Good news, No price change for “Hatching Eggs” from a mix of Araucana type chickens this year. $99.80 for 36 eggs, Priority shipping included in the U.S. Hatching eggs are produced from 20 plus flocks that consist of two basic Araucana bloodlines. One is a “Black Hybrid Show Bloodline” and the other is “My Strain” of imported South American Mapuche Race Chicken types kept pure for 45 years. They are not interbred here and they are easy to tell apart, every color except the pure Black Feathered Hybrids is my strain. All of my strain are related no matter the color and “All” the Black feathered Hybrid strain are related to each other. Both strains carry the tailed “Ketro”trait as Ketro flocks are maintained here also, in both strains. Pure Ketro flock hatching eggs are not generally provided. They are exactly the same, except for their tails. A 25% hatch rate is expected under the best conditions and cannot be guaranteed on shipped eggs.

The Black Hybrids carry many commercial traits from their “European Chicken” crossings. Increased food intake, Rapid growth and maturity at 4.5 months compared to  8 months to a year for “My Mapuche Race Chickens” to lay their first eggs”, this is very apparent. This demands consideration and they should not be raised together beyond 4 months unless they are to be interbred, Hybrids will mature early and attempt domination behavior. The slower growing Mapuche chickens will eventually be larger, stronger, more genetically diverse and continue to eat less.

 I started this hatchery and became a NPIP certified provider over a decade ago to keep these awesome South American Chickens of Araucana types from going extinct. I prefer to continue that goal and only provide pure bred birds. Knowing these differences, will make you a better farmer and help insure their future.

Most flocks have been together by feather color similarities for the last several years and the bluest eggs were provided and hatched as much as possible. I have known for a long time that the true blue egg color gene carried can only be determined by looking at the inside of the egg’s shell and it may be a darker blue color in a green egg or even a pale green egg or turquoise color egg. Because of this and the additional genetic diversity added to pure birds, is reason enough to ship and hatch more green eggs. Good Luck, have fun and let me know if I can help with these birds.

Best Regards,