Why so against EE?

[cashdl]

Ahhh! The old if you don't want them I will take them gambit.LOL!!! That is how I ended up with quite a few of my previous roosters. I live in the country so only me and mine to hear them. I also got 70 old laying hens that way which is cool, free hens, free eggs. Sadly I am down to 20 of those original ones due to old age but what a bunch grateful gals, happy to lay an egg and tell you about it.

My brother in-law bought me some chicks at TSC a while back and when they died I went in and explained that what had happened they gave me new chicks no questions asked. So maybe where you got yours will do the same because of your situation. Never hurts (too Much ) to try.

 

[chics in the sun]

Wow! If only I could have unlimited numbers of chickens and a few roosters........ But I am limited to five, which makes it worse because I can't just get more and more birds until I have the breeds I want. I will stop by there tomorrow, maybe even take a picture of my wacky Leghorn with me and tell them what happened.

 

[saddina]

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i know, this is sort of odd to me too.

That's the point where they lost me, if it comes from 2 pure lines of the same breed, it doesn't suddenly become a new breed.

 

[SteveH]

Quote:
i know, this is sort of odd to me too.

That's the point where they lost me, if it comes from 2 pure lines of the same breed, it doesn't suddenly become a new breed.

I understand your points . However , chickens do not have registration papers so the only way to identify them as being one breed or the other is the way they appear , and Ameraucanas have certain accepted colors that the founders worked long and hard to breed true inorder to gain APA acceptence as a breed . If you have a beautiful rooster or hen with all Ameraucana traits other than its color , take it to a show , what variety it going to show as ? Even if they had registration papers , if its not an accepted color , what do you register it as ? I'm not sure of registration requirements for the AQHA now , but when I had them a cropout paint of the most popular bloodline and great conformation could not be registered as an American Quarter Horse and just a little to much white on the face disqualified them ; this usually automaticly made it worth less money unless a paint breeder really wanted it bad enough to pay an over the market price for it .
To me it just isn't fair to the breed and its founders for me to breed an off color and call it an Ameraucana ; those people invested many years and much money to get them where they're at and recognised as a breed .

 

[averytds]

Since you waited and got an older one, it was probably just put in that bin with all the others around that age to make room for new ones and they just didn't change the sign.

 

[PineappleMama]

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And a little something I learned at the Stock Show... the judges don't give a fig (here) about it being an Amer or an EE.

The pullet that won a ribbon, gorgeous bird so I just HAD to snoop... then I noticed the GREEN egg in the cage.

Didn't stop the judges in any way shape or form. All they cared about what how purdy she was.

But, it was a little disconcerting when I was telling DD "Hey look, it lays green eggs like I was telling you Ol' Granny's Easter Egger did when I was a kid" and the person nearest me just had to educate me about the fact that this bird was a pure bred Ameraucana... I just smiled and nodded... prolly the owners and I didn't intend to get in a spat in front of my kiddos so we just walked away...

I don't get it... bird is pretty, lays pretty (big, and numerous) eggs... works for me.... but I guess if you were trying to breed then pure is better so you can predict the results. With an EE there's no telling what all genes might be tucked away waiting to pop up in the next generation.

 

[saddina]

Quote:
That's the point where they lost me, if it comes from 2 pure lines of the same breed, it doesn't suddenly become a new breed.

I understand your points . However , chickens do not have registration papers so the only way to identify them as being one breed or the other is the way they appear , and Ameraucanas have certain accepted colors that the founders worked long and hard to breed true inorder to gain APA acceptence as a breed . If you have a beautiful rooster or hen with all Ameraucana traits other than its color , take it to a show , what variety it going to show as ? Even if they had registration papers , if its not an accepted color , what do you register it as ? I'm not sure of registration requirements for the AQHA now , but when I had them a cropout paint of the most popular bloodline and great conformation could not be registered as an American Quarter Horse and just a little to much white on the face disqualified them ; this usually automaticly made it worth less money unless a paint breeder really wanted it bad enough to pay an over the market price for it .
To me it just isn't fair to the breed and its founders for me to breed an off color and call it an Ameraucana ; those people invested many years and much money to get them where they're at and recognised as a breed .

I get that line of thinking, but to my way of thinking a clydesdale to a clydesdale will give clyesdale foals. Now to be sure they all won't have that perfect uniform marking Budweiser demands on thier parade horses, but that doesn't make them a mule for not having the right blaze shape. It's so counter-intuitive in how the chicken loop of standardized vs purebread is thought of.

But either way, no hard feelings, i'll even buy the first round.

 

[averytds]

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I don't think that's only attributable to EEs or even just chickens.

Like the Speckled's pointed out, it really doesn't matter. If the bird meets the standard, that's what it is for show purposes regardless of it's parentage. I've seen all kinds of judges with different levels of experience and apparently observational skills. We often run into the same judges, so it's truly not worth it to argue with them. Also depending on the venue and competition they may let more things slide. Outside of the show ring, it only matters to certain people, to everyone else, they're all just chickens. Breeders, collectors, exhibitors care, but not the majority of the people.

It's like canning. I can raw pack and save time, energy and water and get the same result (food preservation), but not the same looks (floaters, shrinkage). If I'm planning to show and have it judged by someone (fair, gift, etc.) and I actually care, then I should hot pack for optimal appearance. It doesn't do anything else beneficial so if it's just for storage, why waste the time and resources if you don't have to.


In all fairness though and what I think a lot of people including myself can't understand is why it seems only when Ameraucanas are involved are there issues. My BR is from the feed store. So she probably wouldn't meet the SOPs, but I don't plan to show her and have never cared enough to find out. When I say I have a BR, nobody jumps in to point out all the DQs and how she's not really a BR or expect me to prove anything. Nor would they insist I call her a mutt, mixed breed or nonstandard BR. She's just a BR. If someone really wants to know specifically, she's probably PQ, but I doubt anyone's going to start insisting I say PQ BR all the time.

 

[cubalaya]

that was my point. its still a barred rock. the non standard ameraucana EE has some of the same colors as the tailed araucanas of the rest of the world. if the APA only recognizes certain colors than why are so many breeders working on colors not yet accepted? by the way my pure white easter eggers (recognized color) lay blue eggs..............ameraucana police?

 

[Alabama ee]

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Also, I have seen a lot of folks say you can't get an Ameraucana from a hatchery. I bought mine from Mt Healthy. On their site they are listed as Araucanas/Ameraucanas. Also, when you read the desciption, they mention that they lay eggs that are all colors and are called Easter Eggers. I guess they were trying to cover all bases.

Several of mine that I bought through them meet the standards of an Ameraucana. So...Ameraucana ? Easter Eggers? If it meets the standard than it is an Ameraucana . However, if anyone asks, I just say I have EE's.