Australorps breed Thread

[ronott1]

Yes, but it's funny that they didn't include both in the standard if they both started being produced at the same time. Why accept blue but ignore splash I wonder.

They do that because it is harder to keep the splash color to a standard.

If you breed blue to blue you will get 25% splash. Also with blue genetics you have to breed back to black at some point to keep the blue looking nice.

 

[RattlesnakeRidgeWV]

To answer some of your questions no one shows the splashes in any breed that I know of. Ron is right, they are the byproduct of breeding blues. Some people breed the splashes to blacks to make blues, but the end result is that the blue babies are too light in color. The best blues come from a blue and black mating. The blue is darker and usually has the darker lacing that is preferred in Australia. I actually like the splashes in my flock and use them against each other looking for more black mottling if that makes sense. The blues and splashes have been around in Australia for a long time, but they only show the blacks and blues. Hope this helps. Breeding good blue genetics is a challenge, ask me and Chet.

Apps, Don't worry about the light beak on the splash. That is normal and we can't show them anyway. I sometimes get the pale mixed with some black or a horn like coloring.
Kurt

 

[jbkirk]

To answer some of your questions no one shows the splashes in any breed that I know of. Ron is right, they are the byproduct of breeding blues. Some people breed the splashes to blacks to make blues, but the end result is that the blue babies are too light in color. The best blues come from a blue and black mating. The blue is darker and usually has the darker lacing that is preferred in Australia. I actually like the splashes in my flock and use them against each other looking for more black mottling if that makes sense. The blues and splashes have been around in Australia for a long time, but they only show the blacks and blues. Hope this helps. Breeding good blue genetics is a challenge, ask me and Chet.

Apps, Don't worry about the light beak on the splash. That is normal and we can't show them anyway. I sometimes get the pale mixed with some black or a horn like coloring.
Kurt

that seems silly as you have to have splash in order to get blue in the first place.

 

[orumpoultry]

I wish BBS were more common in the u.s. I would really like some... one day. For now I need to work on increasing my hens sizes. Stuck at hens with the same weight as my leghorns, although much more fluff. Only way to tell is to weigh them. My cockerals are all a half pound or better larger than my adult hens, and they're only four months old.

 

[RattlesnakeRidgeWV]

that seems silly as you have to have splash in order to get blue in the first place.

No you do not need splash in the first place to make blue. You could use white or another blue to make a blue mated with a black.
Kurt

 

[drumstick diva]

Ron knows what he is talking about.

 

[MrsBrooke]

Here is everyone in the big coop. Banded the babies for easy identification.

MrsB

 

[jbkirk]

No you do not need splash in the first place to make blue. You could use white or another blue to make a blue mated with a black.
Kurt

What I meant is that you would need a splash to make the very first ever blue australorp. I think.

 

[ronott1]

No you do not need splash in the first place to make blue. You could use white or another blue to make a blue mated with a black.
Kurt

Yes! Most blue Australorps were made from out crossing to either blue orpingtons or blue langshans. The orpingtons would be easier to use. Then they breed back to the correct body type after they get blue.

It the chart I posted, put in a black australorp and a blue orpington. They you pick colors from there. It does take some time to get to splash though.

Ron knows what he is talking about.

Thanks Diva! I do like working with Blue Black Splash breeds.

 

[tinkerfairy]

I ended up with one maybe 3 of these chicks. Tractor supply must not be good at identifying different kinds of chicks. They were in a tub that said barred rocks and buff Orpingtons' this is my first time raising chicks, but I didn't think they were barred rocks by looking at the picture they had, I got 2 barred rocks and 3 without white spots. One for sure looks like this breed, I'm unsure on gender, I think pullet so I call the chick a her, shadow is around 6 weeks now, very dark black, no stripes like barred rock she was labeled as, but I've noticed she's getting a golden brown around her neck and hints of this color on her wings. She looks like some pics I saw on here, I saw a too that was colored like her I hope that doesn't make her a him. She's one of my sweetest chicks she likes to hang out on my shoulder and always wants to visit the ducklings but they're scared of the chicks. She has a comb but not wattles, but her comb isn't as big as a chick the same age as her that I'm positive is a too his comb is larger and turning red, hers is still yellow and his wattles are starting to protrude already red, he was supposed to be a buff orpington but he has black mingled in on his wings and tail, I picked chicks from the same tub since they were already being kept together and so far I think only 2 out of 8 are roos. My other two chicks had yellow spots on there face yellow chests too there two longest wing feathers are white but they seem to be staying black as they feather out but they don't look quite the same as shadow, so just because tractor supply says specialty breed straight run sure doesn't mean that's the breed you're getting. Of course I don't mind they're different its made them easier to tell apart and I bought mine as pets and for eggs they've been kept inside and handled daily they have adopted me as mama they eagerly greet me when they see me and run to me not away from me they all love to pile on me for attention