Australorps Breeding for SOP and Exhibition Thread

[groche]

A better shot of the head but he had a tailwind in this pic.
Cheers Geoff

 

[groche]

G'day again,
this is what our most successful breeder of recent years, George Norman, feeds his birds. He uses micro pellets in self- feeders in all pens so birds have access at all times. He's found, and my experience is similar, that if you feed grain and greens daily, these are only lightly consumed. He feeds a large amount of grain. Wheat, maize and sunflower seeds are fed whole. If cracked they must be fed "immediately" nutrients are lost. In summer the grain mix comprises 95% wheat and 5% each of maize and sunflower seed. The mixture in winter and during moulting is 85% wheat, 7% maize and 8% sunflower seeds. He throws a good handful per bird into deep litter to encourage scratching. Hope this is a useful contribution to your discussion on feeding BA's for exhibition.
Happy hatching Geoff

 

[getaclue]

G'day Groche, and thanks for sharing. I've read about the benefits of Black Oil Sunflower Seeds as a supplement to their diets on a few of the threads. I will be giving some to mine when they get a little bigger. Beautiful rooster, by the way. I wish it were easy to ship the eggs here from there...sigh.

 

[ronott1]

A better shot of the head but he had a tailwind in this pic.
Cheers Geoff

It is always good to see your Birds!

He looks great too!

 

[groche]

Thanks folks,
he is better than the 'tailwind pic' shows. He was bred from my Brian Newell cockerel over some of my best girls. Brian is the breeder of my avatar bird. The cockerel was late bred so a bit small. He was a weak bird, prone to respiratory infections and I culled him eventually. His son's big and hasn't finished growing. If only he would grow into a bird like the one in my avatar - my pinup!!
Cheers Geoff

 

[groche]

Came across this recently and found it interesting.

The hen could be a BA, but the boy has some major differences from the bird in my avatar that graces the cover of our latest SOP. I was a little surprised at the small number of comb points. 3-4 is the current preference for BA's over here. I still get some birds with up to 6 points, but this is happening less and less as I don't use such birds in my breeding program. It is regarded as quite a strongly heritable trait. I was also struck by the flyaway comb which I presume came from the Croad Langshan component of the original Orp. Our SOP calls for the comb to follow the neckline. Our Utility BA's often have flyaway combs, however. The most striking feature is the tail. Once again, many of our Utility BA boys have this prominent tail, but contrast it with the tail on my avatar bird. Dunno how our Exhibition lines got to have that compact tail, but it is obvious in the original drawings of our ideal BA that accompanied our first SOP. Sorry if history stuff is misplaced on the thread, Ron.
Cheers Geoff

 

[ronott1]

Came across this recently and found it interesting.

The hen could be a BA, but the boy has some major differences from the bird in my avatar that graces the cover of our latest SOP. I was a little surprised at the small number of comb points. 3-4 is the current preference for BA's over here. I still get some birds with up to 6 points, but this is happening less and less as I don't use such birds in my breeding program. It is regarded as quite a strongly heritable trait. I was also struck by the flyaway comb which I presume came from the Croad Langshan component of the original Orp. Our SOP calls for the comb to follow the neckline. Our Utility BA's often have flyaway combs, however. The most striking feature is the tail. Once again, many of our Utility BA boys have this prominent tail, but contrast it with the tail on my avatar bird. Dunno how our Exhibition lines got to have that compact tail, but it is obvious in the original drawings of our ideal BA that accompanied our first SOP. Sorry if history stuff is misplaced on the thread, Ron.
Cheers Geoff

This is the perfect place!

Thanks for posting.

 

[groche]

Cheers Ron,
don't think I've posted the following theory from prominent breeder, George Norman before. Interested in your experience over there. " If you wish to enhance your stock's leg and eye color prevent any form of coccidiosis occurring. ...... Australorps bred from parents with black eyes and leg color end up brown eyed and slate legged. .....I am sure many excellent breeding stocks have been discarded for failing to pass on their good eye and leg color to their young. The culprit perhaps is coccidiosis." He stresses that all fowls get a form of it, with the majority overcoming it with little effect. His experience is that those that get it do so despite feed being medicated. He stresses the paramount importance of good husbandry.
Cheers Geoff

 

[chasinthedream]

G'day again,
this is what our most successful breeder of recent years, George Norman, feeds his birds. He uses micro pellets in self- feeders in all pens so birds have access at all times. He's found, and my experience is similar, that if you feed grain and greens daily, these are only lightly consumed. He feeds a large amount of grain. Wheat, maize and sunflower seeds are fed whole. If cracked they must be fed "immediately" nutrients are lost. In summer the grain mix comprises 95% wheat and 5% each of maize and sunflower seed. The mixture in winter and during moulting is 85% wheat, 7% maize and 8% sunflower seeds. He throws a good handful per bird into deep litter to encourage scratching. Hope this is a useful contribution to your discussion on feeding BA's for exhibition.
Happy hatching Geoff

Hi Geoff,
Do you have a product breakdown or manufacturers listing that I could look up for the micro pellets?
Trevor

 

[getaclue]

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.