Americana Chicken: A Hatchery-Created Easter Egger

Americana chickens are often mistaken for other breeds like Easter Eggers, Araucanas, or Ameraucanas. Let’s solve this identity crisis once and for all, and discover what an Americana chicken really is.

What is an Americana Chicken?

An Americana chicken is an Easter Egger, resulting from crossbreeding an Ameraucana and an Araucana. These chickens are a hatchery mix created to produce a large number of colorful eggs. They are not considered a real chicken breed and should not be mistaken for the Ameraucana, a recognized heritage breed.

Americana vs Ameraucana

The Ameraucana is a recognized heritage breed with specific breed standards for appearance and egg color (typically blue). In contrast, the Americana is a hatchery-created style of Easter Egger, so not a recognized breed but a hybrid mix created for varied egg colors (blue, green, light brown).

The Americana and Ameraucana chickens may have a resemblance in name, but they are distinct chickens with significant differences. Because the Ameraucana is a heritage breed and the Americana is not, Ameraucanas will likely be more expensive.

Regarding egg color, Ameraucana chickens lay eggs primarily in shades of blue, conforming to the breed standards. The egg color variation in Americana chickens is much broader, as they are Easter Eggers and can lay eggs in blue, green, or light brown hues.

Americana vs Easter Egger

Easter Eggers are the broader range of chickens that lay colorful eggs. In contrast, Americana chickens are a specific hatchery type of Easter Egger resulting from the crossbreeding of Ameraucanas and Araucanas. Certain hatcheries prefer not to name this cross Easter Egger but give it a different marketing retail name.

In short, all Americana chickens are Easter Eggers, but not all Easter Eggers are Americana chickens. The name is purely chosen for marketing purposes, as it could just as easily be sold as a ‘normal’ Easter Egger’.

Characteristics

The Americana chicken, also known as a type of Easter Egger, shows a diverse range of looks and characteristics. As a result of being a hybrid, their appearance will vary significantly from bird to bird.

Americana chickens showcase a wide variety of feather colors and patterns. You can find them in shades of red, brown, black, white, and various combinations of these colors. This diversity adds an exciting visual element to any flock.

Americanas typically have a medium-sized build. Female Americana chickens tend to weigh around 5.5 pounds (2.5 kg), while males are heavier, averaging around 6.5 pounds (3 kg).

Egg Production

The Americana chicken offers a charming collection of egg colors that adds a delightful touch to your egg basket. These chickens have a good egg production rate, with hens laying around 240 eggs per year. That’s four to five eggs weekly.

What sets them apart is the wide variety of egg colors they produce. From stunning shades of blue and green to light brown, each egg is a surprise. The specific color depend on the genetics inherited from their Ameraucana and Araucana parent breeds. A hen will lay only one color in her life, although it may vary in hue depending on the laying cycle. Eggs can appear slightly darker after periods of reduced egg production, such as during molting.

While their eggs may not be as large as some other breeds, the Americana chicken’s appeal lies in the enchanting and diverse colors that brighten up your egg basket.

Personality

Americana chickens have a friendly and docile personality that makes it a delightful addition to any backyard flock. These chickens are known for their calm nature, rarely exhibiting dominant behavior towards humans or other chickens.

Their friendly demeanor makes them approachable and easy to handle. Americana chickens often develop a bond with their owners, showing a curious nature. They are known to be social birds that enjoy the company of their flockmates and get along with all other breeds.

Americana chickens are considered hardy chickens. They have the ability to adapt well to various climates so can be kept in warmer as well as colder regions. Whether it’s cold winters or hot summers, Americanas can withstand temperature extremes reasonably well.

However, providing appropriate shelter is important to ensure their well-being during extreme weather conditions, like heat waves.

Pros and Cons of the Americana Chicken

If you’re still doubting about keeping an Americana chicken in your flock, we’ll help you out by addressing their pros and cons.

Pros:

• Great for families
• Fun and interesting egg colors
• Low maintenance
• Inexpensive
• Good egg producers

Cons:

• Lower egg productivity than Leghorns
• Not great for meat
• Not a pure breed
• Americana chickens don’t have a specific look or breed standard

If you do think you want to try out Easter Eggers or Americanas, you can find them fairly easily.

Summary

The Americana chicken is a type of Easter Egger. A hatchery mix of an Araucana and Ameraucana chicken. These chickens lay eggs in various stunning colors, including shades of blue, green, and light brown. With a docile and friendly nature, they are easy to handle and make delightful companions.

They are, however, not a recognized chicken breed, and therefore not to be confused with the Ameraucana.

Credits Featured Image: @hartley_henhouse (IG)