself on breeds. I have some Auracanas and what I was told were blue wheaten Auracanas but I am having good a hard time deciphering between an Easter Egger and an Auracana. I also have some pictures of my chicks and would like confirmation on their sex and breeds but can't figure out why it won't upload my images.

 

[Chickyloubou]

I know the little black and white it baby is a copper Maran.

 

[Chickyloubou]

 

[Chickyloubou]

 

[enola]

Do you live in Europe?

If you don't, you don't have Araucanas, your chicks have tails.

 

[junebuggena]

Hatcheries in the U.S. sometimes sell their Easter Eggers as Araucana. No hatchery in North America sells pure Araucana. Araucana are rumpless, are sometimes tufted, have pea combs, and only lay blue eggs. Most hatchery Easter Eggers resemble Ameraucana. Ameraucana only come in a few colors, have pea combs, muffs, beards, slate legs, white skin, and only lay blue eggs.
Most Easter Eggers have Ameraucana in their distant background, some have Araucana; but they have been cross bred with other breeds to improve their production rates. Easter Eggers can be any color and pattern combination, can have pea combs or single comb (but the single comb birds are not likely to lay colored eggs), can be muffed and bearded or clean faced, and usually have greenish legs and yellow skin. Easter Eggers could possibly lay blue, green, white, brown, or cream eggs.

 

[Chickyloubou]

No I live in Northern California. So you are saying getting there are no Auracanas outside of Europe?

 

[junebuggena]

There are Araucana in the U.S., but they can only be obtained from a breeder. Europe has a different breed called the Araucana that is like the U.S. Ameraucana, but theirs are also crested. Your chicks resemble Ameraucana, but some of them are clean faced, and at least one of the has yellow legs, and they are not standard colors. You have Easter Eggers, the person who bred those birds does not know the first thing about the Ameraucana, or Araucana breeds.

 

[Chickyloubou]

That's too bad the breeder doesn't know, as you say, because these chicks were in the poultry education display at our state fair. Seems rediculous to mislead and miss educate so many people. I love these babies regardless, I just don't want to be miseducated myself. What are the differences between an Americana and an Easter Egger besides sometimes being cross bred for production? Markings, physical characteristics etc...

 

[Chickyloubou]