PORTERFIELD EXOTICS

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A true rumpless Araucana with ear tufts.

The Americana is often called the Easter Egger due to their colored eggs.  The Americana was developed by crossing the True Araucana of Chile with various breeds of layers.  The Araucana was developed by the fierce Araucana Indians native to Chile.  It is not known for sure but is believed that the Araucana was developed by the crossing of chickens with eared pheasants, this would explain the ear tufts and the rumpless trait.  In test studies about 15% of chicken X pheasant hybrids have proven to be fertile and able to reproduce.  The Americana has proven to be a very popular chicken with many hobby breeders.  They come in both standard and bantam sizes in a variety of colors including Black, Blue, Blue-wheaten, Brown-red, Buff, Silver, Wheaten, & White.  Most hatcheries sell Easter Egg chickens with mixed breeding that may lay blue, green (or other colored) eggs, but do not conform to APA's standard. Easter Eggers are common but Standard Ameraucanas are rare.  They are a good brooder, are very cold hardy, are moderately early maturing, calm, non-aggressive and do well both in confinement or free range.  We have a few of these Americana chickens in both sizes and intend to breed and hatch a few eggs from them.  We hope to be able to acquire some True Araucana sometime in the future.