why EE?

[ging3rhoffman]

http://www.eastereggers.com/

Easter Eggers came first. Some people decided to pull out six different colors of the EE and say.." hey lets call these Ameraucanas" So the EE is tops with me!!

 

[ravencreek]

Ok I have a question that will go along with this thread....Do EE's HAVE to have green legs? I also ordered Amerucanas from Ideal....Was I mislead into actually purchasing an EE? Or are they the same?

 

[Cetawin]

Yes EEs have green legs and yes you were mislead. The hatcheries sell EEs plain and simple. If one has purebred Ameraucanas I do not know of it, most of the hatcheries claim they are Ameraucana but they are easter eggers/EEs

here is some reading information for you:

http://www.ameraucana.org/faq.html




I have three of them (EEs) and I am proud to say that all three of them lay a different shade green egg. hahahahaha They were ordered as Ameraucanas

 

[ravencreek]

Well mine are still small and don't lay eggs yet. They also have yellow legs. The one I am concerned about is a rooster so he doesn't lay eggs. He also has yellow legs and no muffs/tufts. He is BEAUTIFUL. He was sold to me as a chick and I was told he was an Arucana(sp?). But as he got older he developed tail feathers. His coloring is not like any I have seen on here. I will have to get pics of him tomorrow and see what you guys think. Prolly an EE as everything is. Heh.

 

[roosty]

Quote:
NO, not all EE's have to have green legs...Mine dont!.They have dark legs...not green at all....Take a look for yourself

 

[halo]

I have EEs and I have ameraucanas. I have purchased some fairly pricey ameraucana eggs that when they arrived, they were green. My EEs lay very large blue eggs. I am going to cross them with an Ameraucana roo to make them even bluer, but they will still be EEs.

That being said, I refuse to call any chicken a "mutt". I hate that term. Hate it. I dont mind cross-bred, or mixture, but I will never ever, call one of mine a "mutt". I hate that.

Did I mention that I hated that word?

 

[roosty]

Quote:
I think the question was Do they have to have green LEGS not eggs.

I dont consider EE's mutts.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

My fancy-bred Ameraucana hen just started laying this week. Biggest brightest green eggs I've ever seen. Other hen from the same breeder lays lovely pure blue eggs. Doesn't matter, because I'm really just after pretty eggs to fill out the cartons, but it was a shock!

Guess she's an EE as well...

 

[Year of the Rooster]

Quote:
NO, not all EE's have to have green legs...Mine dont!.They have dark legs...not green at all....Take a look for yourself

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/12683_dsc07206.jpg

Those may actually be considered GREEN legs or slate. They may not look like the color of grass or plants, but most likely have a slight green sheen to them.

and just an FYI because this is really getting on my NERVES!

MOST EE'S ARE MUTTS BUT NOT ALL MUTTS ARE EE'S! its as simple as that people! You could breed an EE to a RIR and get some chicks that resemble an EE with muffs, green legs, etc. But still be a "mutt". EE's can also lay any variety of egg color such as brown, green/blue, or a pinkish colored egg.

The reason people think some chicks are EE's is because MOST of the time they have all three characteristics: Beards and Muffs, green legs, and chipmunk stripes. NOT ALL have beards and muffs though but most do. NOT ALL have green legs, but again most do. It's all based on the person's amount of EXPERIENCE on identifying breeds.

Another thought: There are plenty of PUREBRED Ameraucanas that lay green eggs yet still adhere to the Standard. A lot of breeders name any culls from their flocks EE's because they are not good breeding stock due to certain characteristics.

Hatcheries on the other hand sell a GENERIC brand of Ameraucana. They know they do this. The parents "may" be pure Ameraucanas but because they breed for quantity rather than quality(Standard of Perfection) this has led them to be production birds, NOT SHOWBIRDS.

I don't have anything against them as I have one myself and enjoy her presence. But, IMHO, many people do not understand because of the lack of experience and knowledge of Identifying and the breed Standard.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

EEs do not need to have green, aka willow legs. There are a NUMBER of recognised breeds and varieties that have willow legs. I posted them the other day, but I am not going to dig through my standard again.

I too find it to be very inept to have the first guess be "it's an EE!" Sometimes even when the possible breeds are listed, and it was specifically mentioned that EE was not one of them!

Individuals may breed EEs for traits other than the blue egg gene, and muffs and beards are common, but hatcheries do not. Muffs, beards and green legs by no measure are required for a bird to be an EE. There is no standard.