The Laughing Crow of the Araucana Rooster

[Leonoj]

In her book "Araucanas - Rings on Their Ears", p.37, Cathy Brunson mentions the laughing crow of the araucana rooster. She suggests that "the trait may be recessive and it sounds much like human laughter." I was wondering if any of you here in this forum have come across this trait in any of your araucanas or know anyone who is breeding for this trait. When I read it, it called my attention because one of my roosters crows significantly different from any other that I have had before and sometimes it seems like a "joking laughter" for brief moments. My mother usually asks me what in the world is happening with the rooster and I can only see one explanation, which goes along with Brunson's comments. I will really appreciate any comments, findings or suggestions in this matter, because if in fact that is something that may be revived or revivified, I would be very interested in pursuing a breeding project with that in mind. Your thoughts are welcome.

 

[GraceAK]

That sounds truly terrifying.

I look forward to hearing more...

 

[country freedom]

Does anyone on BYC have Araucana roosters? I'd love to hear a rooster's laughing crow.

 

[Birch Run Farm]

Mine don't do that though some of my hens can make a strange sound. My males range from among the worst sounding crows to one so beautiful I could listen to him all day.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

My Ara boys (and I have had way too many) have never sounded like that. They have some of the best sounding crowing of any of my 20 breeds. I sold one roo recently that I had kept just because he had a perfect crow! And he was beautiful but not what I needed any longer.
I have other breeds with strange sounding crows but not my Aras.
I had forgotten about that in the book. But with so much to keep up with in so many breeds I forget a lot.

 

[josh44]

I have an egg question about Araucanas.

I bought a set of 25 -26 Araucana eggs, and only 7 of them are fertile,

is this common in the Araucana.

Does this have to do with the death gene?

Or were the eggs just not fertile?

Also I had an egg smell & explode in the incubator after 1-2 days of incubation.
Is This Possible?

My incubator temp. is exact so I know heat had nothing to do with it.

Do you think I was sold Bad batch of eggs?

Please Help

Thank You,

 

[Leonoj]

Quote:
Very interesting point. In your case, you have been able to assessed over 20 breeds and have noticed the different crowing, so maybe there is something really interesting behind the abilities of the araucana roosters in terms of crowing. That may also have a relation with the type of predators that ancestors of the araucana had to deal with. We already have some research in terms of the rumplessness that suggests araucanas were able to escape from predators more frequently because predators were not able to grasp them by the tail and usually used to go to a tailed chicken instead. Perhaps, crowing in certain ways may serve the breed in the past in defending the flock or differentiating or confusing predators. Any other idea?

 

[amazondoc]

I posted this over on the araucana club forum, but I'll put it here too --

I haven't noticed any laughing crow in the roos, but I definitely notice a laughing sort of jungle-ish cackling in some of the hens. It sounds like a recording from some old Tarzan movie. It's very identifiable.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

I figured my Araucanas got to where they are today because they could escape predators by their incredible ability to get way up in the trees. I just hate when any of mine get out because I have a dickens of a time calling them back. I usually wait until dark and they come home and creep back into their coops. Unlike my other breeds which I can lure back at almost any time of day, my Araucanas give me the finger and go play in the woods. Scares the dickens out of me. Rotten wild heathens.

 

[amazondoc]

Quote:
I think of araucanas as the dobermans of the chicken world. They are intelligent and ambitious, and a cut above the average bird!