Sexing Lavender Araucana Chicks

[Joeschooks]

This is my first time hatching Lavender Araucana. They are bred from UK standard show stock so they are totally different from US standards but hopefully someone will be familiar with this breed.

I read on another thread that Araucana chicks born with a prominent lump on their head are likely female. Those with a flatter head are probably male. I think what they are referring to is a vaulted skull. Aside from vent sexing I don't believe there is any reliable way to sex LA until their sickles come in but I'm interested to know if anyone has found the vaulted skull relationship to be true? I can't find any other info on this but I guess I will find out for myself in a couple of months!

3 of my 7 Araucana chicks have vaulted skulls and 4 have noticeably flatter heads.

Vaulted skull on one of my 10 day old LA chicks:

Noticeably flatter head of another LA chick from the same hatch:

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

I am not familiar with that. Doesn't seem that it would work, either. You will need to wait until they are 6+ weeks old old, then post photos of their combs.

 

[Joeschooks]

I agree, I can’t see it working either. I know some folk breed for vaulted skulls and some breed it out so I imagine it’s an unreliable indicator at best! I should have some idea from the combs in a few weeks.

 

[rita2paul]

that's very interesting, i have a few in the incubator at the moment, i am not holding my breath that they will hatch as my incubator needs calibrating. where did you get your eggs from. i got mine from pear tree poultry, very helpful people. i asked him if they new how to sex their araucana, but he said you have to wait. i would put a ring on the ones you think are males and then wait and see if your right. good luck.

 

[Joeschooks]

that's very interesting, i have a few in the incubator at the moment, i am not holding my breath that they will hatch as my incubator needs calibrating. where did you get your eggs from. i got mine from pear tree poultry, very helpful people. i asked him if they new how to sex their araucana, but he said you have to wait. i would put a ring on the ones you think are males and then wait and see if your right. good luck.

I know of Pear Tree Poultry, at least I have heard the name when I was searching for mine. There doesn't seem to be that many LA breeders around does there? I got mine from a lady near Port Talbot. Her hens are from Sion Allen's blood lines (that name didn't mean anything to me but turns out he was well known at the Welsh shows before he died.) I was so impressed, 100% fertility on her Araucana, although sadly one developed a blood ring. Good luck with yours. Please update us when they (hopefully) arrive.

 

[rita2paul]

mine are bantam size, what size are yours. i was talking to a breeder today and i asked that same question, she said no one wants to keep feeding cockerels as they don't know what they have until it crows. they prefer to hatch birds that you can sex early on, plus she said they are not good layers as they are prince to go broody. but i am not worried about all that, i think they are a great looking bird. how many did you hatch.

 

[Joeschooks]

mine are bantam size, what size are yours. i was talking to a breeder today and i asked that same question, she said no one wants to keep feeding cockerels as they don't know what they have until it crows. they prefer to hatch birds that you can sex early on, plus she said they are not good layers as they are prince to go broody. but i am not worried about all that, i think they are a great looking bird. how many did you hatch.

I've got large fowl chicks - 7 Araucanas and 2 Wheaten Marans. Some people say they're inclined to go broody and others reckon they're not but I guess we will find out for ourselves soon. If one goes broody I'll just give her some eggs to hatch and I think it would be a lovely experience as I've never had a broody before. A good thing about their egg production is that I figure they lay ok during the winter as I got my hatching eggs on 10th Jan lol. But like you, I think they're beautiful birds and we get enough eggs from our other girls anyway so any more are just a bonus.

 

[rita2paul]

just a thought the lady you got your LA from could you ask her if she can give you some information on how to sex your chicks.

 

[Joeschooks]

Yeah I might text her, she is such a helpful lady. From what I’ve read online it’s really difficult with this breed but there’s a good post about it here: https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/thec...2011/09/07/araucana-sexing-not-so-simple/amp/

 

[rita2paul]

that was very informative and a great find by you. i did read some where that when very young the male chick will have like a dome on the head while the female is flat, how true that is we will find out.
i am in lock down now but i am not holding my breath on this hatch as my incubator is running very low, i only have two LA eggs in lock down and 4 silver laced wyandott, its now a game of wait and see.