# EE and Ameraucana, the same?



## Sara Silver (Nov 27, 2017)

Hello! My husband and I have started a small flock of chickens, primarily for egg production. We'd like a lot of color in our egg basket, so I've been looking for a blue egg-layer. Of course, the names Easter Egger and Ameraucana have come up in our search! But as the title to this thread implies, I am pretty confused as to whether they are actually one and the same...

Some sources have them listed as two different breeds with very different characteristics. However, I've read elsewhere that they are all just EEs and some hatcheries just use the word "Ameraucana" to make the hens seem less like mongrels and more like something special.

I've already gotten 2 EEs that both lay mint green so I was preparing to get an Ameraucana pullet, as the chances of getting blue seemed significantly higher. But before I spend $80 on a chicken, I'd like to know it's legit. Opinions please?


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Ameraucanas are a recognized breed that is usually a single color. EE s are most likely an offshoot of the Ameraucana breed but are usually more multicolored. And not a recognized breed. I believe Ameraucanas lay blue eggs and ee s lay a number of shades. Hopefully someone knows more than me here.
Be sure you are getting an Ameraucana. Many times it is not. Where would you be getting this chicken from?


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## Sara Silver (Nov 27, 2017)

seminolewind said:


> Ameraucanas are a recognized breed that is usually a single color. EE s are most likely an offshoot of the Ameraucana breed but are usually more multicolored. And not a recognized breed. I believe Ameraucanas lay blue eggs and ee s lay a number of shades. Hopefully someone knows more than me here.
> Be sure you are getting an Ameraucana. Many times it is not. Where would you be getting this chicken from?


It's called Chicken Scratch Poultry. It is a hatchery as opposed to a smaller breeder, but there simply are none for ameraucana within 100+ miles of me. A friend used them and said they are reputable though!


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Ameraucanas are going to be harder to find.


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## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

Their website says it's a true Ameraucana .


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## Maryellen (Jan 21, 2015)

Ee's lay all different colors,with no guarantee it Wil be a colored egg. They are basically mutts. 
Ameracaunas are purebred if you find a breeder (usually one who shows as ee's are not showable).
Ameracaunas lay blue eggs.


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## Sara Silver (Nov 27, 2017)

seminolewind said:


> Ameraucanas are going to be harder to find.


Oh, I definitely found a couple hatcheries that have either chicks for spring or pullets now... It's just the birds themselves are around $40 and then shipping is like $75 once you total in the special carrier, heat source and over-nighting. Which I don't mind...as long as the bird is healthy and lays what they say they will!

And the arucana? A small fortune just for the pullet herself!


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

You may want to think about an incubator and eggs for that price. And throw in a few of those dark chocolate brown egg layers. I once had an Ameraucana that laid real blue eggs. But she only laid 2-4 a year and that was it.


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## Sara Silver (Nov 27, 2017)

seminolewind said:


> You may want to think about an incubator and eggs for that price. And throw in a few of those dark chocolate brown egg layers. I once had an Ameraucana that laid real blue eggs. But she only laid 2-4 a year and that was it.


Ooooo, I've never done that before... They only sell eggs/chicks in groups and I only want one more chicken. I'm afraid with eggs, I'd either screw up and get none or get waaaaay too many out of the batch!


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## boskelli1571 (Oct 30, 2017)

Sara Silver said:


> Ooooo, I've never done that before... They only sell eggs/chicks in groups and I only want one more chicken. I'm afraid with eggs, I'd either screw up and get none or get waaaaay too many out of the batch!


Just be aware of marketing practices that are set up to deceive - *Ameraucana *is a true breed. _Americana or Americauna are not, they are essentially EEs'. _If you are paying less than $10.00/bird they are most definitely not true Ameraucanas.
The true birds usually run around $18-20/bird and are difficult to find


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

Over the years,I've ordered many "Ameraucanas" and the hens laid blue,pink and green eggs.The offspring,which are mixed with Cochins, all lay green eggs except one and she lays brown eggs.Each hen lays a single color and you never know what color they lay until they start laying.There are blue egg laying hens but the name of the breed escapes me at the moment.If I remember I'll post it later.


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## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

I can never find info as to what other birds were used in the Original creation in the 70's.It is my speculation that all Ameraucana have the possibility to brown,green or blue eggs.
In the 80's when the were accepted in the APA that only certain colors and only the blue egg gene qualify of which the 8 varieties were created by 3 people.


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## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

One of my EE's from Townline (they say theirs is an Ameraucana because it breeds true) took 9 months to lay it's first egg.The other 3 from that batch started at 16,18 and 20 weeks old.
The purer the bird ,the mostly likely it will toook longer to lay and not lay many eggs.
I've read true Araucanas can take 9-12 months before they lay their eggs.And if they have the double tuff?? gene at least 50% of the chicks die in the shell.


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## boskelli1571 (Oct 30, 2017)

Nm156 said:


> One of my EE's from Townline (they say theirs is an Ameraucana because it breeds true) took 9 months to lay it's first egg.The other 3 from that batch started at 16,18 and 20 weeks old.
> The purer the bird ,the mostly likely it will toook longer to lay and not lay many eggs.
> I've read true Araucanas can take 9-12 months before they lay their eggs.And if they have the double tuff?? gene at least 50% of the chicks die in the shell.


An article on the Ameraucana was recently posted on www.thehappychickencoop.com The history is quite involved and I never really got to the bottom of it...


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Interesting information .


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