Araucana

The Araucana is a  blue egg-laying chicken, that originates from Chile. Rather than ear tufts, they have muffs and a beard, and are very hardy and sweet. They lay eggs in shades of blue, and even have blue (or "slate") legs. Less rare than Araucanas, they are still quite rare and only available through breeders at this time. They should not be confused with Easter Eggers, which can lay blue and green eggs, and do not conform to any breed standard. However, many hatcheries continue to call their Easter Eggers "Americanas" (and other various misspellings). If you are interested in showing your birds, make sure that you have true Ameraucana or Araucana.

Origins/History:

Class: All Other Breeds
Type: Large Fowl & Bantam
Size: Medium (6-7 lbs)
Rarity: Rare
Purpose: Egg-laying
Recognized Varieties: Black, Blue, Blue Wheaten, Brown Red, Buff, Silver, Wheaten, White

Egg Facts:

Egg Laying: Good (3/wk)
Egg Color: Light Blue
Egg Size: Medium

Fancy Features:

Comb Type: Pea Comb
Crested: No
Feathered Legs: No
Number of Toes: 4

Suitability to Backyard Life:

Cold Hardiness: Hardy in winter
Heat Tolerance: Not especially heat hardy
Bears Confinement: Bears confinement well
Especially Docile: Yes
Setter/Broody: No
Personality: Fun