Australorps Breeding for SOP and Exhibition Thread

[ronott1]

Does anyone have a guide to growth weights? A chart or guideline that tells what they should weigh at various ages through the growth cycle, until they reach their adult weight. If there isn't one, maybe a couple of you that have been raising them could get together and compare your notes, and come up with a guideline.

I wonder it some of the Australian BYCrs have something like that?

 

[RattlesnakeRidgeWV]

Geoff,
Nice looking cockerel there. I also enjoyed the old time picture. Our written standards and yours are pretty close, however are SOP pictures are different. The main difference that I see are the US have longer backs and fuller tails than your chooks. This is probably because we received your utility stock in the very begining. Good to hear from you.
Kurt

 

[getaclue]

These are 9 weeks 5 days old. The whitish specks are feed on them. This little cockerel taught my other little guy to crow. He sounds sort of like one of those old dolls that would cry, if it's voice box were broken. He's getting better at it, and much louder now, so they will be going into the grow out pen at the coop soon.

 

[karenj32]

This is my first ever post on Backyard Chickens so I am not sure if this is quite the right way to do it. Will see! I am just starting up my breeding program with Black Australorps. My chicks were born in Feb, so I am just now approaching the 18 week mark. I did an initial culling in late May of the boys, as my feed bill was cramping my style. (and that amount of crowing was a bit hard on the neighbors). I have selected 7 of the 48 males to continue growing out for a few more months. I have yet to learn the art of photographing the whole bird, consequently I have 300 terrible pictures of my remaining 7. I'll post one, so you know I'm trying, and a group shot of all 100, pre-culling just for fun.
My main question I'm asking now is about vigor, 2 of my remaining cockerals, tend to get chased around and picked on by the other males, nothing drastic, no bloodshed, no missing feathers or anything, but whenever I see a boy high-tailing it around the yard with another at his heels, its one of the same 2. Would you count that against them in terms of vigor or assertiveness? I would think I would want dominant males as my breeders (all things being equal, which they never are). Note, I do not want aggressive males as my breeders, but the 5 dominant ones are, so far, gentle with me and the hens, and seem to co-exist seamlessly with the other 4. (of course it is still super early, so all that can change)

Thanks

 

[ronott1]

This is my first ever post on Backyard Chickens so I am not sure if this is quite the right way to do it. Will see! I am just starting up my breeding program with Black Australorps. My chicks were born in Feb, so I am just now approaching the 18 week mark. I did an initial culling in late May of the boys, as my feed bill was cramping my style. (and that amount of crowing was a bit hard on the neighbors). I have selected 7 of the 48 males to continue growing out for a few more months. I have yet to learn the art of photographing the whole bird, consequently I have 300 terrible pictures of my remaining 7. I'll post one, so you know I'm trying, and a group shot of all 100, pre-culling just for fun.
My main question I'm asking now is about vigor, 2 of my remaining cockerals, tend to get chased around and picked on by the other males, nothing drastic, no bloodshed, no missing feathers or anything, but whenever I see a boy high-tailing it around the yard with another at his heels, its one of the same 2. Would you count that against them in terms of vigor or assertiveness? I would think I would want dominant males as my breeders (all things being equal, which they never are). Note, I do not want aggressive males as my breeders, but the 5 dominant ones are, so far, gentle with me and the hens, and seem to co-exist seamlessly with the other 4. (of course it is still super early, so all that can change)

Thanks

It is great to have you posing here!

Where did you get them?

As to vigor, and which to keep, Bob Blosl(Mr. Rhode Island Red but it still applies) said to go out with a lawn chair and watch the flock. The ones you want to keep are usually the ones that catch your eye. Attitude is important so do pay attention to it.

 

[karenj32]

I got them through the Sustainable Poultry Network. As far as I know the breeder hasn't done any showing, so probably not a household name . I spend hours out there with them, I really enjoy them, they are so much more grand that my mixed hatchery flock. Every one of my birds weighed more at 16 weeks then any of my year old hatchery birds, even my light brahma rooster. Every day they look more majestic to me . And to think I was worried that plain black birds would be boring. So wrong!

 

[chasinthedream]

Ronott1, I believe you once stated that you had imported eggs from Europe. How did that go and what was involved?
Trevor

 

[ronott1]

Ronott1, I believe you once stated that you had imported eggs from Europe. How did that go and what was involved?
Trevor

@Hangtown Farms was working on an import of Penesesencas. There was a problem so now he is seeing if he can import some frozen semen. That is easier to import but has a time issue for poultry.

 

[getaclue]

Quote:
That sounds interesting. It might be interesting to import frozen sperm from Geoff's rooster(s) in Australia.

 

[bonnylass79]

This is my first ever post on Backyard Chickens so I am not sure if this is quite the right way to do it. Will see! I am just starting up my breeding program with Black Australorps. My chicks were born in Feb, so I am just now approaching the 18 week mark. I did an initial culling in late May of the boys, as my feed bill was cramping my style. (and that amount of crowing was a bit hard on the neighbors). I have selected 7 of the 48 males to continue growing out for a few more months. I have yet to learn the art of photographing the whole bird, consequently I have 300 terrible pictures of my remaining 7. I'll post one, so you know I'm trying, and a group shot of all 100, pre-culling just for fun. My main question I'm asking now is about vigor, 2 of my remaining cockerals, tend to get chased around and picked on by the other males, nothing drastic, no bloodshed, no missing feathers or anything, but whenever I see a boy high-tailing it around the yard with another at his heels, its one of the same 2. Would you count that against them in terms of vigor or assertiveness? I would think I would want dominant males as my breeders (all things being equal, which they never are). Note, I do not want aggressive males as my breeders, but the 5 dominant ones are, so far, gentle with me and the hens, and seem to co-exist seamlessly with the other 4. (of course it is still super early, so all that can change) Thanks

Don't worry, all of my Australorp roosters are chickens, so to speak. They strut around the barnyard, but take off running when another rooster challenges them. Unless it's another Australorp rooster, then they'll stand and flight. But it is kind of funny and a little pathetic to watch a big Australorp rooster get beat up by a little Easter Egger rooster half his size. I personally don't think it takes away from their abilities in the breeding pen. I try to balance their type with their presence. As for predators, I find that their size alone is a deterrent for most hawks. However, it seems to be what makes them more appealing to fox. My Australorps are definitely my friendliest roosters. They're also the ones most likely to follow me around and beg for treats.