"Americanas" and Ameraucanas are Not the Same Breeds of Chickens

PSA

“Americana” is not the same as “Ameraucana”.

If you’re a pet chicken owner simply looking for cool chickens and colored eggs, then this couldn’t matter any less.

But - if you’re interested in breeding and/selling hatching eggs and chicks, then it’s important to know the difference.

“Americanas” are Easter eggers. They are a mixed breed who will hopefully lay some variation of lighly colored eggs, but ultimately there is no guarantee on egg colors or genetics. Theyll come in all different colors and varieties. There is no standard for Easter eggers.

Ameraucanas are an American Poultry Association recognized breed. Ameraucanas are Homozygous blue egg gene carriers - meaning they carry two copies of the blue egg gene and will lay blue eggs of the time (although the shade may vary and sometimes/rarely be greenish leaning). This is why they are a favorite in olive breeding programs.

They are identifiable by their pea combs, muffs and beards. Their earlobes are small and round, and their wattles are small or absent; earlobes, comb and wattles are all red. Their shanks are clean (without feathers) slate-blue, tending to black in the black plumage variant.

The following colors are recognized in the American Standard of Perfection: black, blue, blue wheaten, brown red, buff, silver, wheaten, white, blue, splash and most recently self - blue.
​
Pictured here are two of my birds. A wheaten cockerel and a self-blue pullet.