Araucana thread anyone?

[cackleberrycoop]

Quote:
OH, you are making me feel so guilty! I NEED to do this to one of my main roosters and it keeps me up nights thinking about his poor hens. I must get this done. It's really like you're writing this just at me......
Way to go. It is nice to hear that it went so well for you, and where did you hear about the potato trick? I'll have to copy this down and give it a try. I can imagine the relief you are feeling right now having this done and having it go so smoothly. Hopefully you've treated yourself to a nice congratulatory glass of wine.

 

[cashdl]

The brown chick Cathy looks like my black breasted red roo did as a baby. He has turned out more mahogany instead of red. He looked just like your chuck when he was a baby.

 

[smoothmule]

Lanae,
Thanks, I was hoping that was the color which is the same as the rooster. One of the hens matches that color too.

I moved some of the other roosters into that pen since all the Araucana hens are in there now. I am planning to clean the main coop this coming weekend and will move all the Araucana's to the barn where there's a lot more room. The Maran hens, the pair of Cochins and the giant fluffy brown hen will get the smaller pen. I found a couple of old greenhouse frames that I think I may be able to buy. They're not the commercial size but good sized and I can put wire over them instead of plastic and some shade cloth which I already have and make a couple of cool chicken tractors.

 

[cashdl]

Has anyone received their copy of the new SOP. I just ordered mine last week. I wonder how long it takes to ship out.

Lanae

 

[cackleberrycoop]

Quote:
I ordered mine May 1st of last year. Still waiting........ If you get your copy before me, Lanae, I will declare war.

 

[cashdl]

I totally understand Megan. I had thought that others had started receiving their copies already. By waiting so long to order, I figured I wouldn't have to wait as long. It has already been a couple of days and I am wondering when its going to get here. It sure wasn't cheap. The website says that they were going to start shipping end of February, so hopefully soon.

Lanae

 

[cackleberrycoop]

Oh, what web-site?!?! This is very exciting news!!!!!

 

[cashdl]

UGH!! I am totally ready to get rid of all my chickens except the Araucanas and Marans.

I go to feed everyone and let them roam around for a while, what happens. The araucanas charge past me to scratch around in the grass and bushes. Sometimes they come back to talk to me, but generally they completely ignore the feed I have put out till the end of the day when I lock up them back up. My marans come over and talk to me but generally prefer to cruise about looking for a sunny spot to lay out in.

Now the rest of my flock consists of egg layers - barred rocks, EE's, RIR's, Orpintons, polish and leghorns. I let them out first thing in the morning. I don't throw feed out till afternoon. They have 10 acres of grass, horse pens, goat pens, flower beds, and compost piles. Do they want any of that? No! They spend the whole time I am out, running after me for food. I was in the green house ( with the door firmly closed) this morning starting seeds. I was in there almost an hour and they pecked at the glass door the whole time. I fought my way back to the house and went inside. Once they were convinced that I was not going to feed them, they started pecking about the yard. It is so annoying. I almost hate them. I can't get anything done cause they are in the way. I used to love to take a cup of coffee out and watch them roaming the yard. Now I only do that when the layers are penned and the Araucanas are out.

Now I know how my husband felt when he was being chased by them.


Lanae

 

[cashdl]

The American Poultry Association website under their store.

 

[cackleberrycoop]

Quote:
You're going to have to stop being so nice to your birds - they adore you far too much.

I know what you mean though - their frantic "I AM STARVING" personalities really can leave a person feeling stressed and inadequate, even as we watch those astronomical feed bills counter their cries of "distress." My biggest problem is always feeling like a terrible owner when I put the breeding birds in their pens for the season and then watching them spend their days trying frantically to escape. I feel so guilty for robbing them of their freedom! My favorite Araucana roo is the worst! He crows at me every time he sees me - staring right at me, following me around the inside of his run. I HATE it! I want to cry. I need to get babies from that boy, but next year, if all goes well this season, he is going to run free - the head boy over my free range egg laying flock.