Do Americauna’s ever lay brown eggs???

[HeatherMo]

I have 6 hens, all 19weeks old. 1 Americauna, 2 buff Orpingtons. 3 golden laced Wyandottes. My Americauna started squatting a few days ago, I thought, it’s earlier than expected but yay! We will soon have our first egg. I haven’t noticed any squatting from any of the others. I was delighted to find our first egg today! But it’s light brown. Aren’t Americaunas supposed to lay green and blue eggs? Judging by the picture, who laid it? I also featured a pic of my Americauna. She IS any Americauna, right?

 

[The Moonshiner]

I'd assume your pullet is an Americauna and not an Ameraucana.
Ameraucana are the actual breed that always lay blue eggs.
Americauna is just a label used by some for the same birds others label as Easter eggers.
They can lay any colored eggs.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

No, but you have an easter egger which can lay any color egg.

Ameraucanas are a breed. Anyone selling you Americana, Americauna, or any other mis-spelling, (and often times many people who do spell it correctly), is actually selling you an easter egger. Either a landrace or a mixedbreed that may or may not lay a blue or green egg.

Real ameraucanas should always lay blue eggs. Having said that I bought some last year from a member of an ameraucana breeder club that ended up laying brown, so. :T *shrugs* you get a mixed bag. Always SOMEONE tryna rip you off. But that's an easter egger for sure.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Agreed you have an Easter egger. They can lay brown eggs. Yours doesn't look mature enough to be laying by comb color. It's possibly from a different bird.

 

[Cyprus]

Easter egger. Yes, it can lay brown.

 

[HeatherMo]

I'd assume your pullet is an Americauna and not an Ameraucana.
Ameraucana are the actual breed that always lay blue eggs.
Americauna is just a label used by some for the same birds others label as Easter eggers.
They can lay any colored eggs.

I bought them from Family Farm and home. I took a pic of the bin so I wouldn’t forget what I bought. What do you think? I know they mess up the breeds sometimes

 

[ChocolateMouse]

I'd say your feed store buys from a major producer that tells half-truths about their breeds to make an extra buck and your feed store doesn't know enough/is managed in such away that they take the hatchery's word that the chicks are what they are. Maybe they even corrected the spelling themselves, maybe not.

Even the description on the label is they lay "blue, pink, green or olive drab!".
Pink is just a light brown. These aren't true ameraucanas. Ameraucanas never lay pink or olive and rarely lay green.
They also list the muffs and beards as "sometimes" on the label. Ameraucanas breed true - every single one (even my crummy ones that lay brown) should have beards and muffs.

Note also that they don't list a color variety. The Orpingtons are Buff colored, so they're buff. White Rocks get labeled White, Barred Rocks labeled barred. Ameraucanas have specific colors too, so why isn't it listed? There's no Blue/black/splash ameraucana label, or wheaten/blue wheaten, or white, etc. It's because it's a group of mutts and the color is random.

And of course, your own hen doesn't meet any APA recognized breed color. And it's legs are green not slate. (All Ameraucanas should have slate legs, beards, muffs, and lay blue eggs regardless of color.)

You have an easter egger, friend. And it's a lovely bird, they're great birds to own, I own a few myself and breed them and they're personable, lovely, etc. But an ameraucana it is not.

Having said that, the egg could have come from the EE or any of the other birds listed. Your easter egger may lay a blue or green egg yet. But she'll always be an easter egger.

 

[so lucky]

Do any of your other chickens have redder combs? I agree your EE's comb doesn't really look "egg ready".

 

[HeatherMo]

I'd say your feed store buys from a major producer that tells half-truths about their breeds to make an extra buck and your feed store doesn't know enough/is managed in such away that they take the hatchery's word that the chicks are what they are. Maybe they even corrected the spelling themselves, maybe not.

Even the description on the label is they lay "blue, pink, green or olive drab!".
Pink is just a light brown. These aren't true ameraucanas. Ameraucanas never lay pink or olive and rarely lay green.
They also list the muffs and beards as "sometimes" on the label. Ameraucanas breed true - every single one (even my crummy ones that lay brown) should have beards and muffs.

Note also that they don't list a color variety. The Orpingtons are Buff colored, so they're buff. White Rocks get labeled White, Barred Rocks labeled barred. Ameraucanas have specific colors too, so why isn't it listed? There's no Blue/black/splash ameraucana label, or wheaten/blue wheaten, or white, etc. It's because it's a group of mutts and the color is random.

And of course, your own hen doesn't meet any APA recognized breed color. And it's legs are green not slate.

You have an easter egger, friend. And it's a lovely bird, they're great birds to own, I own a few myself and breed them and they're personable, lovely, etc. But an ameraucana it is not.

Having said that, the egg could have come from the EE or any of the other birds listed. Your easter egger may lay a blue or green egg yet. But she'll always be an easter egger.

You’re knowledgeable! I don’t feel disappointed... I don’t even know enough to be disappointed lol. Makes no difference to me if she isn’t purebred. She’s a really sweet bird that I bought as a pet who will provide breakfast

 

[ChocolateMouse]

I breed easter eggers and I've been trying to transition into a rarer color of ameraucana for a while now so I've done my homework is all.

I'm glad it makes no difference - you have the best sort of attitude towards it. Easter eggers are extremely lovely birds and make great pets. They have a lot of personality. I'm sure you'll continue to enjoy her into the future as well.