One defect to watch for while assessing your Ameraucanas is a pinched tail. A pinched tail is a .5 to 2 point deduction.
I spoke with an APA judge who mentioned that a pinched tail can often be a sign of a narrow pelvis and/or reflective of poor general body width. Just a little something to watch for while assessing your flock this year!
A special thank you to the APA for granting me permission to use excerpts of the American Standard of Perfection book when creating these educational posts. For a full list of defects and disqualifications, you can purchase an American Poultry Association Standard of Perfection book at the following link:
http://www.amerpoultryassn.com/store.htm