junebuggena
Crowing
Like I said. Ameraucana only come in a few colors. Easter Eggers can be any color/pattern combination. Ameraucana only have pea combs. Easter Eggers usually have pea combs, but occasionally, one will pop up with a single comb. The bottoms of an Ameraucana's feet should be white. Easter Eggers usually have yellow foot bottoms. The bottom of the foot is an easy place to see the skin color. Ameraucana are always muffed and bearded. Easter Eggers can be muffed, bearded, or neither.
Basically, any bird that resembles an Ameraucana, but doesn't meet the breed standard is an Easter Egger.
Ameraucana can be very slow to mature and develop. It can take a pure Ameraucana pullet about 6 to 8 months to be mature enough for laying eggs. Some take even longer. They are not great layers when they do start, giving about 3 or 4 eggs a week.
Easter Eggers mature a bit faster. Most reach laying age by 20 to 25 weeks. They are generally much better producers than pure Ameraucana. One of mine lays nearly every single day. Blue eggs are not guaranteed. Most will lay a shade of green or blue green. Some will lay brown, white, or cream. There is no way to tell what color egg a pullet will lay, but the pea comb is a good indicator of having at least one blue egg gene.
There can be a wide range of sizes in Easter Eggers. My rooster is a big boy (at least 8 pounds). I have a pullet that's almost the same size as him (she's about 6 pounds), and I have another that is tiny. She's barely 4 pounds.
Basically, any bird that resembles an Ameraucana, but doesn't meet the breed standard is an Easter Egger.
Ameraucana can be very slow to mature and develop. It can take a pure Ameraucana pullet about 6 to 8 months to be mature enough for laying eggs. Some take even longer. They are not great layers when they do start, giving about 3 or 4 eggs a week.
Easter Eggers mature a bit faster. Most reach laying age by 20 to 25 weeks. They are generally much better producers than pure Ameraucana. One of mine lays nearly every single day. Blue eggs are not guaranteed. Most will lay a shade of green or blue green. Some will lay brown, white, or cream. There is no way to tell what color egg a pullet will lay, but the pea comb is a good indicator of having at least one blue egg gene.
There can be a wide range of sizes in Easter Eggers. My rooster is a big boy (at least 8 pounds). I have a pullet that's almost the same size as him (she's about 6 pounds), and I have another that is tiny. She's barely 4 pounds.