Australorps Breeding for SOP and Exhibition Thread

[getaclue]

I am noticing that the chicks that pipped, and zipped quickly, that had absorbed the yolk sac, and were like gangbusters getting out of the egg seem to continue that way with vitality, growth rate, development, and seem to have the more desirable traits, or more of the desirable traits, right from the start. The ones that pipped, but took longer to zip, with or without having completely absorbed the yolk sac, when they zipped just aren't the same. I'm not saying that the latter makes them culls, or that they won't catch up to the others at some stage of growth, and development, but there does seem to be a marked difference. Am I the only one that has noticed this? Do the pip, zip, and out like gangbusters become better candidates as champions, or does it make no difference over time?

 

[ronott1]

I am noticing that the chicks that pipped, and zipped quickly, that had absorbed the yolk sac, and were like gangbusters getting out of the egg seem to continue that way with vitality, growth rate, development, and seem to have the more desirable traits, or more of the desirable traits, right from the start. The ones that pipped, but took longer to zip, with or without having completely absorbed the yolk sac, when they zipped just aren't the same. I'm not saying that the latter makes them culls, or that they won't catch up to the others at some stage of growth, and development, but there does seem to be a marked difference. Am I the only one that has noticed this? Do the pip, zip, and out like gangbusters become better candidates as champions, or does it make no difference over time?

The is the second year culling for hatch vigor with SG Dorkings. The Breeder I am working with wants to improve the terrible problems they are having and it is working. Last years pullets are laying eggs that are hatching much better.

 

[getaclue]

Thanks Ron. I will write that in my journal to pass along to my daughter, who will take over when I am gone. In addition to them being better at hatch vigor, do they seem superior in most other SOP traits too?

 

[ronott1]

Thanks Ron. I will write that in my journal to pass along to my daughter, who will take over when I am gone. In addition to them being better at hatch vigor, do they seem superior in most other SOP traits too?

I think they are. She has some of the nicest SG Dorkings I have ever seen. Even her Culls are very nice.

 

[RattlesnakeRidgeWV]

The pics are not to great since I just learned to walk again and bending over is about impossible but here they are in the grow up pen. About 7 Blues, 3 Splashes( 1 K and 2 P's), and a bunch of Blacks. I sold about 60 birds and these I am keeping.
Kurt

 

[getaclue]

Kurt, they are looking really good! The splashes are, well, stunning! Can hardly wait to see how they progress. Hi tigercreek, and welcome!

 

[ronott1]

The pics are not to great since I just learned to walk again and bending over is about impossible but here they are in the grow up pen. About 7 Blues, 3 Splashes( 1 K and 2 P's), and a bunch of Blacks. I sold about 60 birds and these I am keeping.
Kurt

It is so nice to see the Splash Australorps!

They are growing up nicely too.

 

[huppfarm]

Your Dark Blue female is awesome, we have been working on Blues here In America since 2008 and have had some great luck that turned bad for us with wild bird disease and cleaned us out having to start back to square one after working so hard for the first 4 years. Trial after trial trying to find decent lines to breed from and nothing worth speaking of until 2 years ago when we developed our best BAs ever which we needed as a good breeding base for our blues. Just yesterday we had our first positive hatch of blues with some very pale up to nice and dark.
So we hope in the next 5-6 months to see some results begin to form but wont really see a finished product around 11-12 months. In my opinion they seem to be who they are after their first molt is completely done and all the new feathers are in................already waiting for time to rush it a little to see them shine!

 

[huppfarm]

The tail is to be set at 40 degrees off the back, If you cull out all squirrel tailed birds and keep the flat backs for breeding, you can obtain the tail that is required by the standard.
It takes time and determination to develop the traits you want in your flock but you must cull, cull, cull.
Yes it is sad if your an animal lover like myself, it never is something you look forward to especially if you have made the mistake of giving a cull candidate a name.
We dispatch them and put them in the freezer for later after the meat sits in the fridge to cure for 3 days.
The pay off is a great chemical free meal that cant be beat from any grocery store meat department.
The other pay off is the quality of your flock after a few years, because that's what it takes, a few years.

Breeding Orpingtons back into your flock is not breeding for pure breed Australorps. All you are doing is putting back traits that were bred out of them to be an Australorp.
When I see them at shows, it ticks me off because someone wants larger birds and thinks that is the correct trend to follow, when in fact it is cheating those who raise Heritage pure breed Australorps and spend the years of development to achieve the correct size and weight per the SOP.

I have read the Australian Standard and there is very little difference in either one, other than the APA SOP being a bit too critical on only a couple items that I can see.
That is my opinion and just like a cranium, everybody has one.

 

[ronott1]

Your Dark Blue female is awesome, we have been working on Blues here In America since 2008 and have had some great luck that turned bad for us with wild bird disease and cleaned us out having to start back to square one after working so hard for the first 4 years. Trial after trial trying to find decent lines to breed from and nothing worth speaking of until 2 years ago when we developed our best BAs ever which we needed as a good breeding base for our blues. Just yesterday we had our first positive hatch of blues with some very pale up to nice and dark.
So we hope in the next 5-6 months to see some results begin to form but wont really see a finished product around 11-12 months. In my opinion they seem to be who they are after their first molt is completely done and all the new feathers are in................already waiting for time to rush it a little to see them shine!

I do like the ones I hatched last year. Thanks for joining us here!