Chicken Breed History:

The Araucana is a rumpless chicken which ideally should also have ear-tufts (NOT the same as the muffs & beards of Ameraucanas, as illustrated in the photos) and lay blue eggs. They come in several standardized color varieties. The Modern Araucana is the result of a cross between two South American breeds: the rumpless collonca and the tufted quetro. The South American Indians valued the rumpless trait, as they believed the lack of a tail made them better able to escape predators. Araucanas are very rare and difficult to breed. The fact that they are rumpless (missing their last vertabrae and lacking tails) makes mating a challenge and sometimes results in low fertility. The gene for ear-tufts is lethal, causing a significant portion of the tufted chicks to die in their eggs before they hatch. The Modern Araucana does not breed true, meaning many Araucanas will not have tufts, some may have partial or full tails, and their coloration may not meet the standard for their variety. As a result, very few Araucanas are show quality. Standards for the Araucana differ in various parts of the world. In most of Europe, for example, the stardard calls for muffs & beard as well as tufts. Muffs & beards are a disqualification in the U.S., however.

Chicken Breed Comments / Experience:

Having raising chickens for many years, I wanted a real challenge! I did lots of research and eventually decided on the Araucana. After spending a fortune on hatching eggs, I finally managed to hatch a few birds that were worth breeding. I've been at it ever since! I've found Araucanas to be a highly practical breed. The hens are good layers, and the roosters are edible. They are very "family oriented" birds -- the hens are devoted mothers, and the roosters are non-aggressive towards their own young. They are excellent foragers, and I spend significantly less on feed when I let them free-range. As with most breeds, Araucanas can be extremely tame if hand-raised, or somewhat wild if not handled. One of the most common misconceptions about "true" Araucanas is that many people believe they all lay bright blue eggs. If only that were true! Unfortunately there is a lot of "genetic contamination" in the breed. Most flocks lay pale blue at best, and an olive drab at worst. I get both pale blue and green eggs from my birds. It took several years and lots of hard work, but I am now producing show-quality birds on a regular basis, and have begun showing for the first time in my life! It's very exciting. I also started my own website, www.araucanasonline.com, dedicated entirely to this rare and unique breed. I would appreciate it if photos of my birds are NOT used to sell hatching eggs other than my own. Thanks!