The ermine Ameraucana is unique among chickens in its stunning white and black feather pattern. The unusual plumage is the result of a dominant white genetic mutation that partially suppresses the expression of black feathers. This pattern is currently being developed into a standard color variety of the breed. During the process, opinions vary as to what the final outcome should, or will, be.
What is an ermine Ameraucana chicken?
Ermine is a color variety of the Ameraucana breed. The pattern consists of solid white feathers interspersed with a few solid black feathers. Classically, the plumage of ermine Ameraucanas is about 75% to 85% white feathers and 15% to 25% black feathers.
What is so special about ermine Ameraucanas?
The color pattern results from the interaction of a dominant white gene (I) and a black base gene (E). It is similar to the “paint” pattern in other breeds, such as the paint Silkie. Dominant white partially blocks black to create random patches.
The dominant white gene differs from the recessive white gene (c) of white Ameraucanas. The chicks of a white Amercaucana have silvery-white or smokey down, while the chicks of a dominant white usually have yellowish down.
Also, a white Ameraucana has slate-gray shanks, while a dominant white often has pink shanks. Like most Ameraucanas, an ermine Ameraucana has slate shanks. Although not 100% foolproof, many breeders use down color and shank color to decide which birds to keep for future breeding.
Where did ermine Ameraucanas come from?
Becky Pelton of South Carolina is the driving force behind the variety’s growing popularity. Some 14+ years ago Ms. Pelton apparently acquired a mixed breed hen carrying the dominant white mutation.
This mutation was first seen in the 1860s in West Indies chickens, and was used to develop the Erminette chicken breed. Whether Ms. Pelton’s hen had Erminette ancestry or paint Silkie genetics is unknown. Regardless, Ms. Pelton has since been working to stabilize the mutation into the ermine variety of Ameraucana.
How to breed to get ermine Ameraucana chickens?
Ermine Ameraucana chickens do not breed true. They are the result of crossing a black Ameraucana with a dominant white Ameraucana. The genetics work something like this:
- black x dominant white = 100% ermine
- black x black = 100% black
- dominant white x dominant white = 100% dominant white
- black x ermine = 50% black, 50% ermine
- dominant white x ermine = 50% dominant white, 50% ermine
- ermine x ermine = 25% black, 50% ermine, 25% dominant white
Where did this variety get its name?
The color pattern somewhat resembles a type of weasel known as an ermine. The winter fur coat of this weasel is white with a black tail tip.
Has the APA approved the ermine Ameraucana?
Not yet. Ms. Pelton, along with a group of other enthusiasts, is working with the American Poultry Association to develop a standard for the ermine Ameraucana variety.
What is the difference between erminette and ermine Ameraucanas?
The term erminette may refer to a color variety or specifically to the Erminette breed. The usual erminette pattern has a white base with irregular black splashes. In contrast, the ermine has crisp black feathers regularly spaced throughout pure white feathers. However, some folks continue to use the terms interchangeably, leading to confusion.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does ermine mean in chickens?
It refers to a plumage color pattern consisting of pure white feathers regularly interspersed with solid black feathers. It is genetically and visually similar to the paint pattern in many breeds.
What is the genotype for the ermine color pattern in chickens?
The genotype for the ermine color pattern is heterozygous at the dominant white locus, represented as I/i⁺. “I” refers to the dominant white allele, which incompletely inhibits black; “i⁺” refers to the unmodified wild-type allele, which allows expression of black.
Are ermine Ameraucana chickens rare?
They are still somewhat rare but are becoming more common as interest grows.
Are ermine Ameraucana chickens noisy?
On the whole they are usually fairly quiet, although some individuals can be especially noisy.
What color are ermine Ameraucana eggs?
The eggs produced by ermine Ameraucana hens range from light blue to greenish.
Helpful Links
Ameraucana Chickens in the Spotlight
Ermine Ameraucanas Facebook Group
And that’s today’s news from the Cackle Coop.
Gail Damerow has raised chickens and various other poultry for more than 5 decades and has written numerous books about them, many available from the Cackle Bookstore.
