Australorps??

[CountryHaven]

Hi everyone! I am really enjoying everyone's insight and experience!! We are looking to start our first flock this year of about 20-30 chickens and are bringing in some red star ready to lay hens in June... I just had a failed incubation project in my classroom with my grade 6's and have a line on some day old australorps that I could possibly pick up this weekend.. Looking for about 8-10 day olds to mix with the red stars in June. I read for hours last night about the breed and they seem to look like a good fit, and I would like to try a few different breeds our first year. Please feel free to post up your experiences! What I read and watched showed me they were good egg layers and hearty for the winter which we need where we are.. Cold Canadian winters here!! Thanks everyone!

 

[N F C]

Hi @CountryHaven ,

We have both the Australorps's and the red stars in our mixed flock. Just like anything else, both have their plusses and minuses. With both breeds, you'll have a nice flock.

The sex links are egg laying machines. We get huge darkish brown eggs from ours almost every single day. They are curious, friendly and outgoing birds. I've read that because of their high egg output, they can suffer from health issues and won't live as long as other breeds but since ours are only 1 year old, we haven't experienced any of that. One thing I've noticed with all 3 of our sex link girls, they peck! Not to be mean but more to get attention to be picked up or fed extra treats. None of our other birds do that, weird.

The Australorps that we have are beautiful birds with their glossy black feathers, they pick up highlights of beetle green in the sun. We started with 4 and 2 died suddenly and unexpectedly so down to the last 2 of them. One of them is a bit of a bully and the other one is at the bottom of the pecking order. They are good layers, not as large of eggs as the sex links but lay nice eggs regularly. The ones we have had have not been the friendliest and don't like to be touched. I know others have had the exact opposite experience with theirs, but ours are standoff-ish. While these have been ok birds for our flock, once they are gone, I won't get them again. But, other folks have had a totally different experience with theirs so every bird is different.

That's my story, it will be interesting to see what other owners have to say about theirs. Good luck to you in your new adventure.

Wish you all the best!

 

[CountryHaven]

Hi @CountryHaven ,

We have both the Australorps's and the red stars in our mixed flock. Just like anything else, both have their plusses and minuses. With both breeds, you'll have a nice flock.

The sex links are egg laying machines. We get huge darkish brown eggs from ours almost every single day. They are curious, friendly and outgoing birds. I've read that because of their high egg output, they can suffer from health issues and won't live as long as other breeds but since ours are only 1 year old, we haven't experienced any of that. One thing I've noticed with all 3 of our sex link girls, they peck! Not to be mean but more to get attention to be picked up or fed extra treats. None of our other birds do that, weird.

The Australorps that we have are beautiful birds with their glossy black feathers, they pick up highlights of beetle green in the sun. We started with 4 and 2 died suddenly and unexpectedly so down to the last 2 of them. One of them is a bit of a bully and the other one is at the bottom of the pecking order. They are good layers, not as large of eggs as the sex links but lay nice eggs regularly. The ones we have had have not been the friendliest and don't like to be touched. I know others have had the exact opposite experience with theirs, but ours are standoff-ish. While these have been ok birds for our flock, once they are gone, I won't get them again. But, other folks have had a totally different experience with theirs so every bird is different.

That's my story, it will be interesting to see what other owners have to say about theirs. Good luck to you in your new adventure.

Wish you all the best!

Thanks so much!! I'm hoping that they day olds will be well people oriented since they are going to be mauled by 25 gr. 6 lol... I think I might just get a few if I can just to give them a try... They are so beautiful!! Getting our red stars as already ready to lay I have a feeling they won't be as people friendly...
Thanks so much!!!!!

 

[N F C]

Thanks so much!! I'm hoping that they day olds will be well people oriented since they are going to be mauled by 25 gr. 6 lol... I think I might just get a few if I can just to give them a try... They are so beautiful!! Getting our red stars as already ready to lay I have a feeling they won't be as people friendly...
Thanks so much!!!!!

Maybe that's where our problem was...we didn't hav 25 6th graders to help us socialize them, lol. You and the kids should have a great time with chickens!

 

[CountryHaven]

Maybe that's where our problem was...we didn't hav 25 6th graders to help us socialize them, lol. You and the kids should have a great time with chickens!

haha !!oh we will for sure! My kids have been counting down the days!