Hi! I'm NEW HERE AND new to raising chickens too!!!!!! :)

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TLady

TLady

Hatching
7 Years
Apr 4, 2012
3
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HI everyone! I'm new here & am new at raising chickens! (A city girl removed to the country!) We haven't even bought them yet! My hubby is making the coop! We've seen LOTS of SUPER coops here on this site & have gotten some ideas! I'm wanting to get some Araucana "Easter Egg Chickens," just for their WONDERFUL eggs! We're also wanting some chickens for meat! Anyone have any idea as to what kind would be good to go with these? I would LOVE to have something that is a little more colorful than these & a beautiful rooster, but the gorgeous egg colors have won! We live where there is ALOT of wildlife, but would like chickens that are friendly also! Who wants to get chased/ (&/or is it "flogged") by a chicken? :) My hubby(a country guy) knows some about chickens, but I am TOTALLY new to this! Thanks for your help!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
 
Hi & Welcome!!!
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From what I have learned, the Araucana and Americana are both very rare breeds and are usually only found by going directly through a breeder. I thought I had Americanas till I did a bunch of reading online and found that I probably have what is referred to as an EE or Easter Egger. The EE is similar to the Araucana and Americana but there are certain characteristics such as the angle of the tail feathers and color in general that differentiate the original breeds from the EE. In the year that I have had chickens I have found my EE's to be very calm and quiet till they lay an egg. They aren't as social with me like the Plymouth Barred Rock and Buff Orpington I have are. I also have 7 week old Rhode Island Reds, Silver Laced Wyandotts and one Black Australorp. So far the Australorp is the friendliest but I think he is also a rooster...who knows at 7 weeks for sure? My aunt used to keep Rhode Island Reds and said they were the friendlies chickens she ever had. I have explained all that to say that any of the breeds I have mentioned will be friendly, some a little more than others, like the RR, BO and PBR. If you are actually getting Araucana, I don't have any first hand experience but since they are very close to the EE's I would imagine their temperament will be similar. Regarding a rooster, they are very beautiful animals no matter what breed you get. They are also not very friendly once they reach about 12 weeks or so on. A rooster will protect the hens and the hens will follow him around. From what I have seen in flocks around my small town, the rooster will also remove some of the feathers on the backs of the hens while doing what he does to complete his natural role...so to speak. This causes the hens to look a bit abused but remember that it is the natural process and while it looks abusive to us, it is normal for the chickens. If you are one to go totally crazy with this wonderful hobby of chickens, you can find what is called a chicken saddle which will protect the hen's back feathers from being pulled out during that natural process I mentioned earlier.

What ever you choose, congratulations on your decision to keep chickens! It has become my favorite pass-time and my wife says I have a chicken problem. I call it a healthy interest in keeping beautiful pets that make us breakfast. Keeping chickens was her idea in the first place but once I started building the coop I was hooked.
 
Hi and welcome to BYC from northern Michigan :D

Ameraucanas and Auracanas are pure bred breeds of chickens, with specific standards and colors, where Easter Eggers (EE's) are non standard birds, often crossed with other breeds.
 

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