The Araucana Chicken is a breed of bird that has been closely imitated in a number of crosses. They are desired for their unique appearance, the color of their eggs, and their good production qualities!

Often kept in flocks, both male and female Araucana Chickens tend to be docile. They are described as hardy and are often good at foraging for food. Very useful birds, Araucana Chickens have been known for their productive qualities as well as their exhibition qualities. Many people breed and show these birds, and still others adore the unique appearance of these chickens when they keep them on their properties. Still a different sampling of people value their Araucana for its incredible blue egg production, and another group uses the chicken for its meat.

Araucana Chickens are known as "rumpless" birds. This means that they lack tail feathers, and, indeed, lack the entire coccyx bone that would normally result in a tail. They can also be distinguished by ear tufts, sometimes called ear whiskers. These are feathers that grow straight out from the ear lobe region of the head. Some Araucana Chickens have ear tufts that will grow in a curve to form a sort of halo about their heads. There is no extra feathering about the chin, and the wattles of Araucana Chickens are usually greatly reduced or entirely absent. The bodies of Araucana Chickens are usually plump, or well fleshed, and of a large size.

Araucana Chickens were bred from a South American chicken from a region probably in the northern section of Chile. It was probably a hybrid bred from the Araucana natives' breed of chicken, the Collonca, crossed with the Quetro breed. With their odd appearances and their colored eggs, these birds quickly charmed breeders who began making plans to improve them in the 1930's. Because Araucana Chickens have proved so difficult to breed, a number of similar breeds have sprung up that are often passed off as Araucanas. These often have eggs that are colored with beautiful shades, and are often known by the generic name of "Easter Egg Chickens". The Ameraucana Chicken was developed from this breed.

Because Araucana Chickens are difficult to breed and because there are a number of hybrid chickens similar to the Araucana, you should be sure that you obtain your chicken from a reliable breeder with well-documented bloodlines, if you wish to be sure it is purebred.

It can be very difficult to breed pure or perfect Araucana Chickens. One source reports that only one chick in every 100 eggs will be of showing quality. The medium sized eggs usually have blue, green, or blue-green shells. The purest bloodlines have pure blue eggs whose color is evident both on the inside and outside of the shell. Infertility may be a problem, and it is estimated that about a fourth of the eggs laid by Araucana Chickens are stillborn. Hens do tend to be good layers, and have been used for egg production.