Red Pile Chickens

I'll have to see if I can get a couple pics of my Aracaunas for you....yeah, the "ears" aren't huge, but definitely noticeable.

I used to breed for certain characteristics and such, had a fancy setup to keep them divided into breeding groups at least during the initial part of laying season when I was going to be incubating and selling...but now, the birds I have left just run around the farm where I can watch and enjoy them, and they just do their thing, lol. They still lay either in the chicken pen inside the building, or in one of a couple spots in the barn.

It laid another small blue/green egg today. I find it odd though that it's eggs are smaller than the barred-rock because the barred-rock is smaller.

I also wanted to know if it is safe to introduce new hens to a group of hens and one rooster?

By the way, I appreciate all of the time and patients!

Introducing new hens should be no problem, in fact the other hens will probably be relieved at someone else getting some of the rooster's "attention", lol.

Maybe the hen you have that is laying the colored eggs is actually an Aracauna cross? Some crosses will still retain some of the "ear" feathering....does she have a pea comb? (Sorry, I think I mistakenly called it a rose comb earlier) The pea comb doesn't tend to stay nearly as small in crosses. I just wonder, because every Aracauna I have had produced very nice, large eggs.

And no problem....it's fun to find someone with an interest in chickens beyond the fried kind.

Don't get me wrong I am very interested in the fried variety! I just wouldn't like to see any of mine converted to that. haha

I looked at some pictures and I'm still not exactly sure of what a pea comb is. From the pictures I am guessing this is somewhat of a small, flattened comb?

Alright, if I am right, my barred-rock has a rose comb and my chicken in question has a pea comb. The barred-rock has a comb that sticks up a bit, almost enough to sag to the side, while the one in question has one that barely protrudes.

A comb that stands up enough to fall over is usually just called a "single comb". A pea comb is a very small, almost roundish comb that tapers just slightly toward the beak. A rose comb is similar to a pea comb, but larger, and tapering in the opposite direction as the pea comb. Neither the pea comb or rose comb have the protrusions that stick up beyond the base of the comb, like you would see on a leghorn.

I wish I could just get out my crayons and draw you a picture, it would be easier than trying to explain it, lol.

Paint? hahaha.

One day when I finish all these essays I'm bogged down with I'll just shoot some pics.

Alright, once again another question. I don't have any funds anymore, so I've decided to make do with the chickens I have. Right now I have both my araucana and my barred-rock with my redpyle rooster and they have 8 eggs laid. I was wondering if I switched them to my orange rooster if he would start breeding immediately so they would keep filling the nest with fertile eggs or if this would throw the laying off? Thanks a bunch!

The hens would be staying in the same pen with roosters switched out.

I'm sure he would start breeding right away if moved, and if you don't move the hens, their laying shouldn't be thrown off, I wouldn't think.

Well, it seems I was too late for that, my araucana is on the nest today, unless she was laying. She seemed ill, but I guess I'll know for sure when I get home from school. Will she start laying right after the eggs hatch? If so and she is setting already I guess I will just wait until next month and switch out the roosters, let each rooster have a full nest of eggs. If she isn't setting I'll switch them out this evening.