Araucana thread anyone?

[MuskokaMaiden]

So, I'm trying to decide which of my bantam araucana fella(s) to keep & need input. The 1st pic is a three month old cockerel & the two other roos are hatch mates from last year.

#1 - White rumpless cockerel

# 2 - BBR roo, a total poser, very small, the above cockerel is already his size...good with the ladies but doesn't like sharing them.

#3 - crele roo, much larger, not photogenic so pics don't show type well (& I caught him with bed-head...he was trying to go to bed & I disturbed him) but excellent temperament.

So, what are your thoughts? Who would you keep & who would you sell?
Thanks for any input.

 

[Brada Puhi]

Aloha,

Kinda depends on what kinda girls you have too. White one looks nice but if you have no white giiirls then no use.

Aloha, Puhi

 

[smoothmule]

So, I'm trying to decide which of my bantam araucana fella(s) to keep & need input. The 1st pic is a three month old cockerel & the two other roos are hatch mates from last year.

#1 - White rumpless cockerel


# 2 - BBR roo, a total poser, very small, the above cockerel is already his size...good with the ladies but doesn't like sharing them.




#3 - crele roo, much larger, not photogenic so pics don't show type well (& I caught him with bed-head...he was trying to go to bed & I disturbed him) but excellent temperament.



So, what are your thoughts? Who would you keep & who would you sell?
Thanks for any input.

It Really depends on your goals and the hens available. If show? You have a lot of years of work to fix them but doable. What colors are your hens? Pics? I started with All culls and built a show quality flock of LF Black Araucana's but it took about 8 yrs. If you just want pretty, cool, unusual bantams, just mix and match to your hearts desire.



If you want to breed for show or to sell to those who breed and show, take it slow and make a choice about what your preference is as to color and breed towards that and the standard of perfection.

White roo is the best in some ways BUT....are those feathers on the shanks? He doesn't look purebred, he looks like an EE crossed to Araucana with the muffs. Leg color is wrong but workable if you have yellow legged white hens.

BBR or wheaten roo has the wrong comb, they should be a tiny, tight pea comb, his appears to be a straight comb and white in the ear lobes is a DQ.......but he has great color and pattern.

The last roo Love his coloring (He isn't creel) but it's not anywhere near a standard color, he has the wrong comb too and white ear lobes.


White ear lobes are the single most troublesome thing to work to fix. The comb can improve with every breeding season if you know what you're doing and have super good hens with little to no comb.

 

[Ravynscroft]

@MuskokaMaiden x2 on all that smoothmule said... said almost exactly what I was thinking as I looked at the pics, lol...
Beautiful comb on 1st, very nice body and feather/leg color on 2nd and love the 3rd, but yes all need work... taking on Araucanas at all is going to be work, though... just need to decide what you want most out of them and go from there...

 

[MuskokaMaiden]

Thanks folks, I appreciate the input & agree. The white is handsome & has the best comb but yes, he is showing feathers on legs

& my females are all as pictured (wheaten wild type?) I'm thinking I have a sneaky Romeo.
The combs on the other two are unfortunate but fixable however, I have no clue how to deal with the white lobes. I have some homework to do on that for sure. Looks like I've got my work cut out for me...but isn't that the fun if it?
They are new for me so there is really no pressure. My personal preference is the last roo who, of course, is gorgeous but non-standard color. I think I'll stick with him, wait to see what he throws, & let someone with the right hens sort out the other two while I focus on my chocolate orpingtons & various cochin.

Thanks again

 

[chickencoop5]

Hi! I'm hoping for some help determining the gender of one of my chicks. The chicks are about 6-7 weeks old. The chick in question has a smaller, less red comb than the male it is pictured with but has the three rows like males usually do. It is also the only chick that is partially tailed. It is on the right in the first pic and left in the bottom pic. Thank you for any opinions!

 

[Ravynscroft]

Hi! I'm hoping for some help determining the gender of one of my chicks. The chicks are about 6-7 weeks old. The chick in question has a smaller, less red comb than the male it is pictured with but has the three rows like males usually do. It is also the only chick that is partially tailed. It is on the right in the first pic and left in the bottom pic. Thank you for any opinions!

Nothing screams cockerel to me, but gotta give it a few more weeks to be sure... I don't go by the rows as my pullets all show 3 rows in my Araucanas and Ameraucanas...

 

[andjesus4all]

Not sure with this breed, but roosters have pointy looking feathers on neck and saddle feathers that are pointy, longer tail feathers too. Hens have rounded looking feathers. It maybe too soon right now to tell. But in your photos they both look like hens.

 

[ochochicas]

My rooster is 14 weeks old and still has a small comb and is not crowing yet. He does have long, pointy hackle and saddle feathers, so I'm certain he's a cockerel. I'll try to snap a picture of him today.

 

[chickencoop5]

I'm glad to hear the three row comb isn't the best way to tell the gender. At what age are pointy saddle and hackle feathers obvious?