Australorps breed Thread

[iwiw60]

You can guess based on the wing feathers (shorter, later development- cockerel, longer, feathered out earlier- pullet) but I'm loathe to believe it until more secondary characteristics are more obvious. I still have one black Orpington chick who appears to be undecided. It feathered early, but the comb is suspiciously large and is beginning to get some red. My Australorp cockerel is obviously a boy and just like his dad.

I found this pic:


So if I see something like shown they are pullets? Sorry to be such a pest!

 

[iwiw60]

I found this pic:


So if I see something like shown they are pullets? Sorry to be such a pest!

I also found this pic:

Is this what I'm looking for??????????

 

[ronott1]

I found this pic:


So if I see something like shown they are pullets? Sorry to be such a pest!

Feather sexing works if you have a breed and line that has fast feathering pullets and slow feathering cockerels. It will not work for all lines.

Feather Sexing does not seem to work well for most lines of Australorps.

You can usually tell after 6 weeks old by comb and wattle size and color. Still some seem to be undecided until there is either an egg or a crow!

 

[iwiw60]

Drats!!

Figures...BA's are the ones I'm getting. Oh well, if I end up with a roo out of the four that would be okay...thanks again to everyone for all the info!!

 

[ronott1]

Drats!!

Figures...BA's are the ones I'm getting. Oh well, if I end up with a roo out of the four that would be okay...thanks again to everyone for all the info!!

Are you getting the as pullets from a Hatchery? If so, they are 90plus percent accurate with vent sexing them

Post pictures when you get them!

 

[iwiw60]

Are you getting the as pullets from a Hatchery? If so, they are 90plus percent accurate with vent sexing them

Post pictures when you get them!

No, not pullets...day-olds(?) from our local feed store. Yes, that's what they told me .. that they have a 90-95% success rate. Would love it if all four were pullets, but I wouldn't mind if one turned out to be a roo. They're supposed to arrive on April 8th..got the brooder box all set up. I tested it yesterday with the light on, and it got too hot underneath the light..yikes! So I'm off to the store today or tomorrow and get a smaller wattage bulb til I get it right. Boy, the things we do for these little balls of fur!! I love it!!

 

[ronott1]

No, not pullets...day-olds(?) from our local feed store. Yes, that's what they told me .. that they have a 90-95% success rate. Would love it if all four were pullets, but I wouldn't mind if one turned out to be a roo. They're supposed to arrive on April 8th..got the brooder box all set up. I tested it yesterday with the light on, and it got too hot underneath the light..yikes! So I'm off to the store today or tomorrow and get a smaller wattage bulb til I get it right. Boy, the things we do for these little balls of fur!! I love it!!

The light needs to be on a pole or stand that will let you move it up or down. The first week The spot under the bulb should be about 95 and then drop 5 degrees per week.

Make sure that there are cool spots for them to move to in the brooder.

If you start brooding a lot of chicks, you can get a contact brooder. Brinsea eco glow and Premeir1 sell them.

Post pictures here when you get them!

 

[TINCHER]

I'm not able to post pictures for some reason - I dont see the icon
BUT

I have three black australorps about 4 weeks in age that i bought sexed as pullets.
One of them has a shorter tail, althougth they're all feathered out the same. SmallTail has a substantial amount of white 'fur' around the face, where others have black... and SmallTail has white bands on his wings...
At first I was worried SmallTail was going to be a roo... but now I think SmallTail is just a mix because of these white stripes.

Have you heard of anything like this?

 

[tnmommy]

I've been correct in my suspicions with both orps and Aussies but like I said, I don't believe it until they hit 6-8 weeks and the more obvious combs start to look like cockerels. I sadly don't know where my Aussies originated, he was breeding backyard birds. He got his breeders from a local person, but that person bought from a hatchery...but my Orps are from Lots A Cluckin and she has reliably feather sexed her chicks. My Aussies were easier to distinguish from week 1-2. But again, I won't know for another two weeks if I was right.

My advice- don't cull any suspected cockerels until at least week 8.

 

[tnmommy]

3 1/2 weeks

3 1/2 weeks

3 1/2 weeks Aussie "suspected" pullet in foreground, "suspected" Orpington cockerel in rear. "her" wing feathers are longer and she began to grow tail feathers faster than any of my cockerel "suspects"