Where to Buy Araucana Chickens Near You: A Complete Guide

Part of our guide on chicken yard electric fence options

Most people searching for Araucana chickens end up with Easter Eggers because they don't know where true breeders sell or how to tell the difference before they buy.

What Makes a True Araucana and Why It Matters When You Buy

A true Araucana has no tail, a pea comb, and ear tufts that sprout from a fleshy projection near the ear opening. The rumpless gene is the defining trait. If the bird has tail feathers, it is not a purebred Araucana, no matter what the label says.

Most farm stores and even some hatcheries sell Easter Eggers and call them Araucanas. Easter Eggers lay blue or green eggs, but they have tails and mixed genetics. They are excellent layers and cost less, but they are not the breed you are searching for if you want the actual Araucana standard.

The confusion costs you money when you pay Araucana prices for a crossbreed. It also matters for showing, breeding, and flock consistency. True Araucanas lay blue eggs only, never green or olive, and the shell color holds across the laying season.

Check the breed standard from the American Poultry Association before you buy. The Araucana Club of America publishes photos of correct birds. Compare those images to what the seller is offering, and ask directly whether the birds are rumpless and tufted. There is more on frizzle polish chicken in a separate guide.

National Hatcheries That Ship Araucana Chicks

Large hatcheries ship day-old chicks via USPS Express Mail with 25-bird minimum orders to ensure the chicks stay warm during transit. Smaller orders do not generate enough body heat to survive cold sorting facilities. Expect to pay $5-8 per chick, plus a flat shipping fee of $30-50 depending on distance and season.

Meyer Hatchery in Ohio and Cackle Hatchery in Missouri both list Araucanas in their spring catalog. Verify the breed description on the order page: it should state rumpless and ear tufts. Some hatcheries list "Americana" or "Araucana/Ameraucana" as a single category, which signals a mixed or Easter Egger line.

Order between January and March for April or May delivery. Hatcheries stop shipping chicks when daytime temperatures exceed 85°F or drop below 20°F along the route. Late-season chicks (June onward) are often from later or secondary hatches, and quality can vary. We go through choosing breeds for backyard flocks step by step elsewhere on the site.

Most hatcheries are NPIP-certified, meaning the breeding flock is tested for pullorum and typhoid. Certification does not guarantee freedom from all diseases, but it is the baseline for interstate commerce. Ask for the certification number and check it against the USDA NPIP directory if you are ordering sight-unseen.

• Meyer Hatchery: NPIP-certified, ships to all lower 48 states, published hatch schedule on the site
• Cackle Hatchery: family-run since 1936, posts weekly inventory updates, allows pickup at the Missouri facility
• Ideal Poultry: Texas-based, shorter shipping distance for southern buyers, minimum order sometimes drops to 15 in warm months

Finding Araucana Breeders Near You in Michigan, Colorado, North Carolina and Other States

Regional breeders sell in smaller quantities (sometimes as few as two or three birds) and you can inspect the flock before you buy. Prices run higher, typically $15-30 per started pullet or adult hen, because small-scale breeders invest in selective breeding and cannot spread fixed costs across thousands of chicks.

Start with your state poultry association. Michigan has the Michigan Poultry Fanciers, Colorado has the Rocky Mountain Poultry Club, and North Carolina has the Carolina Classic Poultry Club. Each maintains a breeder directory or a Facebook group where members post birds for sale. Membership is usually $15-25 per year and gets you access to the directory and show schedules. We cover sources for silkie chickens in its own article.

The Araucana Club of America publishes a breeder list sorted by state. Email breeders directly and ask what they have available, whether the birds are rumpless, and when the next hatch is planned. Many breeders sell only at poultry shows or through pre-orders taken in winter for spring pickup.

Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace list backyard sellers, but quality varies widely. Look for posts that include photos of the parent stock and mention NPIP certification or recent show placements. Avoid ads that use vague language like "Araucana-type" or "blue egg layer" without specifying rumpless.

Buying Araucana Pullets and Started Birds vs Day-Old Chicks

Day-old chicks cost less but require six to eight weeks of brooding with a heat lamp, starter feed, and close monitoring. Pullets (birds that are 16 to 20 weeks old and near point-of-lay) cost two to three times as much but start producing eggs within a few weeks of arrival. We cover michigan chicken-friendly cities in its own article.

Started birds skip the fragile chick stage, which has a mortality rate of 5-10% even under good care. You also see the bird's size, temperament, and conformation before you buy. For someone adding a few Araucanas to an existing flock, pullets integrate faster than chicks, which need gradual introduction once they are fully feathered.

Breeders rarely ship pullets; you pick them up or meet at a show. Hatcheries sometimes offer started pullets in spring, but availability is limited and they sell out fast. Expect to pay $25-35 per pullet from a hatchery, $20-30 from a local breeder.

The trade-off is selection. Chick orders let you choose quantity and pick from the full hatch. Pullet buyers take what is available, and breeders often hold back the best birds for their own breeding program or show string.

What to Check Before You Buy Araucana Chickens

Inspect the vent for pasting, which signals stress or illness in young chicks. The vent should be clean and dry. Check the eyes for clarity and the nostrils for discharge. A healthy chick is alert, vocal, and moves quickly when you pick it up.

For older birds, examine the comb and wattles for color and texture. A pale comb suggests anemia or poor nutrition. The breast should feel full and rounded, not sharp or bony along the keel. Lift the feathers near the vent to check for lice or mites; gray clusters near the quill base are lice eggs.

Ask the seller for the hatch date or the bird's age in weeks. Chicks shipped younger than three days old are more vulnerable to shipping stress. Birds sold as pullets should be at least 14 weeks old; younger birds marketed as pullets are usually undersized or slow-growing culls.

If buying online, request a photo of the actual birds or the parent stock, not catalog images. Ask whether the seller will guarantee live arrival and what the replacement policy covers. Some hatcheries replace dead-on-arrival chicks if you photograph them within 12 hours; others do not.

1. Check for NPIP certification on the seller's website or ask for the flock number.
2. Verify the breed description includes "rumpless" and "ear tufts" for true Araucanas.
3. Inspect photos for tail feathers; tailed birds are not purebred Araucanas.
4. Ask for hatch dates and whether the birds are vaccinated for Marek's disease.
5. Confirm pickup location or shipping costs and minimum order before you commit.

Poultry Shows, Swaps and Auctions as Buying Opportunities

Poultry shows draw breeders from across the state, and many bring extra birds to sell after judging. You see the birds in person, talk to the breeder, and often pick up that day. Shows run from October through March in most states, with the largest events in January and February.

Swap meets and farm auctions are less predictable. Birds are sold by the crate or individually, often without health records or breed verification. Prices can be low (sometimes $5-10 per bird) but you assume all the risk. Quarantine any auction bird for three weeks minimum before introducing it to your flock.

Check the schedule for your state poultry association or county fair. Some fairs include a youth poultry auction where 4-H and FFA members sell project birds. These birds are typically well-cared-for and healthy, though not always from show-quality lines.

Swap meets in rural areas happen monthly or seasonally. Michigan has regular swaps in Lowell and Ionia. Colorado's Western Stock Show in Denver includes a poultry auction. North Carolina hosts swaps in the Piedmont region. Arrive early; the best birds sell in the first hour.

Questions people still ask

I raised Araucanas for three years and learned the hard way that the tailed birds I bought at a farm store were not the breed I thought I was getting; now I only buy from breeders who show their birds and can prove the rumpless trait across their flock.