willow is a color description based on the willow tree. the tree has is a light yellowish greenish bark on it\'s branches, therfore willow is a light greenish-yellowish color, hard to describe any other way..but I tend to also call the ones with darker green \"willow\" or green legged, and the lighter ones with distinct yellow, \"willow\" or yellow legged, so it is easy to get confused as the the exact shades, but all are generally conciderd as \"willow\".
we tend to have a problem with the willow showing up, mainly because our fondation stock was hatchery easter eggers, that had willow leggs..even after many generations, with much improved breeding, the willow will still pop up, even from nice legged parents...it is perhaps the hardest flaw to breed out, and who knows? it may well never be totally gone
I am sure to tell folks this as I don\'t want them surprised when their very nice birds start producing some not so mice chicks.
One thing I learned in birds, way more so than anyother animal I raised, it is extreemly hard to get a nice showable baby from the parents, even nice show birds!! the ratio is not so good. the best bet is to hatch in large numbers to get a few choice birds to show.
{this is not just for Ameraucanas, ALL breeds tend to have this problem}