Araucana
History
Arauncana chickens originate from South America and are named after the Arauca Indians of Chile. They were introduced to Europe in the early 1900s although they have been heard of since the mid-sixteenth century. They originally had large floppy pea combs but these have been bred so that they now only have a very small irregularly shaped pea comb. They do not have wattles and the facial feathers are thick with a small crest on the head. The blue green egg is coloured throughout the shell so the inside is as blue as the outside but the hens only really lay during the spring and summer months. Blue and green eggs are most common although colour can range from a greyish or violet blue to a turquoise or greenish blue. Khaki and olive can suggest that the hens have been crossed with other breeds. They are short, rounded birds with an upright stance and a broad skull. There are two main varieties – ‘tailed’ or ‘rumpless’. They have an unusual wart-like feature on either side of their heads called plicae where the earlobes are usually seen. These have feathers on them – the tailed variety has muffs and the rumpless have tufts.
Behaviour
Araucana chicks are strong, fast growers and mature quickly. They do tend towards broodiness and make excellent mothers. They don’t mind being kept in a pen but much prefer fresh grass.
Varieties we breed
We keep the lavender colour. They do tend towards broodiness and make excellent mothers. They do not mind being kept in a pen but like fresh grass so your pen will need moving regularly. They are placid birds and are vigorous and hardy. The blue green eggs are reportedly lower in cholesterol than other eggs which make them healthier although there is no specific evidence to back this up.
Images
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