Araucana thread anyone?

[smoothmule]

Lanae,
That's so funny, I know the feeling too. It's extra cool now too because you know who both the hen and rooster are that she's out of.
Anyone know who is raising good BB red Araucana's? I'm wanting a pullet or I'd try some hatching eggs if they were from a BBR pen. I can add the tufts later if all I could get were clean faced but I do want rumpless and good green or willow legs. I do like his comb too, nice and neat, I hope it stays that way and he passes it on. We'll find out what he's got this summer. He and Degas finally realized they were both crowing so there's been some chasing but nothing serious. I'm keeping a close eye on them though and if it gets to the point I think Joker would get hurt, I'll move him out but so far Degas is just showing who rules and Joker is young enough to just stay out of his space. Of course, that doesn't mean when Joker bolts outside that a hen or two doesn't follow him out

He's not mature enough yet but he will soon.

Yep, partial tail. Doesn't bug me though. I looked him over and decided he had enough good attributes that I may need in my flock to keep him around. If he had too many problems I would have given him to my friend Yana, who will take any ole rooster. They're just pets and she doesn't keep hens. I'm still a little puzzled about whether he's blue too, or not. His tail feathers look dark blue but there's so much patterning on his chest I can't really tell if it's blue or what. When he settles in more and gets used to me, I'll get better closeups but here are a couple.....his chest and one of his side. What do you all think? Blue? so what would his color be called? I read that if the breast isn't black, they aren't really duckwing. So would he be blue/gold wheaten?

 

[AZBootsie]

I like the way those 2 tail feathers hang down. Makes him "one of a kind".

Very pretty roo!!

AZBootsie

 

[Illia]

By the "breast isn't black, he isn't duckwing" comment, people are often referring to what your cockerel has, and that's the white showing through. A lot of duckwings that have been poorly bred have that, even my Marango shows signs of it with his blue spangling (he's basically a reverse of yours due to his columbian genes) I believe it is just too much melanizer in there, which can also affect the smudging of the colors on the back. So, it all, yes, boils down to the bird not being a true duckwing.

The chest looks blue to me though - Just with a lot of red leaking through, too. He may possibly have something else in there, and he may just have been bred from random parents and you just so happened to get a duckwing-esque male.

 

[gootziecat]

Could some one answer some practical questions about Araucanas? What is their period of lay? In other words, do they lay year round? Some breeds take long holidays. What are their personalities like? Do roos every get mean? Do hens go broody?

Thank you.

 

[Illia]

Quote:
They will lay practically non-stop, at least mine do, except if they're brooding, molting, tending to chicks, or anytime within 2-4 weeks after they're done being broody. Araucanas are very broody, so just as long as you allow it or stop it before it is too late, all is good. They also have a long lifespan, which allows for a longer production life.

Their personalities - They're quite spunky and friendly, very hardy, will stand up for themselves if there are bigger chickens around (they really aren't very big) and the roosters especially will stick out for themselves if other roosters are giving them a hard time.

The roosters are rarely aggressive. I've heard of some that are, but of the 20 I've raised, NONE ever attacked me or even thought about it. If raised right, they're extremely friendly and pet-like. They'll follow you anywhere.

And to answer again, yes, they go broody. They're VERY good moms and VERY broody. I've got a pullet who began just 13 eggs into her cycle, then about 4 weeks later, she went at it again - And I'm sure once these hatch out and grow up, she'll try again if I allow her. I've got another mommy who is still looking after her chicks and they're 2 months old. Other breeds I've had usually let them go after 1 month. I honestly, out of all my Araucanas, only have 3 that have never gone broody yet. They're molting though, so who knows. . . Perhaps when they're done.

 

[gootziecat]

Illia,
Are they hard to break up since they go broody so much?

 

[cashdl]

Araucanas are very personable. They tend to be fairly nosey, always wanting to know what your doing and why. The roosters are wonderful gentleman to the girls. The girls get the best bits and get to eat first cause the roos are constantly pointing out choice bits of goodies for them. My roos do a funny little wing dance and sing to the girls before mateing. My roos make lots more noises and vocalizations than the hens do. The hens are fairly quiet and have soft little voices, while the roos will screech, scream, and growl. It is usually the roos who let me know that an egg has been laid.

The hens make really good broodies and moms. The araucanas make great dads and will often sit on the roosts with their chicks at their side or under their wings. When they are out cruising around some of the chicks will dust bathe with the hens and some will kick thru the leaves and dirt with the roos. It is really cool to watch the family dynamics.

My hens go broody often and tend to stay in mommy mode long after it is needed. I have one hen that is still mothering her pullet and it is bigger than her at 5 months. I think it is her best buddy cause they are always together.

Lanae

 

[Illia]

Quote:
Some, yes, and some no. Either way, if you break a broody, you still won't get eggs until she finally figures out that she's not brooding. (2-4 weeks)

Usually what I do is allow them some eggs, then remove the eggs. They'll often leave if there are no eggs there, but some of mine. . Oh boy, they will brood for more than the 21 required days, the entire time without eggs.

 

[gootziecat]

This may sound like an unusual thing to ask, but do they mind snow very much? I have 5 chickens right now that haven't touched ground in days because they don't want to put their delicate toes in a half inch of snow. Also, are they good foragers. I suspect they are not only good foragers but also fairly good at escaping predators.

Thanks!!

 

[cackleberrycoop]

Quote:
You can't beat the Araucanas for being hearty foragers! The first four that I brought home blew my mind by trudging out and foraging in the middle of the snowy field; scratching down through layers of snow to find the ground below. A few pages back on this thread I posted a pic of my hen up to her belly in snow for absolutely no good reason. They are the only birds I have who seem to prefer to roost outside in the trees when the nasty winter weather hits. I have to work to get them in the coops at night.
Mine are not laying well right now at all, but I can't tell if they have ever molted so I suspect they are going through some sort of long, gradual molt as opposed to a sudden, get it over with molt.