Ideas on a self-sustainable flock?

[Ridgerunner]

You are in Canada, I do not know what the SOP is for Araucana in Canada. In the States Auracana do not have tails, Ameraucana do have tails, and EE's can be anything and have anything. There are no rules for EE's. EE's can have muffs, tufts, or beards, or they may not. EE's can have any kind of comb, may be any color or any pattern, and any leg color. EE's are not a breed, Auracana are a breed and have rules.

To make it more complicated, each country can have its own rules for the same breed. In France Marans have to have feathers on the legs, in the US they do not. In the UK Auracana may or may not have tails. It really gets confusing when you cross a national boundary.

 

[BantyChooks]

You are in Canada, I do not know what the SOP is for Araucana in Canada. In the States Auracana do not have tails, Ameraucana do have tails, and EE's can be anything and have anything. There are no rules for EE's. EE's can have muffs, tufts, or beards, or they may not. EE's can have any kind of comb, may be any color or any pattern, and any leg color. EE's are not a breed, Auracana are a breed and have rules.

To make it more complicated, each country can have its own rules for the same breed. In France Marans have to have feathers on the legs, in the US they do not. In the UK Auracana may or may not have tails. It really gets confusing when you cross a national boundary.

Canada uses the American Standard of Perfection, yes?

 

[ShrekDawg]

RR is correct although I will also say that I think auracana and ameracauna only lay blue eggs, not green, so if they're laying green, that's a sure sign they're an Easter Egger. Plus Auracanas not having tails

 

[junebuggena]

You've actually got a Blue Marans, and a Splash Orpington. The one with the dark head and gold penciling looks like a Barnevelder. The Araucana are actually Easter Eggers. North American Araucana are never muffed/bearded, and they aren't the standard colors required for Ameraucana.

 

[lcwmt]

How I do it is that year one 1) I got 6 hens and a roo (I thought). Turned out to be 5 hens and 2 roosters. I choose the biggest and best rooster to be the breeder for the flock and culled the other at about 22 weeks, which was still a good age and tender meat for my breed. -big snip- But in the chicken calendar year, this is the right time to renew/refresh the flock anyway.
Good luck.

Foristers!!! this is a great post! Thank you. My goals with our chickens are vastly different from yours and from the OP but I do so appreciate your emphasis on observation, data and clarity. Thanks for taking the time to lay out your process.

 

[Minky]

And here are the egg pics. Eggs are sort of a teal or turquoise color. Is that considered blue or green? You're right "junebuggena"!! I googled Barnevelder, and thats exactly her. She is the boldest of my group, but I dont think has started laying yet, so not at the top of the pecking order. And thank you for solving the mystery of my blue orpington with no comb! I had not heard of blue copper marans. Thank you! And now I am stumped at who is laying my small round light brown eggs....?

Its kinda hard to see the colour differences in this pic, taken in the evening. I've got another egg pic in a post below, where the 2nd last (pointy, tall )egg is slightly more mossy green colored than teal. And two of the brown eggs are rounder and smaller, and from latest one. I feel like Ive joined CSI chicken. LOL

 

[lazy gardener]

There is a Maran with partridge coloring. Feet are either feathered or not. Depends on the breeder.

SOP for Orpington is no feathers on feet.

Araucana are rumpless, therefore have no tails. They lay blue eggs. They are rare and expensive b/c they carry a lethal gene.

Ameraucana must conform to a SOP with only certain colors allowed. They all have beards and muffs, and lay blue eggs.

EE can be any color, egg color not standard, but hopefully will be any shade blue to aqua, green, or olive. Hopefully, they will have beards and muffs. However, some are bred without the beards and muffs.

Your white bird is either a splash Ameraucana, or EE. If you paid less than $10 US or Canadian equivalent, you have EE.

 

[Minky]

I paid $20 Canadian each, so I guess about $15- $16 usd. I guess I will be getting a lot more blue/green eggs than I thought!
Here is the latest assortment of eggs pic, the long and pointy teal one is new. the other turqoise-y ones are from the golden headed one with the thick neck and brown and black feathers.

 

[lazy gardener]

Sounds like you have Ams, then.

 

[junebuggena]

Both the Buff Orpington and the Barnevelder look mature enough to be laying.

Your white bird is either a splash Ameraucana, or EE. If you paid less than $10 US or Canadian equivalent, you have EE.

The splash does not have a pea comb or muffs, so definitely not Ameraucana or Easter Egger. It's an Orpington.