If you are considering the Araucana as a breed you wish to work with you should learn about the breed. The Araucana Club of America http://www.Araucana.net , distributes a wealth of information to their new members, puts out a quarterly newsletter, and also distributes an excellent book on breeding Araucana, Cathy Brunson's Araucana, 'Rings On Their Ears'.
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What to Expect From Shipped
Hatching Eggs And please remember that Araucana hatching egg embryos
are Buyers: 1. Expect a little soiling on eggs. Slight flecks of feces, or blood on the egg means that your eggs were not washed, and washed eggs don't hatch well. 2. If you are buying eggs and having them shipped in hopes of selling the chicks at a profit, Don't. It is a fool's gamble. You should be ordering eggs with the full intent on raising breeding stock for next season. I usually get a dozen eggs, hoping for a trio, settling on a pair or two pairs. 3. Not all eggs sent through the mail will develop. This does not mean that they are not fertile, but the stress of travel will take its toll on hatchability. 4. Have your incubator ready and running at incubating temperatures before the eggs arrive. This will ensure that you don't have mechanical problems. 5. Upon receiving your eggs, let them set at room temperature or 60 degrees for 6 to 12 hours. This is called settling the eggs from the vibrations of vehicle travel. 6. Eggs need to be turned 3 to 5 times a day while incubating and turned until three days from hatching. 7. Temperature MUST be according to the species incubated, and always check your thermometer with a second one for accurate readings. 8. Humidity is also crucial in incubation. Both temperature and humidity guidelines will be stated in your incubator manual and should be adhered to religiously. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Additional Note on Araucana Egg Color: The intensity of color for an Araucana Hen’s eggs is determined partly by genetics but primarily by where she is at in her laying cycle. All Araucana will have the most vividly colored eggs when they first start to lay. Toward the middle and end of their cycle the eggs can fade out to almost white or even a pale beige color. Never cull setting eggs based solely on color unless they are from your own hens and you know that particular hen is not a good egg color producer throughout her laying cycle.
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