Ameraucana Chicken: A Blue Egg Beauty

The Ameraucana chicken is a must-have for any poultry enthusiast who seeks a beautiful, friendly, and fun addition to their flock. With their stunning appearance, sleek body shape, and small pea comb, Ameraucanas are quite pleasing to the eye. But they also lay eye-catching blue eggs that will impress you.

• Ameraucana hens lay up to 150-200 eggs yearly
• Heritage breed, not to be confused with Americana or Araucana
• Carry a blue-egg gene
• Friendly and docile nature

Characteristics

The Ameraucana is known for its stunning and unusual appearance. They have sleek and muscular bodies, and their small pea comb gives them a distinct appearance. Ameraucanas also have gorgeous colors and patterns.

Their feathers are fluffy, and they have beards and muffs, making them appear soft and cuddly. They also have a tail, which distinguishes them from their Araucana cousins.

The earlobes are small and round, and their wattles are small or absent, giving them a tidy appearance. Their shanks are slate-blue but tend to be black in the black plumage variant. Another unique feature of the Ameraucana is their blue eggs, which are a must-have for any rare breed flock.

The American Poultry Association recognizes eight color variants of Ameraucanas in the Standard of Perfection: black, blue, blue wheaten, brown red, buff, silver, wheaten, and white.

Each color variant has its unique beauty, which adds to the overall appeal of the breed. In short, Ameraucanas are astoundingly beautiful birds that are sure to catch your eye.

Ameraucana vs Americana

Chicken lovers often have trouble differentiating between Ameraucanas and Americanas. Despite their similar-sounding names, these two chicken breeds are actually different.

While Ameraucanas are a recognized breed of domestic chickens, Americanas, sometimes also referred to as Easter Eggers, are hybrid chickens. They are created by crossing a mixed Ameraucana and Araucanas to produce offspring that lay colored eggs such as blue, green, or pink.

However, Americanas do not conform to a breed standard and can vary in appearance, including comb type, feather color, and pattern.

Ameraucana vs Araucana

Araucanas and Ameraucanas are often confused because of their similar traits. Araucanas, like Ameraucanas, have a gene that produces blue eggs and has muffs and a beard.

However, there are a few differences between the two breeds. The most obvious difference is that Araucanas are rumpless, meaning they have no tail. In contrast, Ameraucanas have a small, cushion-shaped tail.

Ameraucanas were created by breeding Arauacana chickens to retain the blue-egg gene but to eliminate the lack of tail and tufts caused by a lethal gene.

Because of those lethal genes, it is difficult to breed Araucana chickens. Only 25-50% of chicks survive the post-hatch period, where most breeds have a success rate of 90%.

It’s worth noting that both breeds are relatively rare; the Araucana is even rarer than the Ameraucana due to the difficult breeding process and can be harder to find.

Ameraucana vs Easter Egger

Ameraucanas and Easter Eggers are often confused with each other because both breeds can lay blue eggs. However, there are distinct differences between the two.

Easter Eggers are not a real chicken breed, but a mix, created by crossing various breeds including Araucanas to lay colored eggs. Easter Eggers can lay eggs in various colors, including blue, green or brown.

The same confusion between recognized breeds and hybrid chickens applies to the difference between Ameraucanas and Olive Eggers. Olive Eggers are also not a recognized breed, but a mix of a dark brown egg layer with a blue egg layer.

It’s not uncommon for less trustworthy hatcheries to mislabel their chickens, particularly with Easter Eggers and Olive Eggers being marketed as Ameraucanas. However, it’s essential to do your research before purchasing a chicken, as an Ameraucana is a recognized breed, and you don’t want to end up with a hatchery mix instead.

Always ensure that you’re buying from a reputable breeder or hatchery to guarantee the breed you’re getting. To see a list of trustable breeders and hatcheries selling the Ameraucana, go to our ‘Best Hatcheries‘ article.

Egg Production & Color

One of the most remarkable qualities of the Ameraucana chicken is its unique blue eggs. Unlike the Easter Egger, the Ameraucana lays a consistently blue egg, which can lay various colors, including green, brown, or pinkish.

The blue color of the Ameraucana’s eggshell results from a blue egg gene inherited from the Araucana chicken, one of the breeds used to develop the Ameraucana. The tint of blue may vary from a pale pastel blue to a vibrant sky blue.

Regarding egg production, Ameraucanas are moderate layers, producing around 150 to 200 eggs per year. That’s three to four eggs weekly.

This is not as high as some other breeds, such as the Leghorn or the Rhode Island Red, which can lay up to 300 eggs per year. Ameraucana’s eggs are often larger in size, which may make up for the lower overall production.

Personality

Ameraucanas are known for their docile and friendly nature, making them a great addition to your backyard flock. They are active and curious, often seen exploring their environment and scratching the ground for insects to eat.

Due to their calm nature, Ameraucanas are also great with children and make excellent pets. They are also intelligent birds, that are easy to train. They can even be thought to respond to their name. Overall, Ameraucanas can be trained to be quite tame to be petted and handled as a pet chicken.

This breed is also extremely hardy. They stand most climates and temperatures well, although they prefer colder temperatures to hot ones.

Their small comb makes them less prone to frostbite. Because they do not need much extra care besides food, water and shelter, Ameraucanas are a very beginner-friendly breed.

Ameraucana Breed Profile

The Ameraucana is a relatively new chicken breed, developed in the United States in the 1970s. It was created by breeding Araucana chickens to produce a chicken that retained the blue-egg gene but eliminated the lethal genes that are present in the Araucana breed.

The name “Ameraucana” is a combination of “America” and “Araucana” and reflects the breed’s roots and its connection to the Araucana chicken.

In 1984, the Ameraucana was recognized by the American Poultry Association and added to the Standard of Perfection. Today, the breed is popular among backyard chicken keepers and is known for its striking look and friendly nature.

While some hatcheries advertise their birds as Ameraucanas, it’s important to be aware that many Easter Eggers and other hybrid breeds resemble the Ameraucana but are not recognized as purebred. This is why purchasing your Ameraucanas from a reputable breeder is important.

Summary

The Ameraucana chicken is a friendly, medium-sized chicken that is known for its blue eggs. Its muffs, beard, and cute appearance make it a favorite among chicken keepers. Ameraucanas are a recognized breed and are often confused with Easter Eggers and Araucanas. They are easy to care for and make excellent pets but also have egg-laying potential.

If you want to learn more about chicken breeds that lay colored eggs, check out our article ‘10 Popular Chickens With Colored Eggs‘. Or go to our listicle breed summary on ‘The Classroom‘, or, if you’re unsure where to start, take a look at our ‘Chicken Breeds: Ultimate Beginners Guide‘.

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