Month: February 2025

My bantam Araucana layers continue to impress me. The most nutritious part of the egg is the yolk. They are little golden nuggets of dense protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals. My bantams lay eggs with yolks that are probably 75-80% of the size of the yolks in my large fowl Araucana. The photo below is of today’s egg from my bantam Araucana pullet ‘Suzy-Q’, wing band #653. She laid her first egg this week, which was HUGE. I thought it must be a double yolker, it was that large. But when I cracked it into a bowl for my morning’s scrambled eggs. there was only one yolk. I hope I have not jinxed her production ability by bragging about those big beautiful eggs she is laying. I picked up this egg from her this morning. Another whopper at 1.73 oz! Pretty darn good for a 28-ounce pullet.

Suzy-Q had 4 total shows in 2024 and was Best of Variety three times and Reserve of Variety once. As of today, she is in the breeding pens and hopefully will contribute to my recessive whites for exhibition at the Fall 2025 shows. <knock-on-wood>

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So many people want pix of egg color. It seems there are always a few people each year who are new to the breed and think everything is all about egg color and that they will focus on just that one thing and think they can breed a Robin’s egg blue Araucana egg and corner the market on beautifully colored eggs. I may have even been guilty of that in the past myself. It won’t happen. But good luck in your pursuit. First, it has been my experience over the last few decades that an Araucana egg, cleared of all the genetic imperfections is more of a teal color than ‘blue’. So expect more of a pale turquoise color, just like the older literature states. The depth of color in eggs is very much affected by where in their laying cycle a hen is. Those first few eggs in each laying cycle will have the deepest color, gradually fading over time. It is important to remember that the antioxidant, biliverdin, which is laid down in the egg to color it is important to the hen’s own health. Excess is put in the eggs, less excess equals paler egg color. Vigor, nutrient levels, etc., affect egg color. These are just some of the variables affecting it other than genetics. I am happy with the egg color in my birds. Over the years it has become more and more consistent. The photo is from my own flock of what I picked up yesterday. These are from both, bantam and large fowl, 12 different females, all are several months into their current laying cycle. I am happy with the egg color on my birds but it is just one trait I breed for. And please remember that blue eggs don’t photograph true to color. Gold light (sunshine, light bulbs) makes them look more greenish. More important to me are type, vigor, fertility, feather color and quality, etc. So please don’t ask for photos of egg color. I, and no one I know of have birds that lay Robin blue eggs, except for actual Robins of course. Happy Valentine’s Day!

I am receiving a lot of requests for hatching eggs right now and for started chicks but it is a bit early in the year and I am NOT accepting any deposits at this time. I have just started setting eggs, and am working on establishing fertility. I have one bantam pen right now that is running at about 100% fertility and I am hatching chicks out of that pen but culling hard for any that do not meet my specific goals for that pen.

It is important to understand that I do NOT raise birds just to sell. Anything I may have available for sale are simply birds that may be superior in many ways but do not make a second or third or fourth cut to go into my breeding or show pens. I will have some started chicks available this year, but don’t get picky about colors, or details or you will miss out. I won’t have that many. If you sign up for my blog I will notify you HERE when I have something for sale. Plan on having your chicks shipped, this includes Express Mail and shipping box expenses. Prices on started chicks begin at $35 each and go up from there. I can ship up to 3 per box and usually sell them in twos or threes.

All of my birds are excellent hardy stock, bred to the Standard and bred for vigor, correct breed type, and disease resistance over the last 20+ years. I have a closed flock. Both my bantams and my large fowl are excellent layers. Check back here for more details at a later time. I need to update the information on my website but that will probably take a few more weeks to get to. Thank you if you have read this far. Have a great day!