Recent content by The Home Flock

Any updated pictures of how these Pekin x Runner looked as they matured? Interested to see some. THF

So the distinguishing features in this case are the larger redder comb and wattles (the dangly bits under the head), the lighter (more widely spaced) barring (the males receive a double dose of the barring gene, the females only single dose), the narrow sharper pointed neck hackle feathers and...

The bottom line to all this is that a healthy chick in a well incubated egg will hatch. I've hatched hundreds of chicks in incubators and under broody hens and at times I've felt compelled to try and help. Trouble is, it is a very tricky business helping a chick out and very few I have helped...

Blue to black will throw approximately 50% blue and 50% black. The more you do it the darker the blue gets. Blue to blue gives 25% black, 50% blue and 25% splash. Splash to black gives 100% blue. Splash to splash gives 100% splash. Only splash or black breeds true. But in most breeds splash is...

From my understanding of interacting with other breeders in Australia the quality of the barring from the original Barred Rocks makes little or no difference in the final outcome so far as barring goes. Slow feathering genes give sharper barring in heritage Rocks but Welsummers don't have this...

Utility is always worth keeping in mind in any breeding program as long as it is kept in balance with breed characteristics and things like health and longevity. True we can all just go and get commercial layers or hatchery hybrids etc. (Not that there's anything wrong with that), but our truly...

OK, I'll take you up on this Rancher. I'm about to embark on the same project myself. I'm using the info at this site to go by: http://www.harislau.info/welbars Check it out. However I thought F1 (1st gen cross) would be classic easy colour sex-link. So maybe not so much. But it is the barred...

Hmmmmm... I'm hedging for both cockerels. I know there is minimal comb as yet but both appear to be sporting sharply pointed neck hackles and pointy long thin tail coverts. Hope I'm wrong though if you are looking for pullets.

Thank you all for your kind and welcoming words.

Depends what you mean by 'squat'. When females come of age they may squat for the males to mate them. Otherwise they do like to start to inhabit the nest in preparation to lay. Ideally chickens are best off not sleeping in their nest box, which is the main way they will end up 'pooping'...

We don't have 'Easter Eggers' in Australia although I suppose someone could breed them. They seem like all the rage in the US. We have Araucanas that lay blue eggs so the genes are there.

Yes, so easy for predators to take the little ones. Hawks, even rats will have a go. So sad to hear of your loss. I have experienced the same thing - you start out with a bunch of little ones and over a week or two they all disappear. I have taken to raising young ones in secure covered pens...

Welcome. I'm new too so join the club. I have visited this site often in the past and I've always found some great stuff here. Cheers from Australia.

Another Australian, me too! Welcome to BYC. I too am a newbie to this site. I have never kept Australorps but I once kept and bred beautiful blue Australian Langshan bantams. In hindsight they were perhaps the best line I ever had. I've gone out of them now though.

Thanks, I'll have a look. I'm not new to chickens but I am new to this forum. Must say I have visited here often but never before joined up. My main breed for many years has been the Australian Langshan, a smaller stylish modified Langshan fowl with a history of excellent utility...