Lamplighter, don\'t get discouraged. Many,many people, as well as I guess ALL the commercial hatcheries sell non-standard Ameraucanas/Americnas/Aracanas... they have not been recognized as a breed for that long, and the rest of the poultry world has yet to catch up,I suppose.
When I first got into chickens, I got some \"Ameraucanas\", along w/ several other breeds, but the colorful, smart little guys quickly became my favorite,hands down. I found a wonderful website called Backyard Chickens thru the Almighty Google, and soon learned the difference between Ameraucanas and \"Easter Eggers\", which led me here, and to the pics of the standard chickens.
Some of mine appeared to deviate from the pics here, some were very close, but overall
the beards,slate legs,etc., seem to be the deal breakers.
Then I started learning that some Ameraucana breeders use such birds as Old English Game Bantams, Buff Orps,Polish,etc.,etc., in their breeding programs, to create Ameraucanas, and I got even MORE confused, LOL. :stare:
Seems that the Ameraucana is simply a \"work in progress\", but it is WELL worth the effort. The people that are working on the breed really seem to be genuine in their love of the breed, & also what the breed may become.
I have become one of the above-mentioned \"addicts\".. :p
due to two awesome Wheaten Roos from two breeders here , and I am really excited about the fututure of the breed. It is very dicouraging to newbies, all the confusion surrounding the breed, and I for one wish there were a way to prevent all the hatcheries from knowingly selling non-standard birds, claiming that they are either Ameraucanas or Aracanas. Seems to ME, that all these hatcheries MIGHT be able to afford a copy of The American Standard of Perfection.
I realize that w/ the relaivly small number of breeders, it may take a while for the breed to become standardized all over, it just doesn\'t seem fair that the hard work of some of the breeders here seems to be kind of nullified by the continuation of the misrepresentation of the breed.
I\'m sorry if I got a bit off-topic, but the whole hatchery \"thing\" really ticks me off, as well as the way that individuals continue misrepresent the breed, and the un-suspecting public pays the price, as well as the breeders who have worked so hard and get no recognition.