Araucana thread anyone?

[Frazzemrat1]

So I'm thinking about letting the juveniles (the four 8 week olds from my first hatch) out to mingle with the big flock this evening. They have been in a coop within the run of the original flock (layers and Cholo) for 4 weeks now. Since the cockerels are starting to crow and chest-bump, I'm thinking they need to start learning manners and who better to teach them than a group of mean ol' biddies and the sweetest cockbird around. I hope the layers down eat them!

This right here! LOL That's the biggest reason I want to get the kids integrated. I want my old brahmas and all to put Varric, and now Iron Bull, in their places and teach them chicken respect. I don't know that I would ever have gotten a cockerel w/out having older birds to teach them respect.

I got my new incubator part yesterday, but I don't think I will set anymore eggs this summer. I NEED to know if it was me or the incubator that killed those eggs; and I am so scared to try it again. I've had the incubator running for 3 days with 3 different thermometers and hygrometers in there, and both temps and humidity is all over the place. One thing is official - the incubator humidity reading is 10% LOWER than what the other hygrometers are reading. I've decided to just broody-hatch the rest of the year. Last Sunday I put 6 eggs under the broody hen in with Triton. I was going to break her because there is another hen in with them setting, and I didn't think there would be enough room for two broods. But whose to say they will all hatch - if any. So that's 2 broody hens each sitting on 6 eggs. I'm still hoping Mama will go broody yet this year. It was August when she sat and hatched out the kids I bought last fall - so there is still time.

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Frazzemrat1]

If you end up needing to sell Iron Bull, I wonder if the breeder you got Napolean from would want him? IF she was going to rebuild her flock after the predator loss, that is. Or you could ship him to @Stiletto so she can get some Araucana babies!

I had considered that too. We'll see. I don't mind having two, so long as they get along for the most part. I know there's gonna be some bickering, especially when they hit puberty, and probably next spring, but we'll see.
I'm not even certain she's restarting her flock, and I know she was really big on the BBRs. Bull is.... whatever he is. Supposed to be salmon, but I don't think he is. I did get back in touch with Ann with those new pics to show Bull to her... we'll see what she says. I need to try to get Sera tonight, she's the buff/white that's from her SDW cross rooster.

 

[Trish1974]

I did get back in touch with Ann with those new pics to show Bull to her... we'll see what she says.

Please let us know what she has to say!
@RinaRoo did you ever hear back from Ann?

 

[Trish1974]

@pginsber how are the chicks doing?

 

[chickengr]

@Stiletto you were asking about personalities a few days ago... I wanted to add that Araucanas have a VERY strong family unit. They seem to get really attached to family members, and I've noticed hens MUST be in with a cockbird or they are a bundle of nerves. I kept sibling pullets and cockerels together way past the point where most people would have separated them, and there was no trouble. One son paired up with the mother, and each remaining cockerel paired up with a pullet and nobody fought. When I sold one of the cockerels, I went ahead and divided them into breeding pens. Even though they could see and touch each other through a fence, they still tried to get back in with each other. They would even spend all day sitting up against the fence touching. When I got a big group of birds from a breeder this spring, I had some hens divided out while I decided where to put them, and during that time they were flighty, hyped up spazzes. Once they got in with a cockbird, it was like an instant Valium. They immediately calmed down and acted normal. This breed is just so unique in both personality and appearance. They seem to have a deeper level of intelligence than other breeds. Even my boyfriend, who knows little about chickens said, "No offense to your other chickens (hatchery layers), but these Araucanas are much more intelligent. You can see it in their eyes."

I agree.

I even had a roo and a cockerel with a few hens. the roo showed from time to time he was the boss but they lived in peace.

 

[chickengr]

Well, my friends... I think I have 2 cockerels... I think Cassandra is an Iron Bull. Thoughts? Oh, and here’s Varric for good measure. Lol cause he’s so handsome!View attachment 1849168View attachment 1849169View attachment 1849170View attachment 1849171View attachment 1849173

this one is tricky. still could be a girl.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

this one is tricky. still could be a girl.

I hope she is... I really do, but I will be pleased either way. I feel like right now she's a Bull-Cass. LOL

 

[Trish1974]

I feel like right now she's a Bull-Cass. LOL

That's the "in-thing" nowadays!

 

[pginsber]

@pginsber how are the chicks doing?

@Trish1974 thanks for asking! The chicks are 4-5 days old now and getting easier to ascertain their rump/tuft more accurately. We're calling them all girls and hoping we're right.

This is Loretta, 5 days old, the first chick to hatch, NN/Aracuana mix. I can't tell yet about rump/rumpless and may be clean-faced or not, I can't really tell yet:

This is Sally, 4 days old, Norwegian/Araucana mix, seems to have a rump, but I can't really tell and seems to be clean faced:

This is Patsy, 4 days old, NN/Araucana mix, seems rumpless and double-tufted, but she's still kind of small to be sure about that:

Here's a second picture of Patsy:

 

[Trish1974]

@Trish1974 thanks for asking! The chicks are 4-5 days old now and getting easier to ascertain their rump/tuft more accurately. We're calling them all girls and hoping we're right.

This is Loretta, 5 days old, the first chick to hatch, NN/Aracuana mix. I can't tell yet about rump/rumpless and may be clean-faced or not, I can't really tell yet:
View attachment 1849600


This is Sally, 4 days old, Norwegian/Araucana mix, seems to have a rump, but I can't really tell and seems to be clean faced:
View attachment 1849749


This is Patsy, 4 days old, NN/Araucana mix, seems rumpless and double-tufted, but she's still kind of small to be sure about that:
View attachment 1849755
Here's a second picture of Patsy:
View attachment 1849756

So cute!!!
Tufts are present at hatch. If you don't see them now, then they are clean faced. You can check rumplessness by running your finger across the rump. If they are rumpless you'll feel a smooth surface (an indentation in older birds). If you feel a little bone sticking out they will be tailed.