Blue Araucana   (Large Fowl & Bantams)

The Blue variety in Araucana is only approved by the American Bantam Association (ABA) at this time.  A blue large fowl would currently have to be shown as an AOV (All-Other-Varieties) at any APA/ABA sanctioned show.  All Blue Araucana should be sharply and clearly laced - the same color as the Blue Andalusian breed.    Blue (laced) will probably be the next approved variety by the APA in large fowl Araucana.   You will see many, many Araucana that are blue colored, and some will appear to have minor black edging on the feathers but it is usually caused by hormones or other factors.  The true laced Blue Araucana must not only carry the gene 'Bl' or Blue on an 'E' extended black base color, it must also possess the genes 'Pg' (Pattern gene) and 'Ml' (Melantoic) plus probably 'Co' (Columbian).  Creating a true 'laced' Blue which is the correct 'blue' for ALL poultry breeds as specified in both the APA Standard of Perfection and the ABA Bantam Standard is a long term project.  I have been  working on this variety for some time and am hoping to have some good laced Blue Araucana to show by Spring 2012.   

Sold to Jake Stein, Ohio

The Bantam Standard: BLUE Plumage Description

"Color Of Male

HEAD: Lustrous Bluish Black. 

NECK: Hackle - a uniform shade of plain slaty blue clearly and sharply laced with lustrous bluish black.  Front of neck - same as breast. 

BACK: a uniform shade of plain slaty blue clearly and sharply laced with lustrous bluish black.

SADDLE: same as hackle.

WINGS: Shoulders, Fronts, Bows, and Coverts - uniform slaty blue clearly and sharply laced with bluish black.  Primaries - a uniform shade of slaty blue.  Secondaries: a uniform shade of plain slaty blue, outer webs clearly and sharply laced with bluish black, a lustrous bluish black shafting.

BREAST, BODY, STERN, & LOWER THIGHS: a uniform shade of plain slaty blue clearly and sharply laced with lustrous bluish black.

UNDERCOLOR: Uniform slaty blue in all sections.

Color Of Female

HEAD: Slaty Blue. 

NECK: Hackle - a uniform shade of plain slaty blue clearly and sharply laced with lustrous bluish black.  Front of neck - same as breast. 

BACK: a uniform shade of plain slaty blue clearly and sharply laced with lustrous bluish black.

WINGS: Shoulders, Fronts, Bows, and Coverts - a uniform slaty blue clearly and sharply laced with bluish black.  Primaries - a uniform shade of slaty blue.  Secondaries: a uniform shade of plain slaty blue, outer webs clearly and sharply laced with bluish black, a lustrous bluish black shafting.

BREAST, BODY, STERN, & LOWER THIGHS: a uniform shade of plain slaty blue clearly and sharply laced with lustrous bluish black.

UNDERCOLOR: Uniform slaty blue in all sections.

Judging instructions.  Lacing in the hackle, back, wing bows, and saddle should be lustrous without a green sheen.  The overall dark appearance in these sections of the male, as well as the hackle of the female, is the result of overlapping feathers.  The ground color of the male should match the female. 

Disqualifications: Red, yellow, orange or positive white in any section of the plumage.

Defects:  Surface of feathers not laced with darker shade - black in various sections of the plumage."   From the Bantam Standard  (ABA)  Order a copy here.

 

"Blue: Thirty-one breeds have blue varieties but only the Blue Andalusian meets the requirement for blue plumage.  Of these other blues, some show very little edging of the feathers which qualifies them as poor blues . . .Others  show the required dark hackle plus rather distinct edging - - in other words they approach but do not reach the ideal as found in the Blue Andalusian".. . . Bantam Chickens by Fred P. Jeffrey  

"The genotype of the laced plumage pattern of the Blue Andalusian is E/E Bl/bl+ Co/Co (Ml-Pg)/(Ml-Pg)." . . From Inheritance of the laced plumage pattern of the blue Andalusian bantam by W. C. Carefoot.

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Additonal Araucana Breeders Currently Working on the APA Blue Variety in Large Fowl Araucana


1) Jan Burke, Pocola, Oklahoma 

2) Thom Wright, Queen Creek, Arizona

3) Jake Stein, Madison, Ohio

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
   

 

 

 
 

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