Australorps breed Thread

[ronott1]

About 9 months

Perfect!

They will molt next fall and take some time off but you should still get some eggs next winter too.

 

[Highcotton]

Quote:
I have 2 BA roosters from Tractor Supply. They look exactly alike except that one has red in the hackles and a few in the saddle feathers. I have been trying to figure out where they came from. I thought a Black Copper Marans had slipped into the henhouse.

 

[Highcotton]

Quote:
Welcome to BYC. Those are some pretty chickens.

 

[bonnylass79]

Finally got chicks from my Tigercreek birds. 14 total. These have to be the most energetic chicks I've ever hatched. LOL

 

[crazyfeathers]

My Question: Is my BA crossed with something? I don't understand why she doesn't have a tail. I've had her for 4 months now, there was feather picking In the beginning but all of my girls feathers have grown back and no more feather picking. Thanks for any help, I will love her either way: her name is Olive...

 

[bonnylass79]

Did she have a tail before all of the feather picking started? Some birds just take longer to grow back than others. It's also possible that she's still being picked on. Try increasing their protein. It will help with feather growth and should reduce the picking.

 

[ronott1]

My Question: Is my BA crossed with something? I don't understand why she doesn't have a tail. I've had her for 4 months now, there was feather picking In the beginning but all of my girls feathers have grown back and no more feather picking. Thanks for any help, I will love her either way: her name is Olive...

Does she stand fluffed up like that all the time?

Se looks like an australorp. As long as it is just missing tail feathers and not rumpless(missing bones in the tail) then it could be lice or mites. Sometimes one will be bothered more that others by them and will rip her own feathers out.

Look up statue standing as a symptom along with over grooming.

 

[crazyfeathers]

This day she laid her first egg and her wing got caught in between two pieces of wood, I don't know how long she was stuck there but underneath her was her first egg. I brought her in the house just to make sure she was ok. She is fine, although she hasn't laid another egg, the poor girl was probably traumatized after her first egg experience. I treat all of my girls for lice and mites every month and she doesn't have any parasites, I actually checked her today. I think she was just stressed out from her first egg ordeal and that is why she is so fluffed up. She isn't normally like that. Maybe it is just over preening. I thought maybe she was a cross. Thanks for you input.

 

[crazyfeathers]

Nope she isn't getting picked on at all, I have increased her protein and I don't see her over preening. Maybe she is just taking longer than the rest of the girls to grow her feathers back? She was the first pullet to lay an egg and they are all around the same age. She didn't have a tail when I first got her (I purchased her from an auction). What are some other good sources of protein that I could try? Thank you for taking the time to help me out bonnylass79.

 

[Itchen4Chickens]

I would love it if you could tell me more about your chickens! I'm getting some chickens of my own and didn't realize that there are so many breeds available! I know what I want in a chicken and I think that Australorp will probably be the bird for me, but I want to be absolutely sure before committing. These are some of the traits I need my chicken to have. 1. Non-Broody 2. Great Layer 3. Good Personality aka Easy to get along with 5. I want it to be a dual purpose breed so that when it stops laying it can be used for meat. 6. I would prefer that it lay large eggs (the color doesn't matter to me.) Also I live in a place where it is incredibly hot in the summer, and cold in the winter so hardiness is really, really important. I realize this is a lot to cover but I think the mighty Australorp can handle it Any help you could give me or if you could even point me to a different breed would be greatly appreciated!