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Andalusian

The Andalusian breed of chicken, like the beautiful Andalusian horse, was developed in the...

General Information

Breed Purpose
Egg Layer
Comb
Single
Broodiness
Seldom
Climate Tolerance
All Climates
Egg Productivity
Medium
Egg Size
Medium
Egg Color
White
Breed Temperament
Flighty, Noisy, Hardy
Breed Colors/Varieties
Blue / Black / Splash
Breed Size
Large Fowl
APA/ABA Class
Mediterranean
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The Blue Andalusian aka Andaluza Azul is an ancient breed, originating as a landrace in south-west Spain in the region of Andalusia from whence it takes its name. The municipality of Utrera is considered the heartland of the breed. The exact make up of the Andalusian Breed is unknown, but the Castilian chicken breed was probably used as the root stock.

Andalusians were first imported into both the UK and US around 1850. The original birds were a dull gray/blue color and the show Andalusian with the striking blue-laced plumage we know today, was developed primarily in England for the showpen, and were first exhibited in 1853. While Blue is the only color shown, Andalusians, as is usual with Blue colored fowl, are also found in Black and Splash. They have very large single combs, large wattles and white skins and earlobes.

Andalusians are fast maturing and the hens are excellent layers of large white eggs, non-setters and good winter layers. They are a tough, hardy and active breed, though quite flighty. They do not take well to close confinement and will often become feather pickers if kept in those conditions. They are very good foragers, have good predator awareness and an excellent choice for a free range flock. They are fairly cold tolerant, thought their large combs and wattles, especially in the males, are susceptible to frostbite.

It was recognized by the APA in 1874 and is on The Livestock Conservancy's Threatened list.

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Andalusian chick

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Andalusian Juvenile

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Andalusian hen

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Andalusian rooster

For more information on this breed and their owners' and breeders' experiences with them, see our breed discussion here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chicken-breed-focus-blue-andalusian.1065043/

Latest reviews

Pros: Quiet
Great free-ranger
Reliable egg layer
Gorgeous
Friendly
Cons: Flighty
Hidden nests
The good and the bad about our Andalusian:

The good- She is a great layer of small round eggs (about 6-7 a week). She is a likable bird in the coop, somewhere in the middle of the pecking order and I have never seen her bully any of the other hens. Very quiet and I hardly notice she's there half the time, but she will come running as soon as I call her.
The bad- She loves to make hidden nests. Just the other day I found 6 eggs in the hay bales. She also likes to sleep in the rafters of the coop instead of the roosting bars which kinda makes a mess in the water... oh well. Doesn't like to be pet or held in the slightest (will screech like your trying to burn her alive).

In all a we love our Andalusian and may get more in the future.
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Purchase Price
Free
Pros: Great personalities
Cons: Small white eggs
Ok. Generally speaking, people either love Mediterranean birds or they hate them. I love them. And I recognize that they are not for everyone.

They are extremely active. They don't like confinement, and are escape artists. Heck, they can fly. And I don't mean fly like a big fat chicken. I mean they can fly. You may see them hanging out on top of the coop. Just because they can.

Mine laid smallish white eggs, and they did not lay as much as my other breeds. I just loved them for their beauty and their quirky little personalities.
Pros: beautiful colors, friendly
Cons: rarely laying
nice chicken but rarely lays
Purchase Price
15 usd
Purchase Date
3/3/18

Comments

Our foundation flock included three Andalusians, and the rooster was such a great fellow that he became the "keeper." I was not as pleased with the hens, though: one of them was a feather-puller and a bully, and she taught her bad habits to some of our EE hens. I know that that kind of thing can happen with any breed, but the combination of such a bad habit plus her fiery Spanish temper was really a problem. However, the original roo and his sons were fantastic: they were very intelligent fellows and well-mannered, and they did a great job of keeping their hens safe and maintaining order. Not to mention the fact that the Andies are gorgeous birds. I'd definitely recommend this breed, with the caveat that they are very active and a little high-strung, so you want to avoid a bird that's a bully.
 
Most roosters are loud and have their own territory. Very few I have owned have allowed another cock in the area after 6 months of age.
 
How large are these birds? Are they classified as docile or active? I have a BPR and a Buff Orpington that are that friendly. I'm not sure I want them to be. The Buff jumped on my back while I was bent over working and I could hardly get her off before she scratched me.
 
Wow two very lovely ladies!
My Andalusian is a very calm bird, good layer, noisy. She goes to bed an hour before the other breeds. She can fly but does so very rarely, seems happy around the coopy
 
Our Blue Andalusian is one of the friendliest pullets we have. She hops onto my shoulder every chance she gets. Today when I called my husband's phone he was standing on top of a ladder in the chicken run making a repair and she heard my voice and hopped right up to the top of the ladder to get closer to his phone!
 
Dawna, these are Mediterranean birds and usually pretty jumpy, skiddish and flighty. Look up the Med breeds before adding them. BPR's and Orp are super duper docile. There are some you tube videos on these types, like Leghorns, Minorcas and these. From the 2 you have, I don't know if you would be happy with them. Do a search. Here are Minorcas:
 
I agree with the review. I also have one Andalusian hen with 2x offspring from Ameraucana male. The rest of my flock is Ameraucana. The Andalusian and her offspring are the top dogs even though they are younger. They lay very well. One other thing, the Andalusian is a very, very vocal bird. I always hear her and only her when I approach the pen. They love free ranging.
 
Both right. The Andalusian is definitely an assertive, sometimes aggressive fowl. Good layer, high level of activity and can lord it over just about any other breed of chicken. Talkative too, but I like that part.
 
I bought alot of these and only one had the blue trait, but the only problem with that is now it is SO hard to tell them between our leghorns lol XD
 
My Andalusian recently has developed a ha it of haopping into any available leg or shoulder too. She just likes to ruffle her feathers and sit there like a parrot!
 
always liked the brown egg chickens better..RIR one of my favorites.
good luck with your lil flock!
 
Yes, very beautiful looking birds. Never owned any......yet. Always wanted to. Maybe some day.
 
Oh, I have one girl too! I do like her. She isn't very mean though, but she does stand up for herself and maybe near the top of the pecking order. Very talky too. Also, I've noticed she takes the place of the rooster when I don't have roosters out with the hens. I actually saw her perched on a large rock taking the lookout position while the other hens foraged in the woods.
 
2 eggs a day? If that actually happens, it wouldn't use the hen in a breeding program.

There is something amiss in the genetic profile.
 
yes she does the lookout thing too! she also takes the place of a rooster. at first we thought she might be one!
 

Item information

Category
Chicken Breeds
Added by
Super Admin
Views
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Watchers
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Comments
55
Reviews
53
Last update
Rating
3.89 star(s) 53 ratings

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