Hatchery Labeling letter.

[Cesar Villegas]

To the Officers of the Ameraucana Alliance Club. I was wondering if I compile a list of hatcheries that mislabel "Easter Eggers" as Ameraucanas, if I can get a letter of endorsement from the club condoning these hatcheries for misrepresenting the Ameraucana Breed that I can include with a letter that I'm sending out. 

I plan on contacting major retailers (Tractor Supply, Rural King, and local retailers) and making them aware of what they are selling are not Ameraucanas. I'm thinking with the way society is today with social media and the internet it can work. If a little girl with a Twitter post can change how a big company like Target does it's business, then maybe we can do the same and put pressure on these hatcheries and retailers.

This letter should be more of an official statement regarding these hatcheries. Its not meant to agree or endorse my letter.

Would this be possible? I think the letter would hold more weight and be more effective

 


FYI: Im asking both clubs

[Suki]

FWIW, Tractor sells them as EE's in my area.  Other than that, I'm pretty sure John already did that when he was President of the ABC.

[Cesar Villegas]

FWIW, Tractor sells them as EE's in my area.  Other than that, I'm pretty sure John already did that when he was President of the ABC.

Was it a letter that John did? If so where can I get a copy.

or Did he contact people?

[Mike Gilbert]

Cesar, I used to do that too, but to no avail.   I even spoke with McMurray hatchery on the phone on this subject.   They really don't care, as it's all about the sales and money to them.  Perhaps it might work with a few, Cackle Hatchery comes to mind, now that the Ameraucana breed is better known.

[Cesar Villegas]

That's why I want to reach out to retailers. With social media and now word is traveling faster about AMs and EE difference perhaps now there is a chance.

I'm not giving up

[Beth Curran]

I think it's a good idea to make another run at it every couple years. You might get someone new that will be more receptive. Little by little I'm seeing the EE label used. An article John wrote a while back about the difference would be a good starting point. I think we have it on the site but I'm on this blasted tablet and if I go hunting for it I'll lose what I've typed...

[Mike Gilbert]

Little by little I'm seeing the EE label used.

Did you mean to say less used or more used?

[Beth Curran]

I'm seeing more people correctly listing them as Easter Eggers. My local feed store even has a poster from one of the hatcheries, I forget which one, that has pictures of the various breeds they sell including "Easter Egger." Meyer, Purely Poultry and My Pet Chicken advertise both Easter Eggers and Blue Ameraucana. Cackle calls them Easter Eggers. Estes seems to avoid the name altogether, advertising "Assorted Rainbow Layers" described as "two to three different breeds of pullet chicks which gives different colored hens." It's a start!

[John W Blehm]

Other club officers and I have sent letters in the past, but it is an ongoing issue that needs to be repeated from time to time as Beth mentioned.  I believe Jeanette was the first to write letters to hatcheries back when she was President.  As President, Secretary and an individual I've sent many emails over the decades to hatcheries and others, like TSC.  By now I believe all hatcheries know they are not selling Ameraucanas, so with them the object is not to educate but to get those that still label their Easter Eggers as Ameraucanas to stop with the false advertising already.  We've made a lot of progress.
I stated a Wikipedia page years ago.  I've commented on many YouTube videos about Ameraucanas.  I'm not on Facebook, but I'm sure someone with the time and diplomacy could help to educate the masses there.  BYC forum is another place where folks are constantly being educated about the chickens they bought as Ameraucanas.  I've asked members to take on these type of projects.  Every little bit helps.
Perhaps ask Michael for a letter.  If could be included on our Downloads page for anyone to include as extra ammunition with their own.  The article I wrote, that Beth mentioned, is on the Downloads page also.

What's your price? «  on: July 21, 2011, 09:46:43 PM »

I've noticed a couple different partnerships over the last couple days while spending time surfing the net.  These seem to be strange bedfellows to me.  I will stick with "seem to be" for now.

http://www.albc-usa.org/tractor_supply_partnership.html

The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC) is pleased to announce a new promotional partnership with Tractor Supply Company (TSC) that will raise awareness of endangered and heritage poultry breeds.

First off I'm not a supporter of the ALBC agenda, but the mutt chicks that TSC promote and sell year after year are the opposite of what the ALBC is promoting. 
Educating the public about standard bred poultry is great, but then to keep selling hatchery stock under standard names is hypocritical in my opinion.  The local TSC sold a lot of Ameracaunas with yellow and willow legs.  I know that isn't a standard name, but they thought it was and I'm sure all the buyers did to.  Some education, Eh?

Don't buy chicks from Tractor Supply Co «  on: April 05, 2014, 10:51:25 AM »

I know our members know TSC sells mongrel chicks as Ameraucanas every spring, but many non-members also come here and read these topics. 

Tractor Supply Company and most other feed stores that have CHICK DAYS are pawning off mixed breed chicks as Ameraucanas.  It is truly false advertising and they get away with it year after year. 

Please post the truth wherever you can and email comments to TSC. 

Email customerservice@tractorsupply.com

Tractor Supply Company
Attn: Customer Solutions Center
200 Powell Place
Brentwood TN 37027

YouTube videos of Ameraucana «  on: July 25, 2012, 10:02:06 AM »

Keeping in mind our mission statement...to encourage the continued improvement of Ameraucana bantams and large fowl through breeding, exhibition, and dissemination of relevant information.

I came across a couple videos on YouTube that said the chickens featured were Ameraucana, but they weren't.  Misinformation isn't new, but I still feel it is important to educate and set the record straight when possible and time permits so I posted comments on those videos.  I'm not out to put down someone else's chicken, but to fulfill our club's mission it is extremely important that the public first knows what is and isn't an Ameraucana.
Here is one comment I made...

They are chickens, but they are not Ameraucana chickens as claimed by the video title and text in the video. Chickens have to meet a "standard" breed description by the American Poultry Association (APA) or they are mutts, just as dogs have to meet a standard description by the AKC or they are mutts. Mutt (mongrel) dogs may make the best pet for some and mutt chickens may be the best backyard chickens for some, but they are not "standard" breeds and should never be represented as such.

Please consider taking a few minutes to help spread the facts by commenting on false videos and other cyberland propaganda.

[Christina King]

The big box stores can be quite clueless. I informed my friend who was manager at Runnings, that her birds were mislabeled. SHE understood, and tried to convince upper management. But in the end, they made her label them as what the hatchery called them.
Same thing with my two local TSC. If we can get to the hatcheries via the "back door" and they are hit with some letters from unsatisfied customers... Might help eventually.
It's been a long road without much success, but we could also list the few hatcheries who have finally changed it as well. Meyers is one that has, along with the others mentioned above. The Ideal hatchery people in Texas are totally the worst about it. 
I have educated a few Private farms that took their descriptions straight from the hatchery. They were totally surprised and thankful for the info and links, and have realized the difference. One at a time... We'll keep "pecking away" at it!

[Beth Curran]

we could also list the few hatcheries who have finally changed it as well.

Good idea!

[Stan Alder]

I have a little bit of a different way of looking at this...surprise!..lol....I think that anyone buying a chick from TSC of ANY breed does not have a clue..the RIRs are just as poor of a representation of their breed as the EEs are to ours. Ever seen a hatchery 'Barred Rock' next to a real one? Not close enough to say they are the same breed either. BUT these local feed stores do get chicks to a lot of future breeders that would not be raising them otherwise...

[Jerry Segler]

 I agree with Stan . None of the hatchery breeds are close to the standard . Even the rare breeds are flock bred for large numbers of chicks . Little culling is done so quality is not a major concern .

[John W Blehm]

I have a little bit of a different way of looking at this...surprise!..lol....I think that anyone buying a chick from TSC of ANY breed does not have a clue..the RIRs are just as poor of a representation of their breed as the EEs are to ours. Ever seen a hatchery 'Barred Rock' next to a real one? Not close enough to say they are the same breed either. BUT these local feed stores do get chicks to a lot of future breeders that would not be raising them otherwise...

Right.  When I was a kid and didn't have a clue that there was a written "standard" for the different breeds of chickens.  I did have a catalog from McMurray Hatchery and that was the "standard" for me. 
Here is part of what I have on my Fowl Stuff site...

If your main concern is eggs or meat please consider buying hybrid layers or meat birds from a “big commercial hatchery”.  The hybrid meat and egg birds are great for what they are intended for and the big hatcheries are best at providing them.  If you want a “standard” breed of chickens always buy from an experienced breeder/hatchery, like Fowl Stuff hatchery.  Beware of many internet “hatcheries” that really aren’t hatcheries, but just websites that take orders and have chicks drop-shipped from a big commercial hatchery.

I'm seeing more people correctly listing them as Easter Eggers. My local feed store even has a poster from one of the hatcheries, I forget which one, that has pictures of the various breeds they sell including "Easter Egger." Meyer, Purely Poultry and My Pet Chicken advertise both Easter Eggers and Blue Ameraucana. Cackle calls them Easter Eggers. Estes seems to avoid the name altogether, advertising "Assorted Rainbow Layers" described as "two to three different breeds of pullet chicks which gives different colored hens." It's a start!

I've done business with Jeff Smith, the owner of Cackle Hatchery, in recent years.  He bought my old ChickHatchery.com domain name and also white Chanteclers (along with some from Greg Oakes) to start their own flock. 
The funny part is this year he bought a bunch of LF black Ameraucana chicks.  At first I thought he was going to start a flock and offer them, but he just wants to use them in his Easter Egger flocks to improve egg color.  Seems ironic to me that we are at the point where someone would use "standard" Ameraucanas to improve EEs. 

[Cesar Villegas]

I think it's a good idea to make another run at it every couple years. You might get someone new that will be more receptive. Little by little I'm seeing the EE label used. An article John wrote a while back about the difference would be a good starting point. I think we have it on the site but I'm on this blasted tablet and if I go hunting for it I'll lose what I've typed...

Beth I did plan on adding that article. I also think if the're facebook and twitter gets bombarded with complaints and corrections they might change who they buy their chicks from (speaking of retailers)

I believe the key is to getting the retailers to our side. Im going to start recommending my local feed stores buy from Cackle and Meyer since they're the only ones that label them correctly.