Araucana thread anyone?

[n8ivetxn]

I think I see where some of the frustration comes from in this breed. People tend to think Araucana are easy to breed. They cannot be compared to Ameraucana or Easter Eggers in today's world of breeding. Here's why..Araucana breeders were set up to fail as soon as the standard was written the way it was. Getting tufts and rumpless on a single bird is no small feat. Tufts are lethal, so chicks die in the shell or don't get them. Very frustrating when it's an important aspect of the breed. Setting up breeding pens to ensure live chicks and getting tufts on offspring is a way to work around that. Rumpless is not a fun trait to work with either. Breed them too long together and you end up with non-breedable birds, either due to fertility problems or spines that are so short they're useless (due to feces blockage or inability to breed). Not only does this breed not breed true, in most cases it can't due to genetics. So, establishing a standard of perfection that can only happen 25% of the time was really ignorant. jmho

In my years of working with this breed, I've learned that one of our first issues is there are not enough people working on them. The issues with getting the perfect birds keeps people from wanting to raise them, let alone breed them. The few that hang on to maintain flocks of this breed are the dedicated ones, who hope to preserve something special. I often revert back to the history of them and remember where they came from. This helps me make decision in my breeding pens. It is not only about the APA standard, but what the historical preservation means to this breed. There goes a lot more than a color variety. Just something to keep in mind.

Any person who wants to work with Araucana has to start somewhere. Hopefully they will do their research and buy from people who have araucana (as opposed to easter eggers or ameracuana) to get their start. Color can always be worked on, but I will say that I've found most of the breeders do not focus on this due to their focus on getting tufts and rumplessness. Traits have always come before color on this breed. It started that way a long time ago and people still prefer the non-standard colors over the pure varieties. I raised pure blacks without leakage and got rid of the flock when there was no interest in that color variety, and I didn't have a personal interest in black birds. The good news is the flock went to a single person and I can only hope they continue to breed them and enjoy them. I also raise pure whites, which there is little interest in. But I like white birds and will continue to raise them until they perish. It is my understanding Steve Waters is looking for a serious breeder to take over his white breeding program. If you are serious about a great line, I would encourage you to reach out to him.

What people ask for most is the mixed color varieties. Why, who knows. Maybe because they want something rare and in various colors, just for pets and because they're unusual. I can't speak for them, but personally I enjoy my mixed color pen as well. I find they more closely resemble the originating species of fowl that drove this breed. The colonca and quetros that were brought together to develop such an unusual breed will forever be in my mind.

Now that we talk about the colonca and quetros, let's look back at what was done with the APA and see where we went wrong. The colonca is a blue egg fowl that is clean faced and rumpless. The quetros was a brown egg fowl that was tufted and tailed. How did we ever imagine we would get all blue eggs from these two birds is beyond me..first mistake. Years of selective breeding, yes. But keeping true to their history, no. Matching up these two birds and their genetics will not produce 100% tufted and rumpless birds either.

Someone asked about breeding rumpless versus tails. In my experience, tail to tail always produces tails. Breeding rumpless to tail, produces rumpless, rumpless with rudimentary tail feathers, partial tailbone and full tails. Breeding rumpless to rumpless can produce much the same as rumpless to tail, with less full tails evident. Although rudimentary tail feathers and partial tailed birds are common as well, depending on which generation you're on.

Tufted to tufted produced lots of chicks dead in the shell. Not ideal if you want a successful live hatch. I find matching tufted to clean faced is the optimal way to get lots of chicks and lots of chicks with tufts, since it is a dominant trait and a single copy reduces the lethal aspect. Sorry for going on and on, but just wanted to share some of my thoughts on the breed. I hope new breeders find it helpful and will continue to ask questions to learn more.

Does this person still raise Araucanas?

.....As a person deeply involved in rare breed conservation, I can appreciate this philosophy. Some very good points. I'm so glad, when our organization decided to close the flock books and set a breed standard, the Board had the foresight to set the standard as widely and as inclusively as possible.... very important for breed continuity.

 

[Ravynscroft]

Does this person still raise Araucanas?

.....As a person deeply involved in rare breed conservation, I can appreciate this philosophy. Some very good points. I'm so glad, when our organization decided to close the flock books and set a breed standard, the Board had the foresight to set the standard as widely and as inclusively as possible.... very important for breed continuity.

They've switched to focus on their Lavender Orpington line primarily, but they might still have some Araucanas, I'm not sure...

Ugh, I can't copy the link properly... google hinkjc poultry...

 

[Ashburnham]

Does this person still raise Araucanas?

.....As a person deeply involved in rare breed conservation, I can appreciate this philosophy. Some very good points. I'm so glad, when our organization decided to close the flock books and set a breed standard, the Board had the foresight to set the standard as widely and as inclusively as possible.... very important for breed continuity.

I would think that your American standard Araucanas would be one of the most difficult birds in the world to breed, with all those lethal recessives etc.
I find my Australian Araucanas are one of the easiest breeds with fantastic egg laying ability and fertility.
Of course it takes some work to get them perfect.

xxxx M

 

[n8ivetxn]

I would think that your American standard Araucanas would be one of the most difficult birds in the world to breed, with all those lethal recessives etc.

xxxx M

Ya know, I'm beginning to think you may have a point, LOL! - However, after reading the Hink post, (I may get stoned for saying this!) I think that breeders, esp those responsible for the SOP, have made an already difficult task, almost impossible.... that's my impression, anyway.

You would think that people involved with rare or struggling breeds would try to be inclusive in developing standards, sometimes I think we shoot ourselves in the foot....IMHO

 

[n8ivetxn]

They've switched to focus on their Lavender Orpington line primarily, but they might still have some Araucanas, I'm not sure...

Ugh, I can't copy the link properly... google hinkjc poultry...

Somehow I totally missed your response until just now! Thank you... yes, I did look at their site and didn't see anything recent about Araucanas.....


How was the Lavender Araucana created? How is Lavender different than Blue?


I have more eggs arriving tomorrow... (er, later today

).... Hopefully I get something this time. If not, I'm on the wait list for live birds and more eggs in the spring

Geesh, somebody stop me!

 

[Ravynscroft]

Somehow I totally missed your response until just now! Thank you... yes, I did look at their site and didn't see anything recent about Araucanas.....


How was the Lavender Araucana created? How is Lavender different than Blue?


I have more eggs arriving tomorrow... (er, later today ).... Hopefully I get something this time. If not, I'm on the wait list for live birds and more eggs in the spring Geesh, somebody stop me!

Lavender (aka Self Blue) is a recessive of black while blue (aka Andalusian blue) is a dilute of black... blue is dominant, so it only takes one copy to visually express blue, 2 copies and it is splash... with lavender, one copy can be carried by a black but you can't see any difference visually... it takes 2 copies of lavender for it to express visually...

Lavender Araucanas were created in different ways, just depends on the lines as to how they were started... I believe Harry Shaffer recommended crossing a cull lavender Ameraucana (beardless one) into black Araucanas, then breeding back to full Araucanas until all offspring were correct for Araucana type...

 

[wrighttheo2323]

Question!!!!!! I have 2 roOsters which are and Augustlop,And a Americana wasn't suppose to be roosters...Then I have a golden laced Wyandotte that lays everyday..Rhode Island red that isn't and a red sex link I jus brought to the flock
I need help

 

[wrighttheo2323]

 

[n8ivetxn]

Lavender (aka Self Blue) is a recessive of black while blue (aka Andalusian blue) is a dilute of black... blue is dominant, so it only takes one copy to visually express blue, 2 copies and it is splash... with lavender, one copy can be carried by a black but you can't see any difference visually... it takes 2 copies of lavender for it to express visually...

Lavender Araucanas were created in different ways, just depends on the lines as to how they were started... I believe Harry Shaffer recommended crossing a cull lavender Ameraucana (beardless one) into black Araucanas, then breeding back to full Araucanas until all offspring were correct for Araucana type...

Ah, ok.... Thank you...

Last week I posted a want ad on a site called Poultry Central. A breeder in Maryland responded with pics, and at first I thought the birds were Ameraucanas, but then I realized they had crests! This breeder has a beautiful flock of what looks like European Standard, Lavender Araucanas.... Breeder said they have different color varieties and live birds available for shipment. They were gorgeous. If I was in the market for those, I'd be happy as a clam to get those birds! They also included pics of chicks with various color patterns...

Well, my newest clutch of eggs just arrived.... got them unpacked and letting them come up to room temp. The coolerbator is holding perfect temp & humidity...

 

[n8ivetxn]

Question!!!!!! I have 2 roOsters which are and Augustlop,And a Americana wasn't suppose to be roosters...Then I have a golden laced Wyandotte that lays everyday..Rhode Island red that isn't and a red sex link I jus brought to the flock
I need help

I think you may be in the wrong forum.... go to the top of the page and click on "forum," look for the heading "raising backyard chickens" and click on it. Then find the forum that closest fits your needs and post your question