Araucana thread anyone?

[Illia]

If they're raised with Shamos they'll be fine when it comes to getting along. Araucanas are TOUGH chickens even when facing Shamos.


ETA - If anyone ever bosses, bullies or picks on my Shamo hen it's my splash cuckoo Araucana. I don't know why my Shamo puts up with her, or how, but if she's eating, the Araucana will come up and peck her head repetitively and she'll just pause, stand there, and take it until the Araucana leaves. Then she'll go on her normal business. She's at the top of the whole flock except for the Araucanas on occasion.

 

[welasharon]

Thanks Illia. They do so well together. I think I'll try the fence extension and then go with the enclosed top if that doesn't keep them in. I hate to have to keep the shamo penned in their pen without access to the grass and bugs. I'll let you know how it goes!
sharon

 

[welasharon]

Quote:
That's funny that she puts up with it. She could easily kill her I would think. My araucanas are not yet laying...can't wait for the blue eggs!

 

[cackleberrycoop]

Quote:
Where can I read that article?

Backyard Poultry magazine is available in all the feed stores. The article is in this month's magazine. I like the magazine for the most part, but they spell Ameraucana with an "i" and call Easter Eggers either Ameraucanas or Araucanas, so it makes me question how thoroughly they research their subject matter...... so take their advice with a grain of salt.....

 

[Illia]

They don't offer it at either my local feedstore nor the one 80 miles from here.



But, sounds like I'm not gonna bother reading it if it says that.

Here I thought they knew better.

 

[cashdl]

Hi Megan,

I am so happy they made it home safe and didn't smell too badly for your husband or your new car. If the roos two tufts were pecked out than keep on eye on the hen that was riding with him, because he had two small but, finally!, growing in tufts when we loaded him up. I have been wondering which girl has been responsible. He should throw some nice tufted chicks for you. I have two tufted hens here, that I kept out of him. I have never gotten a triple tufted or weird tufted bird from him, so you probably won't either. He is kinda hard to look at sometimes isn't he? But he is very sweet and pretty much a gentleman with the ladies. His coloring is just about perfect. I have a roo here from him that is cleanfaced and has his coloring also. He is one of my escape-es. He worked so hard to get free that he is allowed to run loose with whatever girl he can free as long as they are out of the egg layer pen. He currently has three girls running with him.

Your husband was very nice. You don't know how much I wanted to trot him around and show him all my birds and various pens, but I couldn't figure out how interested he would be and didn't want to send him away with a " boy that womans crazy" vibe. LOL!

My pens are 10' tall and have a roof, but there is a small gap between the roof and sides. I get birds that escape every so often. I keep telling myself to plug the hole. Fortunately I have a guard dog who so far has kept critters away.


Lanae

 

[welasharon]

Quote:
10' sigh....looks like it is going to take a top

 

[cashdl]

A top is definately a good idea. I have a couple of hens that are what I call climbers. I have watched them fly at the wire side of the cage and while flapping their wings as fast as they can, climb their way to the top. It is pretty funny. It takes determination.

Course you could always overfeed your chickens so their too fat to fly. It hasn't worked for me so far, because my araucana stop eating when their full. All my other mutts just eat and eat. Then look at me with this huge crop like they are starving. Idiots.

Lanae

 

[welasharon]

I had gotten the araucanas when I got the shamos just to have pretty blue eggs but they are very personable birds....and very fast! One of them is extra stubborn and does everything her own way and on her own time. I just hope I don't come home and find her hanging from the top!

 

[Ray_n_Debi]

Wow 10' high. I only have it 5', but we clip thier wings (feathers, no I dont cut their wings

) I keep netting over the chicks runs.