Whats the difference....

[eenie114]

Between Auracaunas, Americaunas, and Easter eggers? Not sure if this is the right spot for this but it seemed to be the best.

I know that one has Fluffy "cheeks" and one has yellow legs, and they all lay rainbow eggs, but is there any big difference?
Thanks!

 

[anniem]

There are some big 'ol threads on this topic if you put Ameracauna/EE in the search. You will also find varied information (some seems to be contradictory, to me).
The only consistent thing I find is that EEs are Ameracauna mixes but not purebred. They will often have the puffy cheeks and lay colored eggs like the "real" thing.
Personally, I make sure to say my chicks are EEs when I am on this board but I generally say Ameracauna IRL because that's what they are sold as and that's what people know. I don't really care enough to educate people on it. But i'm also in town talking to backyard owners, not to anyone who is breeding.

 

[wordgirl]

Quote:
http://www.ameraucana.org/faq.html#ONE

Look at this question and the one below it.

Hopefully that helps.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

Here is a very well known Ameraucana Breeder, read the info on his site and it helps to understand the difference. I know I would be quite upset if I purchased "Ameraucana's" from someone just to find out they were EE's. If I were selling EE's I would be sure they knew they were EE's because at some point someone down the line may want to breed them. JMO

http://chickhatchery.com/

 

[Illia]

No they don't all lay rainbow eggs, that's what hatcheries tell you to convince you they have the real thing. . . Easter Eggers lay rainbow eggs and have any leg color and may or may not have puffy cheeks, Ameraucanas only have slate legs, must have puffy cheeks, and should only lay blue-green to blue eggs. Araucanas should not have tails, should have but don't always have tufts, and should only lay blue eggs. Their leg color should only be yellow if they're white.

The best note though on the breeds is that NO hatchery or feedstore sells real Ameraucana or Araucana chicks. . . They sell crossbred mutts called Easter Eggers.

Here's a really helpful link with pictures.

 

[anniem]

I believe the rumpless trait for Aracaunas is only in the states, in Australia where they originated they often have tails.
And since EEs are mixes they may or may not lay the colorful eggs b/c they are mixes.
And there are plenty of EEs that have all the Ameracauna traits, though, right?
As far as I can tell, you are not going to get a real Ameracauna for $2 at a feed store, either. But someone else on here has said that she sells her Ameracaunas to a feed store, so it is possible to get them at that way...I guess you just need to know where *they* got it from.

 

[Illia]

Quote:
Probably me.

As for the Australian breeding of Araucanas, yes, that is true.

But, yeah, Easter Eggers have plenty of Ameraucana traits, they're just not Ameraucanas.

 

[anniem]

Quote:
It just seems almost silly sometimes to describe what an Ameracauna standard is when basically it just comes down to who you got it from. An EE can meet all the criteria that is posted over and over again but it doesn't matter b/c it's an EE if it came from a feed store or hatchery. It's not really about meeting those standards was what I meant.

 

[Illia]

Quote:
It just seems almost silly sometimes to describe what an Ameracauna standard is when basically it just comes down to who you got it from. An EE can meet all the criteria that is posted over and over again but it doesn't matter b/c it's an EE if it came from a feed store or hatchery. It's not really about meeting those standards was what I meant.

Honestly I have yet to see an Easter Eggers who meet all Ameraucana standards.

One thing I find is that a lot of people think they meet them, but they seem to have a poor judgement on colors, especially buff and Wheaten.

Not singling people out, just finding observations. In fact, most EE colors are derived from Araucana colors. The duckwing crossed boys, the BBR based girls, etc.

 

[anniem]

No doubt that's true! The basic standards don't give a lot of info if you don't really have anything to compare to (it's easy for an untrained eye to look at a chicken and say "yeah...I guess it's leg are kinda slate colored" or whatever). That's just another reason that there doesn't seem to be much use in explaining the differences by quoting the standards, imo.
I really do understand that there's a difference and the importance of it....the reaction some of you have to this is probably similar to the cringe I get when people try to tell about their "purebred" dogs.

(Actually what I love is when people see a well bred dog and think it's a mix b/c they are used to the poorly bred version

).