Australians - Where are you all????

[Anniebee]

Hi all was just wondering about the breed araucanna and there temprement everone seems to have them and do they really lay green eggs thinking of getting sum

Hi Animal Madd. They are THE cutest, cheekiest and most confident of birds ( or so I have found - with my one girl Mindy - and a family members' 12 birds !! ) .... So far, hardy and full of attitude. And YES - they certainly DO lay blue eggs ( and olive, greenish and occasionally a soft almost khaki colour - but mainly blue hue ). On breaking the eggs for use, the inside coating of the shell, is always a lovely blue colour. Not sure what makes changes to the outer shell colour from time to time, possibly the type of treats given, or free ranging. Not at all sure about that though. Maybe someone else can help answer that one.

Araucana's are a joy - they lay larger than bantam but not as large as a Large Fowl does. Lay medium - maybe 600 gms or so. My Mindy is a text book chicken ( I am very fortunate ) .... she stopped laying in May - went into a heavy winter moult early June - enough to almost fill a pillow case !!! - grew her feathers back beautifully beginning of Spring - and began to lay again almost daily - at least 6 out of 7 days. Which is exactly as it should be. A lot of chickens ( various breeds ) don't always obey the rules ( I have found out - and I have heard !! ---- anyone here disagree ??? ).

By all means get yourself a few Araucana's. They seem to come in different colours, but not sure why that is. Cross breeding in and out again maybe ? Mindy is white with salmon coloured splashes throughout her feathers. A very pretty girl. Will try and get a decent photograph of her some time - if she stands still long enough ???

Araucana's have a tendency to crow - even when they are pullets / hens. My Mindy softly 'crows' like a rooster, just before she is about to lay. This apparently ( according to this site ) is not uncommon for the Araucana. Can be a bit off-putting when first heard though !!

Good luck in choosing your chooks - they will be a joy. Keep them locked up at night though - for Gosh sakes. Foxes abound all over Oz.

Cheers ..............AB

 

[animal madd]

Hi Animal Madd.    They are THE cutest, cheekiest and most confident of birds ( or so I have found - with my one girl Mindy - and a family members' 12 birds !! ) .... So far, hardy and full of attitude.   And YES - they certainly DO lay blue eggs ( and olive, greenish and occasionally a soft almost khaki colour - but mainly blue hue ).   On breaking the eggs for use, the inside coating of the shell,  is always a lovely blue colour.   Not sure what makes changes to  the outer shell colour from time to time, possibly the type of treats given, or free ranging.   Not at all sure about that though.   Maybe someone else can help answer that one. 

Araucana's are a joy - they lay larger than bantam but not as large as a Large Fowl does.   Lay medium - maybe 600 gms or so.    My Mindy is a text book chicken (  I am very fortunate ) .... she stopped laying in May - went into a heavy winter moult early June - enough to almost fill a pillow case !!!  - grew her feathers back beautifully beginning of Spring - and began to lay again almost daily - at least 6 out of 7 days. Which is exactly as it should be.  A  lot of chickens ( various breeds ) don't always obey the rules ( I have found out - and I have heard !! ---- anyone here disagree ??? ).

By all means get yourself a few Araucana's.   They seem to come in different colours, but not sure why that is.   Cross breeding in and out again maybe ?    Mindy is white with salmon coloured splashes throughout her feathers.   A very pretty girl.  Will try and get a decent photograph of her some time - if she stands still long enough ???  

Araucana's have a tendency to crow - even when they are pullets / hens.   My Mindy softly 'crows' like a rooster, just before she is about to lay.   This apparently ( according to this site ) is not uncommon for the Araucana.   Can be a bit off-putting when first heard though !! 

Good luck in choosing your chooks - they will be a joy.   Keep them locked up at night though - for Gosh sakes.  Foxes abound all over Oz.    

Cheers ..............AB

Wow thx ab again your always have great info im so keener to get them about them crowing when they have layed my batam hens go off for ages after they lay and when they havent been let out the make alot of noise I dont mind im on 9 acres and dont really have neightbours and its not foxes here its big pythons thx again for all this info I really cant wait to get a few I only have bantams not even sure what breed and 7 lomens so need diffrent breeds always had same breeds

 

[MyHaven]

Wow thx ab again your always have great info im so keener to get them about them crowing when they have layed my batam hens go off for ages after they lay and when they havent been let out the make alot of noise I dont mind im on 9 acres and dont really have neightbours and its not foxes here its big pythons thx again for all this info I really cant wait to get a few I only have bantams not even sure what breed and 7 lomens so need diffrent breeds always had same breeds

If you didn't live so far I'd have a roo you could have.

Cheers

 

[animal madd]

If you didn't live so far I'd have a roo you could have.

Cheers

Aww dam wish I lived close myhaven

 

[Anniebee]

Yesterday, Victoria returned to Winter with a vengeance - on December 5th ?? But then, that's Victoria - ranges 4 seasons in a day at times. Nothing surprises Victorians when it comes to weather.

Thought some of you might be interested - and maybe many might have seen the same thing with their chickens. It was worth standing out in the pouring rain and hail to watch.

Hail began - the chooks came roaring out of their coop - chased the hail as it bounced and swallowed as many as they could catch. They thought all their birthdays had come at once

. It was priceless to watch.

Just thought I would share ............


Cheers ........... AB

 

[Teila]

Yesterday, Victoria returned to Winter with a vengeance - on December 5th ?? But then, that's Victoria - ranges 4 seasons in a day at times. Nothing surprises Victorians when it comes to weather.

Thought some of you might be interested - and maybe many might have seen the same thing with their chickens. It was worth standing out in the pouring rain and hail to watch.

Hail began - the chooks came roaring out of their coop - chased the hail as it bounced and swallowed as many as they could catch. They thought all their birthdays had come at once

. It was priceless to watch.

Just thought I would share ............


Cheers ........... AB

lolz AB .. I would have loved to have seen that; that is too funny!

I wonder if they got brain-freeze!

 

[rexy]

Yesterday, Victoria returned to Winter with a vengeance - on December 5th ??    But then, that's Victoria - ranges 4 seasons in a day at times.   Nothing surprises Victorians when it comes to weather.  

Thought some of you might be interested - and maybe many might have seen the same thing with their chickens.   It was worth standing out in the pouring rain and hail to watch. 

Hail began - the chooks came roaring out of their coop - chased the hail as it bounced and swallowed as many as they could catch.  They thought all their birthdays had come at once     .    It was priceless to watch.   

Just thought I would share ............


Cheers ........... AB

That would have been very funny to watch. When we had hail recently, mine all retired to shelter. The chicks that were wandering toward their coop got a hurry up when they got hit with a hailstone.

 

[Anniebee]

That would have been very funny to watch. When we had hail recently, mine all retired to shelter. The chicks that were wandering toward their coop got a hurry up when they got hit with a hailstone.

Re my chickens catching and eating hailstones. Glad you enjoyed that ... it WAS very funny to watch.

However, when it's only plain old rain, they retreat into their coop. All except one, who absolutely LOVES being wet - whether it be rain, sleet, hail ( or snow but we haven't had that here this year for the chooks ). That's Mindy - my Araucana, however on the day of the hail she was locked up and complaining loudly. She is such a 'wet' freak, I don't allow her to saturate herself. That saves me clomping around in Wellington boots and raincoat, with a towel to dry her off .... she is a feisty nut case at times. The other two seem to have some sense - except when it comes to hailstones.

Chooks are priceless, and I wouldn't now be without them. Love 'em to bits.

Cheers ............AB

 

[Anniebee]

Wow thx ab again your always have great info im so keener to get them about them crowing when they have layed my batam hens go off for ages after they lay and when they havent been let out the make alot of noise I dont mind im on 9 acres and dont really have neightbours and its not foxes here its big pythons thx again for all this info I really cant wait to get a few I only have bantams not even sure what breed and 7 lomens so need diffrent breeds always had same breeds

Re : Araucanas.

Hi again .... My little Miss Perfect - Mindy Araucana, ain't so perfect at the moment. She's gone broody on me. Still laying an egg almost every day, but refuses to leave her nest, pecks me when I gather the egg, or get her off her nest - at which time she turns around and gets right back in again. She growls and crows a little while sitting. I have had a look through BYC with references to broodiness and how to cure it etc., and have seen a few suggestions that are interesting, but most likely for me, not practical. Like hanging her in a wire bird or cockatoo cage for a couple of days, or sitting her on an ice pack ? Don't like the sound of that much. Dunking her in a cool bath sounds reasonable. Three times a day ?


My thoughts are - for when it stops raining - yes it's raining AGAIN here and the garden, everything - is saturated

:

a) tip her nesting box up so she cannot access it - she will then find another spot to sit no doubt, but at least won't fry herself IF the weather gets very warm.

b) put 3 or so large dummy eggs beneath her. She is a small chicken and may not be comfortable on those, so hopefully will get off. Would have to do that while the nesting box is still in it's proper place, and the weather is chilly. She could though, just get out and make another nest !!

c) take her outside with her food, water and treats, into her run - and shut the coop away from her.

d) bring her inside to the bathroom at night with food, water and nothing but an empty plastic cat carrier - or even the bare tiles to sit in / on - to cool her down a bit ? She most likely would roost on the bathtub edge which I wouldn't mind - it would at least be cool.

Please - any thoughts, ideas or successes anyone has had for curing broodiness.

Would much appreciate it ....

Cheers ...... AB

 

[shellraiser]

Hi!
I'm Donna, a new member from WA.
We have 3 chicks and they are our first chickens!
Looking forward to getting to know everyone