Are Auracanas More Fragile?

[The Monkey Mama]

A few months back I bought some "true Ameraucana" eggs on eBay that were actually mutts [one batch of many

].

But, these Ameraucanas definitely had some Auracana mixed in there - many came out with tassel faces and a couple were rumpless.

The two that were rumpless never seemed hardy or healthy - one of them kept getting pasty butt, and both of them remained smaller than the other chicks from the same hatch.

So one of our little rumpless was a pullet. She was really sweet and we liked her a lot. Her feathering had finally filled out and she seemed to be doing pretty well, though still kinda small and runty.

Well, this week we've had record cold temps here in GA, but she's in a secure chicken coop [an actual building, draft free and protected from wind and cold].

There are about 25 chickens in the coop, which is too many [it is 8x8] but they usually spend all day out in the run and only go in the coop at night. [We've left them in the coop all day for the past 2 days though because we are getting some single digit temps these last few days].

So, this morning I go out to feed them and add hot water to their waterer and found Wonder chicken dead. It looks like she must have frozen to death I guess... I don't know.

I just feel sad - she was about 11 weeks old, so I didn't expect to lose her at this point. All the other chicks are doing great and don't even seem bothered by the cold...they are just running all over like normal.

I just wondered - it seems like these rumpless chickens were just never very hardy ... I am sad to lose her, I was really interested to see what color eggs she would lay. Plus we were kind of attached to Wonder chicken.

Any thoughts? Are Auracanas less hardy in general?

Kelly

 

[key west chick]

I've had trouble with my aracaunas as well. Several have died for no reason. I've had the best luck with my tailed pullet. I'm begining to think its the rumplessness that somehow makes them less hardy, but I could be wrong.

 

[amazondoc]

I haven't had any trouble with mine so far.....except for hatching the little buggers.

I have two bantam araucana roos who just Thursday night went through a 1 degree F night, covered but outside, with no trouble. Most of mine have preferred to leep outside all winter. In fact, it's my MARANS who have been wimps about the cold so far!

 

[Birch Run Farm]

There were three days straight of -20 to -24 below zero here in Vermont. I have about 25 araucanas of various ages as well as a few other breeds. No losses, they seem pretty sturdy to me. I did take my black giant cockerel in the basement so his comb didn't freeze.

 

[wilds of pa]

Never had trouble with ours, its been several years with them..Very hardy birds..with ours they will snuggle real close to each other on the roosts in single temps.

i see in your post she was only about 11 weeks old..she may not have had enough time to acclimate enough to the conditions(temps), this is just one of my thoughts..may want to consider adding a bit of heat if you get those temps again??

sorry to hear of your loss

Charlie

 

[Mahonri]

And I always thought of GA as a warm state.

 

[pips&peeps]

I think she was too young to be out in extreme cold weather. And, if she was in with older birds she may not have been able to get the nurishment she needed if she was being picked on in that crowded environment.

 

[speckledhen]

Mahonri, Ga varies wildly from south to north. We've had several single digit nights here in the mtns at 2000 ft elevation.

 

[The Monkey Mama]

I would have thought maybe she was too young too if all the other 11 week olds hadn't done just fine. She was part of a big hatch and none of the others had any problems at all... which is why I wondered if maybe auracanas require special care.

She wasn't picked on or anything and she ate well - nobody ever bothered her at all. She was gentle and seemed happy - the other chicks loved to cuddle up with her and I never saw any problems, no picking or aggression at all.

This is my mixed flock - 25 birds but only 8 of them are adults and the adults are all very gentle hens. So... I don't know. I just feel bad that I didn't bring her inside or something.

Mahonri, GA usually IS a pretty warm state [one reason I live here LOL! I just don't do well with cold weather!]. But we had record lows last week in the single digits - definitely not what we are used to. I'm so glad it is finally warming up again now!

Kelly

 

[Wildsky]

I've not had problems with mine (mine come from Jody and Charlie - Hinkjc and Wilds of PA)

Mine seem rather smart actually - the one has been seen on cold nights sleeping next to the waterer (base heater)

They are smaller than standards, its just the way they are, they're kinda middle of the range in size, a little bigger than a bantam, but smaller than a standard.