I often come across posts from Ameraucana owners asking if any of their color varieties can be bred together and the resulting offspring still be considered Ameraucana.
There are presently nine approved Ameraucana color varieties with the American Poultry Association (wheaten, blue wheaten, blue, black, white, brown red, buff, silver, self blue) and 10 approved color varieties with the American Bantam Association (wheaten, blue wheaten, blue, black, splash, white, brown red, buff, silver, and self blue).
Many of these color varieties are built on different e locus alleles and carry different genes that create their plumage colors. For example, a blue wheaten Ameraucana cockerel is built on eWh and carries one copy of the Blue gene while a self blue Ameraucana pullet is typically built on E and carries two copies of the Lavender gene.
What criteria must a color variety meet for it to be approved in the first place?
In order to seek acceptance for a color variety with one of the Associations, the color variety must produce not less than 50% of all specimens reasonably true to type, color, size and comb.
Some of the color varieties that are approved by the Associations can be bred together and will continue to adhere to the Standard for an approved variety. Examples of color varieties that a beginner could breed together that will continue to adhere to the Standard are listed below:
Wheaten x Blue Wheaten x Splash Wheaten
Blue x Black x Splash
Buff x Buff
White x White
Brown red x Brown red
Self blue x Self blue
Silver x Silver
Many first-time Ameraucana owners acquire stock and begin haphazardly crossing various color varieties without knowledge of a Standard. There are also hatcheries that produce colorful egg layers which carry some Ameraucana traits and they often sell these birds under a variation of the name Ameraucana. Many of these crosses and colorful egg layers are visually appealing. However, a problem arises when these crosses and colorful egg layers are entered into poultry shows under the name Ameraucana and are disqualified or when they are sold as Ameraucana to unassuming buyers.
If you are interested in breeding Ameraucana to Standard, you should acquire birds from breeders that are actively breeding towards the Standard for an approved color variety. You should also purchase a Standard and study it in depth. Trying to work up standard color varieties from a mixed flock of birds that carry some Ameraucana traits can take many years if one even has the time and energy available to devote to the task.
