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Araucana
Breed Facts
Araucana Breed Facts
• Poultry Show Class: All Other Standard Breeds
• Weights: Hen — 4 lbs
Rooster — 5 lbs
Pullet — 3½ lbs
Cockerel — 4 lbs
• Purpose and Type: Dual (meat and eggs); Exhibition
• Egg Shell Color: Pale blue
• Egg Production: Good (180-260/year)
• Egg Size: Medium
• Temperament: Docile
• Hatch Rate: 25-55%
• Broody: Setters
• Mating Ratio: 4 Females to 1 Male
• Roost Height: 4 to 8 feet
• Country of Origin: Chile
• TLC Conservation Priority: Study
• APA: Yes, recognized by American Standard of Perfection
• Breeder Farm Source: Cackle Hatchery® Poultry Breeding Farm discontinued our bloodline or strain of pure Araucanas in 2016.
Black Araucana Chickens: Baby Chicks for Sale
Are you captivated by the unique charm and historical intrigue of rare chicken breeds? Although we no longer carry Black Araucana chickens due to their challenging breeding conditions, we’re happy to share their fascinating story. Let’s look into what makes this breed special and suggest great alternatives for those who desire blue-shelled eggs in their flock.
The Distinctive Black Araucana
The Black Araucana chicken has a rich heritage tracing back to the 1930s, developed from native Chilean birds and named after the indigenous Araucano people. What sets this breed apart are its striking characteristics: a pea comb, rare bilateral ear tufts, and most notably, their naturally rumpless physique, lacking a tailbone. The hallmark of an Araucana’s legacy, however, lies in their beautiful, pale blue eggs—an eye-catching addition to any egg basket.
Despite their stunning appearance, Black Araucanas are known for their low hatch rate and breeding complexities. The trait is tied to a lethal gene, which can cause a significant number of chicks to perish before hatching. Additionally, their rumpless nature impacts fertility and breeding success, making them an extremely rare find even among poultry breeders.
The Breeding Challenges of Araucanas
While their unique features make Black Araucanas sought after, breeding them to perfection poses significant obstacles. Achieving consistent, symmetrical ear tufts can be unpredictable, with tufts often varying in size or appearing only on one side. The lethal gene associated with these tufts makes safe breeding more difficult, as chicks that inherit the gene from both parents can die in the shell. To further complicate matters, rumplessness affects the natural breeding process, which over generations can lead to shorter backs and diminished reproductive success.
Cackle Hatchery® worked with these stunning birds from 2012 to 2016, but ultimately, we chose to discontinue them due to their breeding challenges and to uphold our commitment to customer satisfaction and poultry quality.
A Beautiful Alternative: The Ameraucana
For those who long for the beauty of blue-shelled eggs without the breeding difficulties of the Black Araucana, we recommend the Ameraucana. This breed features a striking beard and muffs in place of ear tufts and retains a full tail for higher fertility rates. The Ameraucana’s reliability, hardiness, and egg-laying ability make them a popular choice among chicken enthusiasts.
To learn more about Black Araucana alternatives, contact us today.
Jeff Smith & Cackle Hatchery is a member of the Ameraucana Alliance Club
For more information about the Ameraucana club, links to ameraucanaalliance.org and ameraucana.org
Ordering Information
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