What color is this araucana cockerel?

[Trish1974]

First off this is not my picture, it is from a for sale ad I found on a poultry site. I looked at the araucana breeders website and he doesn't match their 5 (or was it 6?) approved colors. Black was shown as ALL black, which he clearly is not... and looked nothing like the black red-breasted. Could he be a mix? He was hatched May 12th.

 

[JedJackson]

I can't say whether or not he's purebred Araucana but he is definitely not a standard color. He looks like he could be a black crossed with a golden duckwing. Since he's not a standard color he couldn't be entered at a poultry show and his chicks wouldn't be standard colored either, so his value as a breeder is not great, either. I would personally avoid buying this bird.

 

[Trish1974]

Thanks for the info! The only reason I am interested in him is to carry on the blue eggshell gene - I have 2 Ameraucana/Leghorn hens that lay blue eggs that I'm wanting to hatch eggs from. I have no desire to show or breed to sell.

 

[JedJackson]

Thanks for the info! The only reason I am interested in him is to carry on the blue eggshell gene - I have 2 Ameraucana/Leghorn hens that lay blue eggs that I'm wanting to hatch eggs from. I have no desire to show or breed to sell.

He's pretty so maybe it's a good match. I would ask the raiser if his sisters or mother are blue egg layers to be sure on that count. A little bit of warning is in order, though. First, he's rumpless and rumpless birds are more difficult to breed. Second, Arauncanas aren't as good layers as Ameraucanas or Easter eggers. However, they are attractive and generally pretty calm and gentle.

 

[PirateGirl]

perhaps the whole reason the breeder is selling him off is because he isn't an accepted color so of no value to his/her breeding program :/

 

[Trish1974]

perhaps the whole reason the breeder is selling him off is because he isn't an accepted color so of no value to his/her breeding program :/

That's alright with me if that is the case. I'm just after his blue egg gene. The seller had him listed as "an extra rooster from a May 12th 2017 hatch. Hatched from a blue egg." Just curious as to what color he'd fall under.

 

[jane s chickens]

Birchen

 

[Gray Farms]

There are 5 APA accepted colors and you right, he doesn't match any of them. Closest color would be birchen, but he is a little off for a birchen as well.

 

[drumstick diva]

agree with Jed Jackson

 

[Trish1974]

I've been in contact with his seller. She bought black araucana hatching eggs for $80 from a breeder in Ohio last spring. I don't know how many eggs she bought, but said she hatched out 5 cockerels and 3 pullets. Even though they were sold as "black", one of the cockerels hatched out dark brown with a red duckwing pattern, and then there was this guy. All eggs were blue. So maybe he's a mix of two different colored araucanas??? Regardless, I am going to look at him Friday. If I can snag a blue egg gene rooster in this area for $10, that sounds like a pretty good deal to me.