I had Australorp's before. They didn't handle the heat well and panted pretty hard. Had one of those hen's go broody and died of heat stroke on in the nesting box.
@igorsMistress Fugly is turning out very nice! I like those lower pitched crowing roo's. It's easier to tolerate than the one's that have the high pitched crow's.
Well, like I told you before, if you ever decide that you don't want that boy anymore, bring him back to me, and I'll let you have the girl with the black eye that you liked. :lau
Edit: By the way, I think that you need a cup of my coffee over here to help you to wake up! :gig
That honking is just a tune up for when he will start learning how to crow, and those first few time's that he does is going to really sound funny to you. But, it won't be long until he get's that right! :gigAfter that, it won't be long until he will be wanting to mate with the hen's.
@igorsMistress That one is sure growing out different than the other one's that I hatched over here. None of these over here have that bare of a butt. That one that you hatched was also the only one that had a completely featherless neck.
That's strange that his leg's are getting lighter in color. I have a pullet who's leg's look about black, and her mother was a CCLB, and yes she has a crest!