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His body was cream coloured, neck speckled brown/ginger/cream going to blue/black head with a blue/black tail (if I remember correctly) - was 25 years ago! Oh, he was pretty big too!
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Ahh... there's the difference! My little hen is just that, small. Given the weight range for the Araucana from the Araucana club, my chicken is in the weight range for a hen not a cockerel.
Sounds like yours was a spangled colouration - sorry, re-read the site this week.
Richard has just interupted me to say spend money on seeds - back soon!
TerryThe weeks and the years are fine. It's the days I can't cope with!
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TP, just a thought, but would the other hens have picked on Kiev so much if he were a cockerel? that added to the weight...Maybe just a late developer like Hinge. Scuse me if this is blonde beginner question but you must be able to turn him/her up and have a butcher's?...or is there nothing much to see? Or, when do they start getting spurs?..bit later I guess.
And your not hijacking anything! I am fascinated by Kiev's progress. I had never heard of 'Araucanas' till you got one. And this is definately about POL birds....or 'point of crow' in you case
What's more if you don't get an ASBO when he starts greeting each day -I'd might be interested in a pair of chicks....on second thoughts... I'd know none of us can sex them!
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Ahh, not quite true! If Kiev does turn out to be a bloke there is every chance that any chicks would have a sex linked colouration. I would need to go back to my books and read up but if I am remembering correctly Araucana chicks have a dark patch on the male chicks head. The difference is not as striking as the RIR yellow or silver thing but I think I'm right.....
It's why I am so suprised at the suplier having got it wrong - if he has!
PS Silly question, what are you doing up at 3:15 in the morning? Get some sleep man!
TerryThe weeks and the years are fine. It's the days I can't cope with!Comment
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Ah,I have a horrid habit of snoozing off in chair! Teggy wakes me when she goes to bed... then I got invoved in steam juicing the redcurrants and couldn't sleep etc. I have always been a bit of a night owl though. These days more for the peace and quiet than the parties sadly!
If you were to cross Kiev, with the leghorn say, would you be likely to get birds that lay blue eggs?Comment
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In theory yes, the gene for egg shell colour is an interesting one - it would depend on the purity of the breeding for both the Leghorn and the Araucana, but generally if you cross an Araucana male to a white or tinted egg female you should end up with the blue gene dominant. As well as the chick colour difference.
The dominance of egg colour and the 'back-link' colour of the chicks is apparently related.
This is all theory of course - while this is what I understand from the reading I have done I won't know if it works until I try it.... which requires Kiev to make a choice and display it!The weeks and the years are fine. It's the days I can't cope with!Comment
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Update..Hinge definitely has a comb growing now! hoorah! still No Egg tho.
One interesting thing is Mrs P gave them a sardine and so we had a fishy egg this morning. She even claims she can smell layers pellets in them when we have less scaps. So what is the best thing to feed your chickens for egg flavour? I might ask the pub to save some scraps then.
We had our first forget to shut the house thing last night as they weren't in when we checked at 9.30....but Still there today..Phew!Comment
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