Edd Sheppard has been raising genuine Araucana Chickens for over 40 years at his Awesome Araucana chicken hatchery in Northern California.  He has been zealous to maintain the purity of these ‘true’ Araucana Chickens which are from the Mapuche Race of Chickens and to keep them from extinction.  His knowledge of how to raise and breed the chickens, and all details related to the purebred Araucana Chickens, are detailed in his book “Araucana Experience” by Edward Sheppard that can be purchased through his website at AwesomeAraucana.com.

On the Awesome Araucana website, Edd has a page about Araucana Basics.  Here is a portion of those notes:

The Standard for body type in the Araucana Chicken is; Tail-less, Bilaterally symmetrically Tufted, with a pea comb and lays a Blue egg. For show standard color types you can check the A.P.A. for criteria.

Modern Araucana Chickens are a cross of at least two main lineages, one, a tail-less blue egg layer and one a relatively unknown now extinct wild ear tufted bird with a tail, that lays a pink or brownish egg.  Dr. Bustos about one hundred years ago in Chile, South America had the first documented flock near Santiago, Chile. They were described at the first international congress meeting in Spain in 1918.

Tail-less Tufted Araucanas do not always produce Tail-less Tufted chicks. Many tufted chicks look mature in the unhatched egg, but do not hatch due to a lethal “Double ear tuft trait gene” inheritance from having both tufted parents, which is being studied and generally accepted. I do get birds with three or more tufts every year, so I think there is more to be learned.

Hens that lay a green egg can have chicks that lay blue, green or pinkish eggs. Rooster influence can affect egg color outcomes. True Araucanas are a hardy, intelligent and offer much. Their traits carry well to their young and I believe the future will prove exciting as the qualities of this fairly new breed of chicken are appreciated.