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Re: Araucanas

In article <1996Mar19.150432.1865@leo.vsla.edu>,
   mpritche@leo.vsla.edu (Marge Pritchett) wrote:
>Can you tell me a little about the araucanas? Are they easy to
>keep, layers, etc.? I heard that their eggs are a delicate
>blue-green. Thanks
>I'll check this post for a follow-up.

Marge,

The Araucanas my family kept twenty-five years ago were interesting chickens. 
 The first one came in a batch of Rhode Island Red chicks we'd gotten for 
replacement layers for the family flock...Mom and I wondered about the 
strange, Leghorn-built red hen with gray face bearding.  When she started 
laying pale blue eggs, we REALLY started wondering....

Overall, my experience with Araucanas is that they are somewhat like to 
Banties in their inclination to fly.  Body build is predominantly 
Leghorn-like.  Comb styles vary from single, pea or rose comb.  They are good 
at scratching and foraging, also like to Banties in that respect.  Their 
temperment ranges from flighty and nervous to reasonably mellow.  One of the 
nicest-tempered roosters we had was a black, silver and green Araucana.  He 
was gentle with the hens, nice toward humans and really good about calling his 
ladies to any interesting bug and worm collections he found.  Colors also 
vary, depending on whether they're pure or crossed with other breeds.  Eggs 
are either pale blue, olive green, or pale pink (different from the regular 
brown shell of the Reds or Barred Rocks).

Hope this helps.

jrw