Do Araucanas Lay Less Eggs?

[ChookieG]

Hey guys, just wondering if anyone can give me an idea of how many eggs your Araucana hen/s have been laying per week on average? Several websites state that they lay much less than say...Isa Brown or Rhode Island, but what have been your experience? Thanks.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Hey guys, just wondering if anyone can give me an idea of how many eggs your Araucana hen/s have been laying per week on average? Several websites state that they lay much less than say...Isa Brown or Rhode Island, but what have been your experience? Thanks.

Isa browns were developed to lay as many eggs as possible, like all sexlinks made by hatcheries.

Mine have yet to lay, but their breeder was able to sell me 18 live and healthy chicks at once, so they're probably pretty reliable when you take into account that they don't have the greatest fertility rate and can have a higher DIS rate than normal

 

[TheFatBlueCat]

Hi, I'm in New Zealand so I believe our version of araucana is similar to Aus. I've got them, and have bred a few crosses. They don't lay particularly well even compared to other heritage hens, but they lay A LOT in season - like 5-6 eggs per week. Springtime I have blue eggs coming out my ears. They are pretty hit and miss for the rest of the year. Right now in the middle of winter I'm getting eggs from 2 of mine, but these are hens that went broody in autumn so just coming back to lay now.
They also go broody A LOT think like bantam level broody. Excellent mothers though.
I love mine, they're hilarious, my most entertaining hens. I'd probably recommend against them if egg production is one of your main goals though.

 

[ChookieG]

Hey @JacinLarkwell & @TheFatBlueCat, thanks heaps for responding. I do have an ulterior motive for asking the question as I'll like to keep blue egg layers from matings of two green-laying hens with my Araucana roo. As we're on a tight budget, my partner is reluctant to have them if they lay fewer eggs than our brown and green layers - who are laying 5-6 eggs per week anyway. Just wanted to see if I could convince my partner to keep blue layers if I had evidence to show for!!


Kia Ora too @TheFatBlueCat! It doesn't get as cold as NZ here where I live so my bantam pullets are still laying well throughout the Winter now..especially with now being the middle of Winter....I do have one green-layer pullet who loves to sit on eggs.. she was only a week into laying and decided it's her solemn duty to sit on eggs when she sees them!!

 

[TheFatBlueCat]

Sorry to not give you the info you wanted then! One thing that might make you feel better is a lot of araucanas don't lay very blue eggs, they're often heading more towards the green. That may be different over there, but I think some dilution of the genes happened when different colors were developed. My lavenders lay quite blue but some wheaten hatching eggs I got were a pale blue-green. My crossbred hen lays bluer eggs than those.

 

[ChookieG]

Sorry to not give you the info you wanted then! One thing that might make you feel better is a lot of araucanas don't lay very blue eggs, they're often heading more towards the green.

ooo I didn't know that!

That may be different over there, but I think some dilution of the genes happened when different colors were developed. My lavenders lay quite blue but some wheaten hatching eggs I got were a pale blue-green. My crossbred hen lays bluer eggs than those.

Yeah you may be right in saying that there is a "dilution" effect...I suppose some "pure-bred" Araucana hens due to multiple crossings end up with not just the regular 2 blue genes but also and a couple of brown genes too they may contribute to the green tones.

 

[Daisycar]

I've monitored my Araucana last few months: after laying 10/11 eggs she tries to brood them (I avoid this condition), then, after 18/20 days she lays other 10/11 eggs and again get broody, and so on...
I'm so sad not to letting her brood the eggs, but I haven't a rooster...
The colour is a pale blue. I've bought her from an Italian farmer who told me he hatches eggs from Netherlands.

 

[NinjaGamer2022]

Hey @JacinLarkwell & @TheFatBlueCat, thanks heaps for responding. I do have an ulterior motive for asking the question as I'll like to keep blue egg layers from matings of two green-laying hens with my Araucana roo. As we're on a tight budget, my partner is reluctant to have them if they lay fewer eggs than our brown and green layers - who are laying 5-6 eggs per week anyway. Just wanted to see if I could convince my partner to keep blue layers if I had evidence to show for!!


Kia Ora too @TheFatBlueCat! It doesn't get as cold as NZ here where I live so my bantam pullets are still laying well throughout the Winter now..especially with now being the middle of Winter....I do have one green-layer pullet who loves to sit on eggs.. she was only a week into laying and decided it's her solemn duty to sit on eggs when she sees them!!

You might want to consider Prairie Bluebell Eggers, They're a cross of a Araucana and a Leghorn. Hoovery Hatchery sells them. I have a prairie bluebell rooster and he is very sweet.

 

[ChookieG]

You might want to consider Prairie Bluebell Eggers, They're a cross of a Araucana and a Leghorn. Hoovery Hatchery sells them. I have a prairie bluebell rooster and he is very sweet.

Thanks..I wish I had an Araucana roo that's as nice as yours. We've got one that's a real jerk and goddamn noisy!!! The only reason why he's still alive now is because he was a lone chick and very beautiful.

I might give up on blue layers altogether in the end as my OE hens squawk the whole damn day...and I've read that Araucana hens are no better. Really can't stand much of this anymore...

My Wyandotte Roos on the other hand are so quiet and well behaved.