3 Young, Blue Australorp Gentlemen, Keeping Two

[3KillerBs]

With Rameses having acted up this past month, I'm going to keep two of thes e16-week boys instead of just one.^ All of them share the early maturity, active nature, and good temperament that I value. All of them are in the gawky stage, none of them are crowing or trying to mate yet -- though I suspect that would change rapidly if I took them out of the flock away from Rameses since the ones I sold a month ago crowed as soon as I moved them.

I didn't get accurate weights today, though I could get them later this week if necessary.

I know which of the blacks I prefer, but won't mention it until I get some feedback because I am willing to change based on increased knowledge.

#1 -- The blue, probably a firm keeper unless someone sees a major flaw. He's very like his father was at that age if I compare photos.

My son who was taking the photos did his best, but didn't always understand that I wanted direct side profiles so the angles aren't always perfect.

He's quite muscular, but maybe a little lankier than the others.

^Original plan was to keep one for the summer then buy either chicks or eggs for new blood in the fall. Now I'm picking two of the 3 and still probably getting some new blood in the fall anyway.

 

[3KillerBs]

#2 Pink-Green

More solid than the blue and heavier in the hand.

He has really big feet and heavy legs.

 

[3KillerBs]

#3 Blue-Band (formerly pink band in previous chick reports, but I changed it because I can see the blue better -- sun fades the pink).

He's got a nicer comb and taller tail than Pink-Green, but is lighter in the hand.

 

[3KillerBs]

Note: Both blacks have places on their feathers where they have a white sheen instead of the green sheen --mainly in the saddles with a little in the hackles. It was terribly hard to photograph because it's entirely dependent on angle and it's pretty heavily overcast today.

I looked very carefully and it's definitely a reflective sheen rather than actual white marks (I had a moment of "Are you guys half-Java and showing heterozygous mottling?" when I first spotted it).

 

[3KillerBs]

And some photos of them in the coop and run -- not very good photos, I'm afraid.

 

[Sally PB]

Hoping someone comments. I really like #1. But I don't know anything more than, "Wow, he's handsome!"

 

[AmeliaBedelia]

#2 seems to have more of that white shining through. But it has the more upright comb - #3 looks like it could tend toward flopping if it keeps growing at all.

Not an all an expert on the breed standard, those are just things I noticed that you may want to consider?

 

[3KillerBs]

#2 seems to have more of that white shining through. But it has the more upright comb - #3 looks like it could tend toward flopping if it keeps growing at all.

Not an all an expert on the breed standard, those are just things I noticed that you may want to consider?

The white doesn't really exist. The feathers, looked at closely, are black -- it's just a bit of white sheen where green sheen would be expected.

 

[AmeliaBedelia]

The white doesn't really exist. The feathers, looked at closely, are black -- it's just a bit of white sheen where green sheen would be expected.

Is that still a negative though? Like I think I saw for some breed standards that shining purple instead of “beetle green” was a disqualification. Or at least points off. Again NOT an expert - never done breeding, just compared my chickens to standards here and there for fun.

(Hard to breed when roosters are illegal here .)

And it all depends on your goals and what’s easier to breed out later. If the “shinier” rooster had the better overall form, etc, probably I would go with him since it seems people say coloration is easier to select for later once you have the rest where you want it. Or if temperament is huge for you, that may be your deciding factor.

Hopefully someone else will chime in.

 

[3KillerBs]

Is that still a negative though? Like I think I saw for some breed standards that shining purple instead of “beetle green” was a disqualification. Or at least points off. Again NOT an expert - never done breeding, just compared my chickens to standards here and there for fun.

(Hard to breed when roosters are illegal here .)

And it all depends on your goals and what’s easier to breed out later. If the “shinier” rooster had the better overall form, etc, probably I would go with him since it seems people say coloration is easier to select for later once you have the rest where you want it. Or if temperament is huge for you, that may be your deciding factor.

Hopefully someone else will chime in.

I'm focusing on blues, so the color of the sheen on the blacks isn't really a concern for me. I only commented on it because in the photos it looks like silver leakage.