Araucana

[Puddin Fluff]

Sorry you lost your girl.

Actually, they are very much related. The Araucana was first developed in Chile from two other breeds. The original Araucanas included both a tufted and rumpless variety and a bearded muffed tailed variety. In the 1920s the blue egg laying birds were introduced to the rest of the world via a paper. Both varieties were introduced into the US and different breeders focused on devolving the two separate types. The hatcheries were more interested in making money from the craze because of false information being perpetuated that the blue eggs were healthier. Not caring about standards, they crossed the birds with other breeds and created the Easter Egger.

In 1976 the APA accepted only the tufted and rumpless variety as Araucanas, though many wanted both varieties accepted. This of course left the breeders of the bearded muffed tailed variety upset. They, however, continued to show their birds as "American Araucanas." Meanwhile, a club of such breeders worked together on establishing their birds as a separate breed. They were the ones to establish, via voting, the breed standards and the name Ameraucana (see what they did there). This breed was accepted by the ABA in 1980.

Interesting side note, a ship wreck landed a bunch of bearded muffed tailed Araucanas in Scotland early on. Their offspring produced some of the tufted and rumpless birds. That is why Britain and Australia accept both verities as Araucana.

Sorry that was probably more then you wanted to know.

No. That's a great history lesson. It just makes me crazy when you are trying to get Araucana eggs and the people are selling Ameraucana. Wish they had not kept the names so close. I get why now, however, especialy to new folks, they use the name interchangablely and it is frustrating. Are you just a history buff or a breeder or both?

 

[FFFAviaries]

I do a lot of showing with my poultry, and I raise the Ameraucana. I've always loved the look of the true Araucana, but unfortunately, purebreds are very rare to come by in the United States. A very wise poultry enthusiast once told me that unless you go directly to one of the few listed breeders (from the American Poultry Association or American Bantam Association yearbooks where breeders list what they have, and they list where Araucanas are being shown) then you are 99% buying an Ameraucana.

There was even a "breeder" in New Mexico at one time that was taking Ameraucanas and was pulling their tails out at a very young age, so they tail would actually be so damaged it wouldn't grow back, and was selling them as Araucanas when they were not. While this guy was eventually driven out of the market--because people found out about his shady ways--there are lots of people that still say they have true Araucanas when they do not. Sometimes it is completely by mistake, because they do have similar traits (I prefer my Araucana rumpless though!) but there are some others out there that try to market the Araucana even though they know they don't have them.

It is frustrating through, so I do my best (as I know a lot of people do) to try and correct the idea that the name is interchangable. While they are related, they do need to be separated.

 

[lomine]

No. That's a great history lesson. It just makes me crazy when you are trying to get Araucana eggs and the people are selling Ameraucana. Wish they had not kept the names so close. I get why now, however, especialy to new folks, they use the name interchangablely and it is frustrating. Are you just a history buff or a breeder or both?

Just an Ameraucana lover and an avid over-user of Google.

I actually just started my first flock and have three Blue Ameraucanas. I can't have roos in the city so won't be breeding but maybe in the future if I move. I totally agree that there is way too much confusion between Araucanas, Ameraucanas, and EEs. It certainly isn't helped by the hatcheries who must know they are EE but still sell as the pure breeds or worse Americanas. Apparently even judges at shows still confuse the two sometimes so I'm guessing this problem isn't going away.

 

[darcysh]

Thanks

I was wondering what they were. Just one more question are they good layers, good mothers and do they lay the greenish colour eggs.

 

[FFFAviaries]

Egg color varies in Easter Eggers. Some lay a pinkish colored egg, some do the greenish colored eggs. Unfortunately, you'll have to wait and see what you get. However, there are very good layers and will make good mothers. If you let them set their own eggs (and have a rooster) hens can sit on and hatch up to 16 eggs at a time.

 

[darcysh]

Thanks that's interesting.

Some of our neighbours have complained before as to our roosters is there any thing that can quieten them down.

 

[FFFAviaries]

I wish there was a way to quiet them down, but, unfortunately they crow when they want.

I know there are a lot of "ideas" on how to keep them quiet. I had a woman that even bought a Phoenix cockerel from me and swore she was going to squirt him with a water bottle each time he crowed, and that he would learn not to. It did not work.

A lot of old-timers say that if you only have one cock and an ample amount of hens, they will make less noise, but they're still going to give off a crow here and there.

One method is making friends with the neighbors. Maybe offer them a box of eggs a few times a year. I don't know, depends on the neighbors, but for a lot of the 4-H youth that I have mentored in the past, they tried this and got pleasing results. Although, most of them only had their roosters for about a year and then auctioned them after Fair and so many of their neighbors probably had been informed the roosters were only temporary.

 

[darcysh]

Would you think the 'no crow collars' would help.

 

[darcysh]

The neighbours are friendly and good but they told me they hate waking up at 5am because of the rooster.

 

[FFFAviaries]

I don't have a lot of faith in the 'no crow' collars. I have never used them at my farm. However, I know a lot of people that attempted to use them and they did not seem to work for them. They all had smaller bantam roosters though. Perhaps experiences vary.