Araucana thread anyone?

[MA Mama]

I'm relatively new to Araucana but I haven't noticed any roo aggression at all, either. My Araucana roo is content to do his thing while my other roo throws his weight around and plays tough guy.

 

[shanshan51]

Eh my Araucana Roo goes out of his way to beat up other males. He is fine with the younger cockerels but he has gone out of his way to go after some of my BLRW Roos. So now everyone gets their own "yard" time.

 

[gootziecat]

Thanks for the replies. My cockerals (before 9 wks old) have been unable to be combined with any other chicks, all around the same age, some larger in size. They bully unmercifully when they get in the humor to do it, which is frequently. It's looking like the choices are: keep them penned in an all roo pen, pen them with their own Araucana girls (which they get along), or sell them. Sadly, I have 2 -3 wk old Araucanas from a separate hatch that will somehow have to be intregated with them. I'm sure one of the 3 wk olds is a roo and he pecked another, much larger chick bloody a few days ago. It's interesting most of you aren't having any of these problems. This is the only breed I'm having a problem with.

 

[cashdl]

Eh my Araucana Roo goes out of his way to beat up other males. He is fine with the younger cockerels but he has gone out of his way to go after some of my BLRW Roos. So now everyone gets their own "yard" time.

When you let your roo out does his girls go with him? I never have my breeding males run with other males. I know some that do but my breeding males stay with their girls always and they all free range together. I never let the roos and their girls out with other roos, that is just asking for trouble. He then has to work to keep his girls from being stolen by another roo. Its not baseless aggression it is protecting your territory ( the hens).

Lanae

 

[gootziecat]

As 6 wk olds, they were combined with other youngsters their age or a wk older and they gave them such a hard time I moved them to their own pen to keep peace. They were moved with their girls and one other roo they were raised with since hatch. They all get along great. They are not with other roos, nor are they without their girls. Infact, they are together in a grassy pen, along with 2 Brahma pullets around their age. No new birds have been added and they have been with the Brahmas for 3 weeks. They will chase the Brahmas around and around the pen, several laps unrelentingly, until they corner them, then move in on these pullets. They terrorize the Brahmas until they have them flying up the fence trying to avoid their bullying. The pullets are quite frightened. These cockerels were hatched 3/9, so as you can see, they are still quite young. The birds are not crowded(7 youngsters in an 8x8' coop area) and have as much stimulation as any penned birds (10x10' attached kennel).They are not let out to forage yet for their own safety.

 

[Illia]

My Araucana males are perfectly good with people but yes, they're a little wild at heart and do love to pick fights with others, Araucana or not, and the fights if with another Araucana may last a long, long time if not stopped. If they're raised together from the get-go they're fine though, but if they don't see each other for as little as a week, things may go bad. They will either get adjusted with dominant vs low man who sneaks around or you just gotta keep em separate.

I'm sure it differs with others though. All my boys are from the same breeder but different colors/from different parents.

One thing is for sure with me, the males mature very fast! They crow, mate, and dance much earlier on than most of my other breeds. The only that tie with them are Polish.

 

[shanshan51]

When you let your roo out does his girls go with him? I never have my breeding males run with other males. I know some that do but my breeding males stay with their girls always and they all free range together. I never let the roos and their girls out with other roos, that is just asking for trouble. He then has to work to keep his girls from being stolen by another roo. Its not baseless aggression it is protecting your territory ( the hens).

Lanae

Not anymore. It was when all the others were younger. Then I came home to a bloody comb. Now they all get their own time as a breeding flock out. I rotate them all so they get out every other day at minimum.

 

[poularde]

So, I have one I am not sure if it is a male or female. Any guesses? I keep thinking boy. It is as large as it's brother.

 

[coberdor]

Looks like a roo with the red comb. Is that one of mine? The lacing is nice. If he's mine, he's probable from the Hinkjc's blue hen that I have. She is the one with the nice lacing.

 

[cashdl]

So, I have one I am not sure if it is a male or female. Any guesses? I keep thinking boy. It is as large as it's brother.

How Old? If 4 months or so, I would go with pullet, because the comb is totally flat and I don't see any wattles, but if younger than that, its a boy.

But just a guess on my part.

Lanae