Araucana thread anyone?

[suzannaski]

Illia, would you be willing to ship to me some egg shells from your eggs?
I just got a couple shells from Greenfire Farms from their Cream Legbars, and they are not much different/bluer than my girls' shells.
I'm curious to see how they compare to yours.

Actually, for that matter, if anyone wants to send me eggshells that they think are really blue, I can expand my research and then share it with everyone.

 

[flowerchild59]

Quote:
I think that would be real interesting to see how the "blues" compare.

 

[Illia]

That would be indeed! I'll remember to save up some good shells to send ya

Right now I'm collecting a lot to hatch, but there's a good chance I'll be able to get you some shells soon.

 

[Ray_n_Debi]

What is everybodies opinion on what a blue egg color should be? I have the Araucana Clubs Egg Color Reference Chart, to me I would love eggs that were A7!

 

[Illia]

Anything in the A region is just crazy, I'd love to see someone prove they have birds that lay that. I don't have a chart with me, so I wouldn't be the judge. Right now I just judge all my blue egg layer's egg color by seeing with my eyes (comparing huge groups of eggs) and through doctored photos. (I take pictures of them and jack up the saturation to see which one is greener, bluer, or more turquoise.)

Oh and then there's washing the eggs. LOTS of "blue" eggs out there only appear so because of excess white coating. Wash it and you wash away the deception

 

[cackleberrycoop]

Quote:
Which brings me to a thought that I had when you were talking about sending egg shells to compare. Such a fun idea and I've often thought of trying something similar, but what do we do about the way the blue, green, blue/green eggs change color over time after they are laid? I get frustrated with that sometimes when I have what I think is an exceptional egg and then I go to show someone and the egg that I bring out of the fridge is a different shade than the one that I put in there. The incubator is exactly the same thing for me. The heat alters the colors. Or, uhm.... am I the only one this happens to ?



Yeah - I would go BANANAS if I ever got an A7 out of a bird. I've always wanted someone to say that they had in fact, in real life and on planet earth, gotten an honest to goodness A1 egg also. SO PRETTY!

 

[Illia]

Being in the fridge and wet are the same thing, as once pulled out of the fridge, the egg will "sweat"

The only true color changes I find are improvements on the second year. My Silver Duckwing hen laid a pretty khaki-toned egg when she started, but now on her second year she's laying a very nice ideal blue. I'll be keeping an eye out for how her offsprings' egg color goes.

 

[Ray_n_Debi]

I am happy if my egg color is the same inside and outside the shell. I take out the 'membrane' from the inside of the shell and compare the inside and the outside of the shell. That is the best way for me to see if there is any brown pigment on the shell.
My eggs change too. I have some eggs that I drilled and blew out, they were beautiful, now a year later they are very pale.

 

[Rumbull]

I recall a comment from a breeder that had gotten out of the araucana's for years. He claimed the color was much paler when he started back up years later. So I to am very interested to know if anyone is getting eggs in the A's or have they truely lost some of their blue color. Since the color chart comes from actual egg samples taken from the past, it would be encouraging to know that the same color is around today.

 

[cashdl]

I am working on my 4th generation that are laying and most are solidly in the Bs. I find my favorites no matter where they are on the chart is the darker ones. I have a hen that lays a B3. I have pullets hatching out of her eggs and can't wait to see what they lay. I find that my blues and barreds lay the darkest eggs or the most vibrant. The duckwings lay the bluest but lightest, and I have a black hen that lays a lovely teal egg. Everyone else is all over the place.

I am finding improvement in egg color this year from last years pullets. One pullet laid a khaki egg and this year it is definately more green blue. Another pullet laid a tan egg ( startled the heck out of me) but this year the eggs from her are khaki. I have not cracked hers open yet to see what color they are on the inside. So that is fairly eggciting news.

I am having a hard time sticking with my breeding plans. I have some really nice pullets and roos this year that are begging me to add yet another color to my pens. I keep telling myself to stick with the duckwings and birchens ( my first loves ) yet I have some nice blues, splashs, and barreds this year. Also I have had a few red pyles (almost) that have cropped up. Blue is not my favorite color or my first choice and yet I have two tufted roos, 5 cleanfaced hens, two tufted hens and several pullets. ARGH!!! I spends lots of time each day looking at my pens and making plans for next year. By fall I want to have a definate game plan. I have the room for lots and lots of chickens but I feel scattered by the various color pens. Its like I am not able to focus on what I really want to do, because I am distracted by all the pretty colors and tufts.


Lanae