Will My Pullets Lay In Winter?

[ChickenGirl555]

One other thing...

your girls are likely EE and not Ameraucana. Ameraucana will ALWAYS be identified by their color and sold for more than the standard $3. More like $18 at some hatcheries that actually have them. There are other features that do/don't line up with the standard of perfection if there is any true doubt.

I like AM, but EE are also great birds. A mixed bag of personalities and laying consistency. But a variety of similar but different looks.

Yeah, I keep telling my family they are Easter Eggers but they are soooo sure they are Ameraucaunas, even though all they did was say "Oh, but the feed mill said they were so they are!". It's really annoying and so I told them when they lay eggs we can tell because Ameraucaunas lay really blue eggs, and we can also easily tell if we get a green or pink egg from them because that's a definite Easter Egger. Because they came from the same mom, would they both lay the same color or is it random?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

There are links near the top of the following page that shows the difference between Araucanas, Ameraucanas and EEs.
http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGA/Arau/BRKAraucanas.html
Feed mills will usually call them Ameraucanas and I doubt any feed mill carries true Ameraucanas.
Your birds could begin laying in January or shortly thereafter.

 

[ChickenGirl555]

There are links near the top of the following page that shows the difference between Araucanas, Ameraucanas and EEs.
Feed mills will usually call them Ameraucanas and I doubt any feed mill carries true Ameraucanas.
Your birds could begin laying in January or shortly thereafter.

Yes I agree, and I don't care if they are Easter Eggers or Ameraucaunas, but obviously, I'd like to know!
I really hope they lay some time in January!! I hate waiting!!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

There are links near the top of the following page that shows the difference between Araucanas, Ameraucanas and EEs.
Feed mills will usually call them Ameraucanas and I doubt any feed mill carries true Ameraucanas.
Your birds could begin laying in January or shortly thereafter.

Did you forget a link, or am I missing what you mean by near the top of the page? Here's one..
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2011/09/ameraucana-easter-egger-or-araucana.html

Some EE will lay a blue egg also. And the shade of blue can vary from nearly white to nice blue even on AM's. People usually post pics of their very best eggs.

EE may have yellow skin instead of white. You can tell by looking at the bottom of the feet. It is often noticeable in the shank color looking more green on the front than slate.

With some exceptions, most Ameraucana will be a single solid color like blue, black, Lavender. Splash is not exactly solid but still uniform. And there might be Wheaton??
This is very common of EE looks..

As well as this one...

Blue Ameraucana..

Lav Am...

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Did you forget a link, or am I missing what you mean by near the top of the page? Here's one..
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2011/09/ameraucana-easter-egger-or-araucana.html

Some EE will lay a blue egg also. And the shade of blue can vary from nearly white to nice blue even on AM's. People usually post pics of their very best eggs.

EE may have yellow skin instead of white. You can tell by looking at the bottom of the feet. It is often noticeable in the shank color looking more green on the front than slate.

With some exceptions, most Ameraucana will be a single solid color like blue, black, Lavender. Splash is not exactly solid but still uniform. And there might be Wheaton??
This is very common of EE looks..

As well as this one...
View attachment 1202910
Blue Ameraucana..

Lav Am...

Yes I did. I'm a big dummy.
But I edited it.
Thanks.

 

[ChickenGirl555]

Did you forget a link, or am I missing what you mean by near the top of the page? Here's one..
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2011/09/ameraucana-easter-egger-or-araucana.html

Some EE will lay a blue egg also. And the shade of blue can vary from nearly white to nice blue even on AM's. People usually post pics of their very best eggs.

EE may have yellow skin instead of white. You can tell by looking at the bottom of the feet. It is often noticeable in the shank color looking more green on the front than slate.

With some exceptions, most Ameraucana will be a single solid color like blue, black, Lavender. Splash is not exactly solid but still uniform. And there might be Wheaton??
This is very common of EE looks..

As well as this one...
View attachment 1202910
Blue Ameraucana..

Lav Am...

Ok, they're most likely EEs, because they look most like the first pic.
Actually, here's a pic of one of mine, Becky:

 

[Ridgerunner]

I've read some chickens can lay anytime between 5-6 months...so could they lay in January?

People keep looking for absolutes. Sorry but you don't get that with chickens or really any other living animal. They can lay between 5 or 6 months. Occasionally you can get one to lay after 4 months, but don't expect that this time of the year. I've had some not lay until 9 months. It's possible you could get some in January, I would not be shocked with your breeds. But I also would not be shocked if it were March before you get eggs.


Because they came from the same mom, would they both lay the same color or is it random?

It can be random, especially if they are EE's. The mother and father both contribute genetics for shell color. Depending in what genetics each contribute you can get different colors and different shades, even if both pullets have the same mother and father.

I keep telling my family they are Easter Eggers but they are soooo sure they are Ameraucaunas

The APA recognizes eight varieties of Ameraucana, either bantam or full sized.. They are black, blue, blue wheaten, brown red, buff, silver, wheaten, and white. If those were true Ameraucana the feed mill would have told you which varieties they were. So yes, probably EE's. Still, they will be a lot of fun.

 

[ChickenGirl555]

I've read some chickens can lay anytime between 5-6 months...so could they lay in January?

People keep looking for absolutes. Sorry but you don't get that with chickens or really any other living animal. They can lay between 5 or 6 months. Occasionally you can get one to lay after 4 months, but don't expect that this time of the year. I've had some not lay until 9 months. It's possible you could get some in January, I would not be shocked with your breeds. But I also would not be shocked if it were March before you get eggs.


Because they came from the same mom, would they both lay the same color or is it random?

It can be random, especially if they are EE's. The mother and father both contribute genetics for shell color. Depending in what genetics each contribute you can get different colors and different shades, even if both pullets have the same mother and father.

I keep telling my family they are Easter Eggers but they are soooo sure they are Ameraucaunas

The APA recognizes eight varieties of Ameraucana, either bantam or full sized.. They are black, blue, blue wheaten, brown red, buff, silver, wheaten, and white. If those were true Ameraucana the feed mill would have told you which varieties they were. So yes, probably EE's. Still, they will be a lot of fun.

Thanks for all of the help! This is very useful. I don't care what color they lay, blue, green, or pink all sound amazing to me. Anything but white I really think is cool since I haven't eaten a single brown or not white colored egg in my life, in baking or just like fried or boiled. I will keep loving my EEs no matter what color comes out of their butt!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Their cloaca!
If all chickens in the same flock eat the same diet, their eggs will all taste exactly the same regardless of the shell color.
Shell color is breed specific, taste and yolk color is dependent on diet.
I always get the question when people see some of my dark eggs - "What do they taste like?" I say they taste just like the white ones from my own birds.
ETA
A variety of shell colors certainly do make for a pretty egg basket or egg carton.

 

[ChickenGirl555]

Their cloaca!
If all chickens in the same flock eat the same diet, their eggs will all taste exactly the same regardless of the shell color.
Shell color is breed specific, taste and yolk color is dependent on diet.
I always get the question when people see some of my dark eggs - "What do they taste like?" I say they taste just like the white ones from my own birds.
ETA
A variety of shell colors certainly do make for a pretty egg basket or egg carton.

That's what I thought. I've never even eaten a brown egg, I have only had white store eggs.