Does anyone have information about Ameraucana chickens?
We purchased 'THE STANDARD OF PERFECTION' this past
Christmas and the illustration of this bird was
extrordinary. Could the plumage actually be that vivid?
We've sent for countless poultry catalogs but haven't
seen this breed offered yet. Any information would be
much appreciated,especially concerning the 'blue
wheaten' and 'brown red' varieties

I raise what I bought as Araucana but while talking to a show judge I discovered they were Ameraucana. This is the explanation that I got: The true Auracana has little or no tail (sort of looks weird) and the Ameraucana looks like a regular chicken but in neat colors. Both lay the green/blue or other colored eggs. Best thing to do is ask when you buy which they are really selling you. True Auracanas are hard to find and correspondingly expensive, while ameraucanas are only so-so. Talking to breeders of Auracanas the breed in the US is in trouble; all flocks are experiencing a major fertility problem and a large number of deformed chicks. Ameraucanas are usually only available in the blue/green laying strain although there are supposed to be other strains available.

The following hatcheries (that I know of) sell ameraucanas:
Sandhill Preservation Center 1878 230th Street Calamus.Iowa 52729 Phone319-246-2299
sells Ameracaunas, varieties dependent on year

Strombergs Box 400, Pine River, Minnesota 56474
218-587-2222
They list BOTH Araucana and Ameraucana (catalog I have shows Black, Silver duckwing, wheaton but this is a 98 catalog)

Harders Hatchery 624 N Cow creek road Ritzville Wash 996169 509-659-1423 has Ameraucana but they list them as Auraucana

Murray McMurray Webster City Iowa 50595 1-800-456-3280 list the Ameraucana as Auracana and has both large breed and bantan. Neither size is available as distinct variety, tho.

Dunlap Hatchery in Caldwell Idaho has ameraucana sold as auracana. Info on phone available if needed.

Hope this helps. Biggest thing to remember is in all your poultry catalogs, Auracana really means Ameracuana unless they really specialize in rare show breeds.

Can anyone tell me where I can find a picture of a silver Ameraucana hen? Also, is there such a thing as a lilac or "self-blue" Ameraucana? I am specifically looking for a bantam Ameraucana that looks like a hen I just lost. She laid light green eggs, had grey/green feet and legs, the feathers on her back were a mottled light grey/beige with lighter to white neck feathers and a light apricot on her breast. Her wing and tail feathers were a dark steel grey. She didn't have ear tufts or muffs. She weighed 20 oz. Does this sound like any particular breed/variety? She was a beautiful hen and I would really like to find a few more like her or at least similar.

I bought six little straight run chicks being sold as
"Araucanas" at a local feed store. I have since learned
they are Ameracanas or even "mutts." They lay eggs in
shades of green and have green legs and feet. One
turned out to be a rooster. He IS spectacular--gold
mane, greenblack tail, mottled black and beige
breast--and he is vicious! I am scared to death of him,
even tho he was hand raised he is out to kill!All the
hens are brown and black.I have
hatched several of their eggs in a small toy incubator
and every chick was different--one all-white hen with
tail and neck ruffs, one cinnamon and black hen, and
one beautiful mottled cream and black hen. I would like
to hatch more chicks but I live in an urban
neighborhood too and have about reached the limit of my
neighbors' patience. I would be glad to share these
great fertile eggs with someone in the N.California
region but I guess I can't really promise what variety
they are. I give the eggs away at the office now--
always a big hit! I love chickens. Anyone want a photo
of my rooster "Leon"?

Ameraucanas come in countless colors,the ones Shaw wanted are some of the extremely rare colors,even less common than yer true araucanas.The ameraucana is one of my favorite breeds not because of the green eggs,but they come in many colors,the geen eggs are healthier to eat(I know that's not a myth),the meat has a taste like quail,they have the bushy muffs and the thick soft feathering making them excellent for the rainy weather I'm in,and they lay a bit less eggs but not only through selective breeding you increase production,but they lay all through the year,and they also eat less(my pa calls them scavengers since they go over 2 acres away from my enclosed area to find a good meal).I'm currently breeding salmon and black ameraucana and working on a new type I'll call burnt yellow rug ameraucanas since they do look like a partially burnt yellow rug.
I think buying from a hatchery is a good idea since you may get some rare or new colors,as I've learned.But you need a good hatchery for that,as some will sell terrible quality birds.The ones from my local hatchery are very good quality,especially the muffs and egg color.True araucanas and ameraucanas have the egg color gene looking like this
:
OO(fakes have Oo but lay colored eggs)

This will make them lay only blue-turquoise eggs.
Here's the hatchery's name and number(ask for a free price list):

Shank's hatchery
(503)-981-7801

They call thier's araucanas but they're really ameraucanas.

--Ben S.

Forgot to say,the egg color should be the same as the color of this text except lighter.

--Ben S.

I purchased a dozen arauconas this past spring and am delighted with the colours that have developed. I have 2 roosters who are magnificent and the hens are now laying their green eggs. Can anyone tell me where there is documentation that backs up the claim the eggs are healthier then brown or white ones. We use only homegrown feed, no commercial stuff but don't claim to be organic, just less chemicals then commercial eggs & meat.
Thanks
Jennifer

Isn't that an old wives tale? Why if you scratch the top layer off of a brown egg....it is white. I think the current notion is that if one has eggs from healthy, cared-for chickens....be they brown or white, they are equal.

I have some ameraucanas and am a little confused by the conversation above. Do I understand correctly that ameraucanas only lay green/blue eggs, while true Auracanas lay rose, yellow, blue, green, etc. eggs? ironacres

I am just starting with the Ameraucanas. My hens eggs are progressively getting darker. My pink eggs started out in a light shade and have become a darker shade of rose?! And the blues and greens are doing it too! Is that normal? Also I am looking for a breeder in the Southwest Missouri area, anyone out there?

I also have ameraucanas/arucanas. My rooster is beautiful also but gentle as a lamb. "Arnald Schwartzachicken" as I call him is so gentle that when I have city kids down to visit I take him out to pet. I also have the highest hatability and survival rate with these kinds of chickens, they seem to be very hardy. From What I read they are really Ameraucanas, they have tails and beards. I think I am going to show him in the fair this year.

I believe that americanas and arucanas both have ear muffs. They can be any color (mine is a lovely gold with varying black bars and speckles). They usually have pea combs and green legs, as well.

Ameraucanas are one of my favorite breeds of chickens.
I have two hens and a rooster. The rooster is very docile,he follows me everywhere. The eggs are better than the brown or the white, more nutritional value.

I have an ameraucana pullet.She is only a few weeks old but she is HUGE!She has somewhat of a tail and she is getting ear tuffs.I got her from Shanks Hatchery here in oregon and they said she was an arcauna.I want to know how big they get.And what is their average weight?If anyone could e-mail me,I would appreciate it.Thanks!

A volunteer hen just joined my flock. She had been wondering around the neighborhood and fell in love with my rooster. She is all black with feathers on her head that begin at her eyebrows and slant straight back, in a poofy-do style. She lays blue/green eggs. Could she be an ameraucana?

jan, the only chickens that lay blue/green eggs are ameraucanas. it has to be.

jan, check out the following link for a description of the different variations of araucana: feathersite

I bought my arauconas frome texas tech and they are fully documented as full blood every college has poultry experts to help with your blood line questions I bought 7 hens and two roosters they where 20.00 apeace but well worth the money they started laying the day they got home and the roosters are horndogs