Quail_Antwerp: Words from the Barnyard...

[Quail_Antwerp]

Dace, until yesterday, I haven't had a single true Ameraucana, period. What I had was EE's, which is a fancy name for mutts.

I was disappointed with my EE's, as I had been told by the hatchery that they were Ameraucanas...well, when you trust a hatchery, you expect you're getting what they advertised as selling...Not true with Easter Eggers.

Ameraucanas, true ones, don't come in any or every color imaginable. Their cross bred cousins, Easter Eggers, sometimes sold as Ameraucanas, DO come in a variety of colors, depending on what they were cross bred to.

In all honesty, I was just no impressed with those green eggs. LOL And only 2 of mine laid green ones..the third laid a cream colored egg with white spots....we couldn't figure that out for the longest time!

From what I've read, and understand, though I'm still learning and can be wrong, true Ameraucanas only come in EIGHT recognized colors, as seen here:

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

If you look at the pictures under the Wheatens, beautiful, and I just mean beautiful specimens!!!

Honestly, it's the first time I've been obsessed with a chickens looks over anything else!

Oh I take that back...I sold off all my LB's because they didn't fit the color pattern for the standard, and I was sorely disappointed.

I'm now also working on my Sussex...some of my hens have way more white speckles than they should...great for a backyard egg laying flock, Not so great for potential show quality winners!

Note: I am not planning to show any chickens, but I'd like to have to breed conformity in my flocks so that others can have the chance to show and win with offspring from my chickens!

 

[Dace]

Oh, see I learned something new

I thought Ameraucanas were EEs.... and Araucanas were the more expensive/harder to get (sorry can't think!) that you had to get from a breeder.

I have EEs and so far only one of the two is laying. I guess I am just a dork cuz I like the colored eggs. I am sure the newness will wear off..... eventually

 

[freemotion]

Yep, I have five hens that are EE's, not the Americauna's I thought I was buying. But for my backyard flock, they are my favorites. I have two blue egg layers, one green, and two tan. They have been the most consistant layers I've ever had so far, laying eggs through the molt, through extreme cold, through extreme heat. But my goals are very different...I just want eggs! I do love a colorful egg basket, too.

 

[Farmfresh]

I am a dork too - cause I still like the colored eggs! I think it adds a little something to my egg gifts and my refrigerator!

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Oh, see I learned something new

I thought Ameraucanas were EEs.... and Araucanas were the more expensive/harder to get (sorry can't think!) that you had to get from a breeder.

I have EEs and so far only one of the two is laying. I guess I am just a dork cuz I like the colored eggs. I am sure the newness will wear off..... eventually

You are not a dork!! Many people love the idea of getting the green eggs. I did, too, at first. But no one in my area would buy my eating eggs because I had green eggers! Can ya imagine?? They thought the eggs tasted tangy

I was confused with the Ameraucanas and Araucanas stuff for a long time, too. The names are so close aren't they? The only way I know the difference is the Araucanas should be rumpless and tuffed or rumpless and non tufted...and originally they were an all white chicken breed, but with breeding back to be the original rumpless/tufted bird, other colors have come to be accepted.

A lot of people believe Ameraucanas are EE's, and I think a lot (not all) of other people who know the difference are really rude to the one's who don't. I mean, educating someone and teaching them the difference is one thing, but belittling them for being excited over their litter green eggers that "don't fit the standard" is just wrong and rude. I mean, not everyone is wanting to show their birds! Some people just want pretty eggs.

 

[SheriM]

I'm about to demonstrate what a total newbie I am to chickens, but Quail, I have a question about the picture of your two beautiful little bantams. That "puff" of feathers under the chin...is that something specific to certain breeds? I just noticed the other day that one of those young birds I bought a couple of months ago has started to show feathers like that. She (?) also has a bit of feathering on her legs. They're not fully feathered, but I don't know if that's because she's young or because she's some kind of cross.

 

[Farmfresh]

Ooooh can I answer this one!

Yes - plumage varies amongst the different breeds.

Some like Rhode Island Reds or Old English Game Fowl are clean legged, some like the Cochin are feather footed and some like the Langshan are partially feather footed. The feathers covering the body may be close and hard like in the Cornish or fluffy and soft like the Orpington or even hair like as in the Silkie. The extra plumage can range from the muff found on an Ameraucana, to ear tufts on a Araucana, to top hat feathers on a Polish or Sultan. Even lack of feathers can be a breed characteristic like the naked head and neck of a Turken. Combs even differ from breed to breed with seven basic types being recognized. A couple of examples are the single comb on a Leghorn or the cushion comb on a Chantecler.

Chickens that are cross bred will often have aspects of both parents heritage and may have any number of combinations of plumage! Also some pure bred stock may occasionally exhibit undesirable characteristics for their breed, like feather stubs on the legs of that Rhode Island Red.

Hope that helps.

Sorry Quail I just jumped in ... too excited!

 

[SheriM]

Thanks, FF. So, is it only the Ameraucana that has that muff? Does that mean this little one of mine is at least part Ameraucana? That would be cool!

p.s. Sorry to hyjack your journal, Quail.

 

[Blackbird]

There are quite a few breeds that can have muffs. If you posted a picture I bet someone might just be able to pinpoint the breeds.

You had troubles with your LB's too? I have some decent ones but I'm still trying to find a breeder on BYC that might ship adult birds. I stopped trying to breed my BBB's because of the wrong colors too.

However, theres nothing wrong with having mixed breeds and ones that aren't of the greatest quality too.. I have my show stock and breeding pens, but we also have tons of mixed and this and that for eggs.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Thanks, FF. So, is it only the Ameraucana that has that muff? Does that mean this little one of mine is at least part Ameraucana? That would be cool!

p.s. Sorry to hyjack your journal, Quail.

Hey, no worries! I don't mind my journal being hijacked for chicken talk!

The Ameraucana is not the only one with a muff...Quail Antwerp D'Anvers (where I borrowed my user name from) have muffs and beards, and so do the Mille Fleur D'Uccles.

I know there are other breeds that have them as well. I'm pretty sure Brabanters have muffs, though I've not spent much time reading or looking up information on them.

I think the little beards and muffs on the bantams give them almost a pixie-ish look and it is one of the traits that endears me to them!

We have one mixed breed hen that my son hatched out last fall as a Science project here at home. He named her brownie, and she has a beard and muff...totally a mutt chicken!! As much as I'd like to see her go...I can't tell my son he can't have the little hen he hatched and raised lolol