Frugal Living - Araucana Hens & Bantams

Lavender Araucana chick
Handy Books

Deciding on what types of hens to keep and breed in Frugaldom garden was very difficult, there are just so many unusual styles, shapes, sizes and colours. We like the 'floppy' feathered feet varieties, plus unusual feathering and I have a special liking for speckles, spots and spangles and the colours, blue and lavender. So, when I spotted pure bred Lavender Araucana hatching eggs for sale, I jumped at the chance and bought half a dozen. A week or so before hatch date, we had another almighty storm that knocked out the power and I assumed that all would be lost in the incubator. However, on the 20th day, 2 of the eggs hatched.

lavender araucana chick
25/03/09 - In the background is one of the little lavender Araucana chicks just after hatching. 25/03/09 - The same chick a few hours later, all dried, fluffed up and going into the brooder.
27/03/09 - The two little lavender Araucana chicks, each weighed in at 30g 01/04/09 - one week old, wings growing in and beginnings of tails.
01/04/09 - The littlest one is still very shy and prefers to hide behind its sibling. No signs of 'funny' feathers yet. 10/04/09 - Feathering up in a very untidy fashion, the Araucana chicks are beginning to show their 'ear muff' tufts.
23/04/09 - I think this one may be a cockerel, as it is already developing a more upright stance and has a larger and pinker comb. Not sure, though. 23/04/09 - Head & tail feathers just beginning to come through now, I suspect this one is a hen, as it's much quieter and very pale about the comb.
01/05/09 - Weighed all the chicks again (I keep a chart) and fitted them with colour coded leg bands. 01/05/09 - Both chicks weighed 40g on hatch day. The one on the left now weighs 445g and the one above weighs 410g
09/05/09 - Starting to look like grown ups, these chicks are 6 weeks and 3 days old. 15/05/09 - One of the chicks that we got from Lancashire.
15/05/09 - Another of the Lancashire chicks - we need unrelated stock for future breeding. 15/05/09 The 3 together, one on left is much pinker about its face, so could be a cockeral
23/05/09 - The youngest of the Araucana chicks are now outside in the main run. 26/05/09 - One of the 2 chicks that hatched 2 months ago.
The Lancashire chicks are looking like 1 cockerel and 5 hens, which would be excellent! The cockeral will partner Stripey and Inky, the X Araucana chicks. 07/05/09 Both the home hatched chicks look like cockerels, so they'll be partnered with the Lancashire hens.
13/06/09 - The home hatched cockerals, at 11 weeks old, are starting to crow. Not the easiest creatures to photograph once they've lost interest in the camera.
02/03/10 One of the hens from last year's purchased chicks. 02/03/10 Lancashire Lad now freeranges with the other hens.
02/03/10 The home hatched Araucana cockerels are strapping big fellows. Hatched 06/04/10 - the first 2 cross bred chicks from our 'Lancashire Lad'

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