Why does my Araucana hen shake her head?
When NZ Lifestyle Block reader Martin saw his Araucana hen Goldie gasping for breath, making funny rasping noises and shaking her head, he thought she might be thirsty. The only problem was, there was plenty of water available. Goldie was still eating, drinking, and moving with the flock.
Is there such a thing as a rare Ameraucana chicken?
They are not as rare as the Araucana’s, but you will probably only get these chickens from a registered breeder. These are one of the friendliest breeds of chickens but if you are going to buy the Ameraucana to add to your flock, breed or show your bird make sure you have bought it from a reputed breeder and that is not an Easter Egger.
What makes an Araucana chicken die in the shell?
The genetic make-up of this bird is such that that it carries a lethal gene which can kill chicks in the shell. The lethal gene gives the Araucana its’ unique tufted ears. If both parents contribute a tufting gene (ET) – the chicks will die in the shell.
Why is my Araucana hen coughing and gasping for breath?
If your bird is coughing and gasping, it could be a sneaky little worm. When NZ Lifestyle Block reader Martin saw his Araucana hen Goldie gasping for breath, making funny rasping noises and shaking her head, he thought she might be thirsty. The only problem was, there was plenty of water available.
What do you need to know about the Araucana chicken?
Upon close inspection, little pea-like protrusions are present on the Araucanas comb. The Araucana is a clean-legged chicken, unlike the Brahma chicken, and the color of their legs may vary depending upon the color of the chicken. The Araucana comes in black, black red, silver duckwing, white, and golden duckwing.
What’s the best way to care for an Araucana?
Araucanas are active chickens. They enjoy scratching around in the yard and tend to wander a bit further than most other breeds. She is quite predator savvy and will readily take flight if necessary. If you want to stop your Araucanas travelling too far it would be wise to trim the flight feathers or keep the birds confined with aviary netting.
Can you keep an Araucana chicken in a cage?
Though some Araucana chickens can tolerate confinement most prefer to throw caution to the wind and flap their wings in the great outdoors. If you’re a chicken lover who lives on a farm or acreage Araucanas will make an eggcellent addition to your flock.
Is it safe to hatch baby Araucana chicks?
Hatching baby Araucana chicks can be a little troublesome due to the tuft gene that sadly results in a high mortality rate. That’s why Araucana chickens are normally only available through breeders as opposed to hatcheries, as the distress caused from unsuccessfully hatching these beautiful birds can become overwhelming.
