Chickens without a tail. Araucan chickens: description of the breed and its characteristics

Today, in the modern world, everyone can buy chickens of an unusual exotic breed. They are called unique because they are able to produce eggs of an unusual color. Araucan chickens are considered such birds. They lay turquoise eggs, which are no longer found in the world. Some species of birds do not have a tail, but for some it is simply cut off.

You can see a photo of the breed of laying hens from this

External qualities of the Araucan chicken breed

Araucan birds are characterized by the production of greenish-blue-shelled eggs. The reason for the lack of a tail is that they do not have tail vertebrae. This trait is inherited. Chickens have an interesting and unusual feather decoration on their heads, presented in the form of a mustache and beard.

Oryol breed of chickens description and many other data are indicated

This breed is classified as decorative egg, because those who have acquired Araucan can immediately notice how the number of eggs in it will increase every day.

The appearance of pets is regulated by standard norms. The head is small, the beak is small, looking down a little. The eyes are round in shape, have a red-orange color. The comb is small in size, presented in the form of peas or a pod. Whiskers are long and well defined. The earlobes are red and small. The neck is long, the back is short, broad and always looks straight. The sternum is slightly convex, wide. The body is dense and rounded. Wings of small length, very tightly attached to the body. The legs are low, strong, have a blue-green color.

In addition, everyone today can purchase Araucany dwarf chickens.

If the bird is bred in industrial conditions, then there are a number of signs by which they are culled:

• turquoise shade,
• clumsiness or angularity of the animal,
• the body is narrow and flat,
• the males' comb falls off,
• prominent beard,
• there are no feather lumps on the body at all or on one side,
• there is a tail.

The chicken coop and aviary should be equipped with feeders and drinkers. These devices must be disinfected every day. Pets need mineral supplements all the time. This may require an additional feeder. It should be constantly filled with gravel, crushed shells and other products that contain calcium.

That space on the street, where the chickens will be most of their time, must be protected with a net, awnings should be made. It is necessary to consider a protective fence so that the chickens are protected from attack by predators. You can not keep Araucan chickens with other breeds. The reason is that the former have a very pugnacious character. In addition, mating with other breeds is undesirable.

If you create the necessary living conditions for chickens, then you can achieve high egg productivity from these exotic inhabitants.

Although chickens have such an extravagant appearance, the owner does not need to be particularly wrapped up in choosing a diet. It is compiled taking into account local conditions. It is also necessary to add greener feed, waste, vitamin flour, whole grains, mineral supplements. The process of feeding in birds occurs 3-4 times a day. In the morning you need to give whole grains, and throughout the day - wet mash. It is often necessary to add greens and vitamin supplements to their diet. If you take care of the birds in this way, then this will have a positive effect on their productivity and excellent health.

Is it possible to feed laying hens with boiled potatoes?

Chickens of the Araucan breed are gaining more and more popularity and prevalence every year. Today, such pets can be found even in private courtyards. To purchase breeding individuals, you need to seek help from a reliable seller. At the same time, it is important to remember about placing acquired birds in quarantine. If a virus gets into the chicken coop, then you will have to spend a lot of effort and money to fight it, and the result obtained from this will greatly disappoint you.

It is necessary to acquire a hatching egg very carefully. The reason is that the structural features of the skeleton of animals require special preparatory measures before the birds enter into sexual contact. If the poultry farmer did not carry out any preparation, then the eggs will be infertile. To achieve high quality hatching eggs, it is necessary to cut the feathers and down near the genitals of the male and female.

Araucan chickens during selection do not show the instinct of motherhood. Growing chickens occurs according to the same methodology as the rest of the breeds of cubs.

In the photo - Araucan chickens Araucan chickens:

Modern farmers very often buy chickens of this breed, and only because it has a decorative and exotic look, and also because of the laying of turquoise eggs. In addition, birds are unpretentious in care, and their meat has high palatability.

Even the most familiar animals can be unusual if they belong to the original breed. This applies to Araucan chickens, which have a lot of features. Despite their rarity, these poultry are easy to acquire and raise.

Araucan chickens were bred a very long time ago. It is extremely difficult to even give an approximate date, because their history dates back to the time when Columbus had not yet visited South America. They were bred by the Chilean Indians, whose tribe was called the same as the breed of chickens.

Araucana close-up

The first documented mention of the breed was in the middle of the sixteenth century, and in the middle of the twentieth Araucan chickens were brought into the standard.

There is an assumption that Araucan chickens are a hybrid of chickens and pheasants. Most likely, the unusual data of the representatives of the breed became the reason for the hypothesis, but this is just an assumption. Representatives of this breed have many features, and one of the main ones is their appearance. Araucan chickens do not have tails, but have a "mustache" and a "beard" (long feathers on the front).

Representatives of the Araucan breed have orange eyes, a small head and crest, a dense and curved beak, “ears” and “earrings”. Paws and metatarsus of Araucans are dark turquoise. The body is not elongated, short, the chest does not protrude. Araucans do not have a specific color, but they are divided into golden, blue, black, with a gray neck, white, etc.

Another important feature of Araucan chickens is the turquoise eggshell. Shades can vary from green to blue, but in any case, such eggs look unusual. The body of females produces a special pigment (biliverdin), which is responsible for the original color.

Despite the non-standard color of the shell, there is nothing unusual in the eggs of Araucan chickens. There is a myth that they are endowed with healing properties, but this has not been scientifically proven. The taste of these eggs is no different from the eggs of other breeds of chickens.

In one year, an Araucan chicken is capable of producing about one hundred and eighty eggs. Each of them weighs about sixty grams. Representatives of the breed do not belong to broilers, so the meat yield will not be large.

Should I buy Araucan chickens?

In order to get an answer to this question, you need to consider all the pros and cons of the breed.

The advantages include:

Araucan chickens have some disadvantages:

• high price. Chickens, hens and their eggs are expensive, since the breed can hardly be called common;
• inability to incubate chickens. Araucan chickens do not have this instinct;
• absurd character of roosters. They are jealous and pugnacious even in relation to their own kind.

The last of the listed shortcomings can be an advantage if a bird is required for cockfighting. In this situation, not only the absurd character, but also the absence of a tail turns out to be a trump card, since it interferes with a fight.

It cannot be said that Araucan chickens are distinguished by a very high meat productivity. They should be started by those who want to get delicious raw materials, breed expensive breed chickens, or simply “decorate” their yard. With their help, it is easy to start a profitable business if you properly breed them and provide the required care. When choosing chickens with a certain color of feathers, only personal preferences should be considered. There is no certain color that is valued above all.

Breeding chickens of the Araucan breed

Before purchasing and breeding Araucan chickens, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the culling rates:

• shell without pigment. Even if it is not white, but brown, the sign indicates culling;
• tail. Representatives of the Araucan breed do not, and cannot have a tail, since there is no coccyx;
• large beard size. Its complete absence also indicates culling;
• big cock comb. It must not subside;
• angular body in chickens. The outlines of the body of normal Araucan chickens are soft.

Before buying breeding eggs, it is worth considering a curious fact. After a thoroughbred rooster fertilizes another female, she will bring eggs of an unusual shade. But the chicken will no longer be a purebred representative of the breed. That is why it is recommended to buy eggs from trusted sellers in order to prevent fraud.

Breeding these poultry is not too easy, and there are two reasons for this. The first is the difficulty of fertilization. Due to the lack of a tail, it is difficult for a rooster to get close to the cloaca of a chicken. Feathers should be removed from this area so that the male Araucan can fertilize the hen.

The second reason is the lack of incubation instinct. Araucan chickens have a calm disposition, but they will not sit on eggs. If you want to breed Araucans in large numbers, you will need a home incubator.

There are no other difficulties in the process of breeding Araucans. Young growth is distinguished by good vitality and unpretentiousness, so it can be grown in the same way as ordinary chickens.

Keeping chickens of the Araucan breed

Araucan chickens are highly discouraged from being kept together with other poultry. Firstly, there is a very high chance of breed culling if you plan to breed Araucans. Secondly, roosters have a very absurd character, because of which other birds will suffer.

Otherwise, there are no difficulties. Araucans easily tolerate temperature changes and easily adapt to new conditions. It is desirable that chickens can be both outdoors and indoors.

Each hen should have at least 35 centimeters of perch. One nest is enough for four or five individuals. Install drinkers, feeders, containers with gravel, chalk, etc. needed not only outdoors, but also indoors.

The street area should be fenced off with a grid. It is recommended to make a small canopy in order to protect the chickens from predators and sunlight on hot days. Street drinkers and feeders should be disinfected as often as possible so that the birds do not suffer from diseases. Don't forget to clear the yard of poisonous grass to avoid disease and death of chickens.

How to feed Araucan chickens?

The main mistake in feeding chickens of this breed is an attempt to increase meat productivity. Araucan chickens are not broilers, so do not overfeed them and stimulate growth. The only thing that can be done in favor of productivity is to give mineral and vitamin complexes. They must include calcium.

If there are other chickens in the farmstead, in addition to Araucans, for both of them, you need to prepare the same food. Araucans are not at all picky and do not require special feed. Like ordinary chickens, they need to be given a variety of healthy foods.

Protein takes up most of the eggs, and is also one of the most important components of the cells of the chicken body. That is why Araucans need protein-rich food. It is found in earthworms, cake, beans, bone meal and fish waste.

Carbohydrates improve the functioning of the body. In order to saturate it with this substance, you should feed the chicken with juicy feed (grain, potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, etc.).

Chickens also need fat. They affect not only weight, but also egg productivity. Fats are found in corn and oats. A, D and B are the most useful vitamins for chickens. They are found in silage, yeast and bone meal. No less useful are the minerals found in shells, wood ash and gravel.

If you want Araucans to show maximum egg productivity, you need to slightly adjust their diet. The table shows the necessary products and their daily doses.

Video - Araucana

Among the types of chickens that people have been breeding since ancient times, there are many breeds. And in this list there are very unique varieties.

These include araucana chickens. Description they can start with the following characteristics, subject to a strict standard defined in Europe in the last century.

Representatives of the breed do not differ in special sizes:

• weigh about 2 kg
• have a small head
• medium size, curved down, beak
• scalloped scallop
• round reddish-orange eyes.

But apart from relatively ordinary signs, as can be seen on photo, araucana are distinguished by rather colorful features of appearance: feather long sideburns, beard and mustache that adorn the head.

Pictured is an Araucan chicken

Plus, nature has provided them with red "earrings", that is, tassels hanging from small ears. The neck of the birds of this exotic breed is of medium length, the back is straight and wide, the chest is slightly convex, the physique is dense, and strong long legs are distinguished by a green-blue tint.

There is also another curious feature of this species - the absence of a tail, as evidenced by photo. Araucan chickens either from birth they are deprived of this detail of their external appearance, or their tail is removed shortly after their birth.

The reason for this requirement of standards lies in the history of the breed, because once upon a time, when breeding, individuals were selected for cockfights. And the correspondence of male qualities was determined not only by their ability to fight, but also by the absence of tail vertebrae, which, it was believed, interfered during fierce fights with opponents arakuana rooster.

However, in modern chicken breeding, the breed belongs mainly to a very rare, decorative egg direction. And there are good reasons for this, hidden in another unique ability of the breed.

Aracuana chickens lay greenish-blue or turquoise eggs, which are no worse than the most common chicken eggs. A rare shade occurs due to the presence of a special pigment biliverdin in the shell.

True, as practice shows, a similar color in many cases disappears without a trace when crossing araucana with other breeds already in the first generation, and the eggs of hybrids, very often, become the most common.

The shade of the feathers of the impressive birds of the described breed is distinguished by an enviable variety and depends on the subspecies. According to the standard, there are:

• wheat blue
• black-red
• white
• hawks and even
• specimens that delight with a golden or silver neck.

In total, according to the necessary characteristics, twelve colors of this breed are allowed.

Care and maintenance of Araucan chickens

When equipping a chicken coop for birds, one should take into account their lifestyle and character. The Araucan breed is best kept in enclosures by small families. It is also possible to place them in cages of suitable size, where a pair of females and a rooster are quite capable of existing. When kept in enclosures, the number of chickens can be increased to eight.

Females of this breed, as a rule, are quite peaceful and calm. But, especially in the spring, they often show signs of aggression and start fights with strangers.

These bullies are even able to pounce on the owner if they did not like his behavior or something angered and aroused suspicion. Given the similar quarrelsome and absurd nature of males, Araucan chickens should be placed in nests separate from other breeds, equipped with perches and feeders.

These do not fly well, so the cages for their maintenance may not be too high, but bird walking should be equipped without fail. Hens need heating only during the frost period, they tolerate cold well and at moderate temperatures (down to -8 ° C) do not need additional heating.

With good maintenance and proper nutrition, araucana can produce up to 180 eggs per year. Usually, hens start laying their first eggs before six months of age, but delays often occur.

In the photo, eggs of araucana chickens

Experienced chicken breeders attribute this to a number of reasons, the first of which is bird obesity. To cope with such a problem, it is necessary to reduce the feeding norms, at least for a month.

In addition, the ability of the Araucan to bring eggs may be delayed if it belongs to the late: autumn or winter brood, so it is very important to take this circumstance into account for the intended owner of the birds when buying them.

It is considered normal that the color of the eggs may change depending on the season, and in the cold season they may become less bright. And you don't have to worry about this at all.

Typically, chicken eggs of this breed weigh about 60 grams or more. There are specimens of smaller sizes and weights. This, again, is not a violation of the rules, and most often such eggs belong to one of the subspecies of the breed - dwarf araucans.

Breeding and nutrition of the Araucan breed

Araucan chicken breed, an amazing property to present its owners with multi-colored eggs, has Chilean roots, and received the name by the name of the Indian tribe, whose members similar domestic ones were bred long before the discovery of the continent by Columbus.

According to some sources, this happened by crossing chickens with wild birds or birds of similar species. After the mass development of America, the arakuans came to the European continent, but only in the last century were they officially assigned to the German standard, which determined the main characteristics for this breed of chickens.

Araucan chickens

There are, of course, other views on stringent requirements. The British, for example, believe that the absence of a tail in Arakuana is not at all necessary, but a crest must certainly adorn these birds. It is useful for amateur chicken breeders to know that often the absence of a tail interferes with roosters when mating, which, perhaps, refers to some of the minuses of the breed.

Breeding of such poultry should be started with the acquisition of chickens or a pair: and a rooster, but not with the purchase of eggs, in the hope that chickens will hatch from them - the owners of the necessary external parameters and useful characteristics.

This is done in order to have complete confidence in the purity of the breed, which is easy to confuse with others, for example, Easter chickens and some other unusual species due to the similar color of the eggs.

Araucan rooster

In addition, information is very useful for amateur chicken breeders that araucana chickens up to a certain age, it is difficult to accurately determine the sex. This is due to the peculiarities of the structure of the scallop and other external factors, which makes it difficult for the birds to settle properly in the nests.

Only after 12 weeks, pigtails appear on the neck of the roosters, helping to distinguish them from chickens, which makes it possible to properly form chicken families. Such birds, having a small size, with immoderate nutrition, get fat quite easily, which can negatively affect the ability to lay eggs.

It is better to prevent this by not allowing the poultry to overeat, but to fully provide the feed with the minerals necessary for healthy development and the formation of a strong shell of an unusual color for which they are famous araucana eggs.

To provide chickens with valuable mineral supplements, it is better to build additional feeders, regularly filling them with small shells, gravel and chalk.

Special coniferous flour is also needed as a valuable nutritional supplement. And the diet must include greens, fruits and vegetables. Dry grain is not entirely suitable for the full digestion of chickens; it is better to prepare special mashes. But it is especially important that the nutrition of birds, in addition to the above, be supplemented with bran, cake, pumpkin, cabbage leaves and bone meal.

Breed price and owner reviews

Chickens of this breed have always been considered excellent mother hens and have an exceptional maternal instinct, which is confirmed by the reviews of bird owners who are seriously involved in breeding them.

These pets do not reduce the productivity of laying eggs, depending on stressful circumstances, changing conditions, the vagaries of the weather, or the onset of the molting period.

Exceptions can only be during transportation and changing the place of detention, which for a couple of weeks may affect the ability of chickens to fully lay eggs.

All of the above properties and the original color of the eggs make amateur content convenient. araucana, A buy and to breed representatives of this breed of poultry, there are enough people who want to.

But it is quite difficult to find a good breeder who supplies chickens in Russia that meet accepted standards. And the risk of becoming an object of deception is too great and to receive, instead of purebred specimens, individuals that do not correspond well to the characteristics of the breed.

There are enough negative reviews from dissatisfied customers who have made such transactions, therefore, when choosing a breeder, you should be more careful and use the services of professionals.

araucana price is 250 rubles, this is the approximate cost of day-old chickens, which, according to reviews, are best bought at the beginning of the season, but not in summer or autumn.

Good afternoon, regular and new readers of our chicken site! Araucan chickens - a description of the breed with photos and videos, content and care in our material. Chickens of the Araucan breed differ from other types of birds in their original coloring. And also some birds are characterized by the absence of a tail, which causes them to be of particular interest to poultry farmers.

According to the description and reviews of many farmers, Araucan chickens are characterized by a calm and non-conflict disposition, which makes them easy to grow.

• 1 General characteristics
  • 1.1 Origin
  • 1.2 Appearance
  • 1.3 Character
  • 1.4 Productivity
• 2 Varieties
• 3 Features of caring for adult chickens and chickens, their breeding
  • 3.1 Containment conditions
  • 3.2 Diet
• 4 How to breed?
• 5 and prevention
  • 5.1 Advantages and disadvantages

General characteristics

Araucan chickens are quite interesting not only for farms, but also for ordinary poultry farmers, as they have an unusual egg color. In addition, they have a fairly high productivity.

Photo chicken Araucan

Origin

Araucan chickens were bred in the South American country of Chile by the Indians. For the first time, this breed of birds was talked about at the beginning of the 16th century. Ancient breeders selected hens that carried colored eggs. At the same time, they were used, which had a cool temper.

Photo of chicken and rooster Araucan

When choosing a rooster, tailless breeds were preferred, as they believed that it would interfere with the fighters. Some experts believe that the eggs of Araucan chickens have an unusual color, as they were crossed with wild pheasants.

Appearance

In terms of describing the appearance of Araucan chickens, it is worth saying right away that they are characterized by a rather attractive appearance. Their amazing feature is that they do not have a tail.

In the photo, tailless chickens of Araucan

Tufts of feathers stick out near the earlobes. Some subspecies have a beard of feathers. Araucan birds have a small head and a small, slightly curved beak. The shape of a feathered scallop is similar to a pea. Earlobes and earrings are characterized by small sizes.

Birds have a small dense body. In this case, the chest is quite wide. Birds have a neck of medium length. The coloration of the short legs is blue-green.

The plumage of the Araucan chicken can be quite diverse:

• Greenish blue;
• golden;
• White;
• Red;
• Black.

Thanks to the unusual combination of all these colors, the bird looks simply amazing.

Araucan chickens video

Character

According to the description of poultry farmers, Araucan chickens are very calm birds, which greatly simplifies the process of growing them.

Photo chicken breed Araucan

Birds are unpretentious and quickly adapt to new conditions. The disadvantage of this breed is the pugnacity of roosters.

Productivity

Birds are characterized by a high level of productivity, which is explained by an underdeveloped maternal instinct. characterized by the fact that one chicken can lay up to 180 eggs per year, weighing 50 grams. They are characterized by a fairly diverse color: olive green, pink, blue, turquoise.

The meat is characterized by high palatability. By the way, the mass of a chicken can reach one and a half kilograms, and a cockerel - two kilograms.

Varieties

Breeders have bred several types of chickens of the Araucan breed. They may be American or English. Such birds are characterized by the presence of tail plumage, as they were obtained by crossing with other chickens. Birds of the English type have a crest on their heads.

American variety.

English variety.

Features of caring for adult chickens and chickens, their breeding

To ensure a high level of productivity of the breed, it is necessary to provide them with appropriate care.

Conditions of detention

Chickens of the Araucan breed do not need special conditions of detention. They can be kept not only in cages, poultry houses, but also on the range. They have good health and easily adapt to new conditions.

In order to eliminate the possibility of developing diseases, it is recommended to regularly treat chicken coops.

According to the description of poultry farmers, Araucan chickens are not whimsical and do not need special conditions.

Photo chicken breed Araucan

Cages should have drinkers and feeders. They also need to build a perch, the width of which for one individual should be 30 centimeters.

The place of walking should be equipped with a canopy, with the help of which the birds are protected from the negative effects of solar radiation in hot weather. The street area should be fenced with a grid. The yard must be regularly cleared of poisonous plants.

Drinkers and feeders should be regularly disinfected.

diet

Feeding birds should be organized in such a way that they do not overeat. Bird nutrition requires the use of vitamin and mineral complexes. This breed also needs calcium. Birds of this breed feed on the same feed as ordinary chickens.

Food should be rich in protein. That is why they are advised to give cake, earthworms, beans, fish waste, bone meal.

To improve the functioning of the body, Araucan chickens are recommended to give food rich in carbohydrates - grains, pumpkins, carrots, potatoes, etc. This breed needs fats found in oats and corn.

The diet must include:

• Silage;
• Yeast;
• Bone flour.

These foods are rich in vitamins that are essential for the normal growth and development of birds. Also, the bird must be given mineral food in the form of wood ash, shells and gravel.

How to breed?

Breeding is carried out only in incubatory conditions, since Araucan chickens have lost the ability to incubate eggs on their own. You can buy material for incubators or ready-made chickens at farms.

Growing chickens.

In order for the eggs of the Araucan chicken to be fertilized, it is necessary to trim the feathers around the cloaca within a radius of 5-6 centimeters.

Diseases and prevention

Despite the exotic nature of this breed, they are characterized by the presence of a fairly strong immune system. That is why diseases are observed in quite rare cases.

Advantages and disadvantages of Araucan chicken

Araucan chickens are characterized by certain advantages and disadvantages. The advantages include easy adaptation to different temperatures. Birds are unpretentious and quickly adapt to new conditions.

Young chickens of the breed are hardy. Egg laying starts very early. In addition, they have an attractive appearance.

The disadvantage of the breed is the lack of self-breeding. Roosters of the breed are pugnacious. The rarity of the breed explains its high cost.

Araucan chickens in a chicken coop

Araucan chickens are a true find for many poultry farmers, so you can find a large number of positive reviews. Despite the fact that the breed is unpretentious in care, it is characterized by a fairly high performance. These birds are able to decorate any farm and poultry yard.

Until 1920, the breed was known only in South America, then European poultry farmers liked it and they spread and adapted it. In our country Araucans are rare birds. They are bred as decorative because of the appearance and special color of the eggs, although they do not cause trouble for the breeder. More about the features of the Araucan breed - later in the article.

Exterior, characteristics, features

The bird is medium-sized and tailless - Araucan roosters weigh 2-2.5 kg, and chickens - 1.6-2 kg.

Representatives of this breed have:

• rounded body;
• long back;
• well developed shoulders;
• rounded abdomen and lower back;
• pod-shaped comb;
• red-orange eyes;
• the metatarsals are painted in the color corresponding to the plumage.

According to the standard, the head of Araucany can be "decorated" by one of three options:

• beard with sideburns;
• tassels, tuft;
• tassels and beard.

The British believe that the tail is acceptable for the breed, but only if there is a tuft.

Colors come in 12 types:

• cuckoo or hawk;
• wild;
• wild blue;
• blue golden mane;
• black and red;
• blue wheat;
• silver-maned;
• wheat;
• black;
• blue;
• blue bordered;
• golden-maned.

What a chicken and rooster of the Araucan breed looks like, the nature of their behavior and some features and nuances of breeding can be seen in the video clip:

Egg laying characteristics:

• the main feature of the breed is that laying hens produce eggs with a blue or greenish shell (during the cold season, the color of the eggs may become less bright);
• chickens begin to lay eggs at 5.5-6 months;
• sometimes Araucan laying hens may be late and begin to lay eggs only at 10 months (late egg production occurs if the laying hen belongs to the autumn or spring late brood);
• productivity per year - 160-180 eggs;
• eggs weigh from 56 to 72 g;
• laying hens are most productive at the beginning of the egg-laying period, as well as in the spring with access to open range. Moving chickens to a new place can reduce egg production by 2-4 weeks.

Advantages and disadvantages. Is it worth breeding?

The undeniable advantages of the breed include:

• early puberty and, as a result, egg production;
• they rush well during the molting period, as in any other;
• resilience of young individuals;
• unpretentiousness and adaptation to the conditions of detention;
• good tolerance to temperature changes;
• good taste of meat;
• original appearance of birds;
• unusual coloring of the egg shell.

Among the shortcomings can be identified:

• due to the low prevalence of the breed, Araucan chickens and eggs are expensive;
• low incubation ability - chickens have lost the instinct to incubate eggs;
• roosters have a strong temper;
• problems with the fertilization of eggs due to the structural features of the body.

Most often, Araucans are bred in order to decorate the yard with an unusual bird or to obtain delicacy raw materials in the form of eggs of an unusual color.

Birds are unpretentious to the conditions of detention. They can be kept in poultry houses and outdoors following the following rules:

• The chicken coop for Araucanas should be separate - both from other types of birds, and from other colors of Araucans. The fact is that the roosters of this breed do not get along with relatives.
• Families are formed from 1 rooster and 2-8 hens.
• No more than 4 chickens are placed per square meter.
• Feeders and drinkers are installed in the poultry house.
• Drinkers and feeders are regularly cleaned and disinfected (feeders after each feeding, drinkers once a week).
• Make sure that there is always water in the drinkers, which is changed every day.
• In winter, make sure that the drinker does not freeze.
• The floor of the chicken coop is covered with straw bedding.
• They build a perch in the house at the rate of 30-35 cm wide per 1 individual.
• Equip a nest for 4-5 layers.
• Well, if there is an opportunity for open walking. Araucans are excellent at grazing and find food under their feet.
• The walking yard is fenced with a net. Since the birds are not very good at flying, they don't need high fences and top cover. Only a canopy is built here so that the birds can hide from rain and direct sunlight in hot weather.
• Regularly carry out the removal of poisonous plants in the yard.
• With cellular content, it is important to equip the chicken coop with good ventilation and prevent drafts in the room.
• It is not difficult for Araucans to endure frost up to 8 degrees, so chicken coops do not have to be heated unless we are talking about northern territories and extreme cold.

Daily regime

To create optimal conditions for birds, you should adhere to the following daily routine:

• Morning rise. Regardless of the season, chickens wake up at 5-6 in the morning. To do this, turn on the light and open the chicken coop.
• First meal. 3 hours after waking up, chickens are fed. After about an hour, remove the food and wash the feeders.
• Second meal. Should be evenly distributed during wakefulness and daylight hours. For example, in winter, birds are fed at about 15:00, in summer - about 19:00.
• Dream. At 9 pm, the chickens are herded into the coop and the lights are turned off.

Nutrition

It is necessary to feed the Araucans in a rationed way, since these are small birds, and, unlike, they do not gain muscle weight, but grow fat. They need to be fed with mineral supplements, which allows laying hens to produce quality eggs with strong shells.

The Araucan chicken breed needs constant replenishment of the body:

• protein (beans, fish waste, earthworms, bone meal, cake);
• food saturated with carbohydrates (cereals, potatoes, carrots, pumpkin, zucchini);
• fats (oats, corn);
• vitamins A, B, D (bone meal, silage, yeast);
• minerals (gravel, shells, wood ash, chalk, crushed shells);
• greens - a necessary component of the diet throughout the year (for the winter, you can prepare finely chopped needles, which are not mixed with the rest of the food, but served in a separate bowl or buy special vitamin supplements).

Sufficient amounts of calcium must be supplied in food.

To increase egg production, the diet should be calculated according to the following standards for 1 chicken:

• grain - 130 g;
• potatoes (boiled) - 90 g;
• wet food - 30 g;
• cake - 7 g;
• chalk - 4 g;
• bone meal - 2 g;
• yeast - 1 g;
• salt - 0.5 g.

Another diet option involves seasonal separation.

Spring-summer period:

• cereals and compound feed - 50 g;
• root crops and boiled potatoes - 40g;
• greens - 30 g;
• fish / bone meal, cake - 12 g;
• chalk - 5 g;
• salt - 0.5 g.

Autumn-winter period:

• wheat - 50 g;
• barley - 40 g;
• bran - 20 g;
• corn - 10 g;
• shell rock - 5 g;
• chalk - 3 g;
• bone meal - 1 g;
• salt - 0.5 g.

Breeding

In order to get healthy offspring, it is necessary to make families of roosters with a tassel and hens with a beard, or vice versa. The point is the semi-lethal gene, which contains information about the appearance of a crest on the head. If the family has both parents with semi-lethal genes, then the chickens will not be viable.

For the reproduction of these birds, the help of a poultry breeder is necessary, since Araucans do not have not only a tail, but also a tail. Poultry farmers trim a few centimeters of fluff around the cloaca to increase the fertility of eggs, which without this procedure is no more than 60% effective.

Experienced farmers are advised to start breeding Araucan with an adult pair or buy chickens.

When buying young Araucanas, one must remember that cockerels and hens begin to differ only after 12 weeks. You can accidentally buy only cockerels or only hens and you will not be able to make a family. And to understand for sure whether an individual has a semi-lethal crest is also not immediately possible - you have to wait for molting, when beards and tassels appear on the heads of birds.

Selection of eggs for incubation

Araucan chickens are hatched in an incubator. Cases of incubation by a hen are extremely rare.

Often, Akraukans have false incubation - after several days of incubation, the chicken abandons the nest.

Eggs from poultry are stored in a cool, dark place with a sharp tip up from 5 to 14 days.

They must meet the following requirements:

• the shape should be natural (not elongated), the size should be medium - most often the chicks hatch from such eggs;
• the uniformity of the shell should not be disturbed by dents, growths and especially cracks;
• the yolk should be centered - eggs with a displaced or torn yolk, as well as too large an air chamber, are rejected.

Otherwise, hatchery breeding of Araucan chickens is no different from breeding other chickens. It implies the following sequence:

1. Preparation:
   • the incubator is disinfected and turned on for warming up for a day;
   • eggs for 8 hours are brought into the room for gradual and uniform warming.
2. Incubation periods:
   • 1-11 days - after placing the eggs in the incubator, the temperature is set to 37.9 ° C, the humidity is 66%, the eggs are turned over 4 times a day, the incubator is not ventilated;
   • 12-17 days - the temperature drops to 37.3 ° C, humidity - 53%, eggs should be turned 4 times a day, the incubator is ventilated 2 times for 5 minutes;
   • 18-19 days - the temperature remains 37.3 ° C, the humidity drops to 47%, the eggs are turned 4 times, the incubator is ventilated 2 times a day for 20 minutes.
   • 20-21 days - the temperature should be 37.0 ° C, humidity - 66%, the eggs stop turning, the incubator is ventilated 2 times for 5 minutes.
3. The appearance of chickens. After 21 days, the chicks begin to hatch. The process takes several hours.

What Araucan eggs look like, what are the criteria for selecting them for incubation, as well as what newly born chickens look like and what signs of healthy individuals can be found in the video:

Chicken care

Chicks are not left in the incubator for a long period - they are immediately transferred to a special box in which:

• install a heating lamp, preferably infrared, at a height of 50 cm above the bottom (you should not achieve uniform heating of the entire area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe box, it is better that the chicks can move inside and choose the temperature that is optimal for themselves);
• the floor is covered with paper - it is not recommended to use a newspaper for this purpose, since the printing ink contains lead;
• it is better to choose a drinking bowl vacuum;
• install low feeders or use a regular plank.

As feed use:

• starter feed - the main, balanced feed for chickens;
• in the first week - eggs mixed with semolina are introduced into the diet at the rate of 1 egg per 50 g of semolina, you can also add cottage cheese or milk powder here. Chickens should not be fed with one egg. This can lead to death, since the egg has a lot of protein and fat and no fiber at all;
• from the third day, wheat, corn, oatmeal with yogurt can be added to the diet;
• from the fifth - chopped greens (nettle, dandelion, alfalfa, clover).

Millet can only be given to chickens in boiled form.

Possible problems

There are not many problems with breeding Araucans. Let's consider the main ones.

Diseases

Birds have good health and very rarely get sick. If the conditions of detention are violated, they can be infected by such pests: