Australia - Six states..and that funny little island.

[Nutcase]

I have a question. We were thinking about getting Australorp chicks. Will they be okay with our hot and humid weather (Darwin, NT)? Does anybody have any experience with this? Right now we've only got RSLs but I'd like to get another breed or two. Any recommendations?

I'm not really on Geonosis

 

[Pinky Macgyver]

Weren't Austrolorps bred specifically for Aussie conditions?


Sounds like fun at least appps

 

[Nutcase]

Weren't Austrolorps bred specifically for Aussie conditions?


Sounds like fun at least appps

If they were I didn't know that.

 

[CB and CG]

I breed Australorps and I can tell you that some of them do not cope at all in hot humid weather and others cope pretty well. It really does depend. Personally I would not choose Australorps if you are not willing to bring them into air conditioning on occasion during heat waves as the WILL expire if you can't cool them down. Like I said some fair well and others don't. You just need to prepare yourself for this. Personally I would choose a light breed of a light colour. Big birds of dark colours are trouble in the heat. What about leghorns, Anconas or Minorca's? They are an Aussie breed bred for Australian conditions but the breed has changed a lot in the last few decades. My utility Australorps cope well (original strain) where as my exhibition strain ('improved and refined' strain) struggle a bit. Most of them are okay but a couple will not have any of it.

 

[appps]

If they were I didn't know that.

I'm sure I've read comments about them being an Aussie breed on here now and then too.

We had one years ago but we are in a temperate climat so probably cooler than where you are. Last summer my bantams didn't like the heat at all but I can't remember ever worrying about our australorpe durring summer.

 

[satay]

I have a question.  We were thinking about getting Australorp chicks.  Will they be okay with our hot and humid weather (Darwin, NT)?  Does anybody have any experience with this?  Right now we've only got RSLs but I'd like to get another breed or two.  Any recommendations?

I'm not really on Geonosis

The Australorp breed was started by someone at the Gatton university out here many years ago. I have aussies and in summer here we can get to 45c and close to 100% humidity at times and have never lost one. They cope well with the cold of winter too. We can get into the minuses over night in winter. I would say they are a great dual weather bird .I do have a sprinkler system set up on the roof of the house so if it gets too hot I turn it on and it cools their house down. Also have lots of trees on the property that they can get under to cool down if they like.

 

[satay]

Trying to decide how to finish my run. I've got a 4.3m span and thinking its going to cost me a fortune for timber to hold the wire and a bit if poly roofing I wanted to use to keep the rain off a section.

I'm wondering if I could run wire across on tentioners and attach it to that.

Do you have a recycle centre you could get wood from appps. Work out a lot cheaper than buying it new.

 

[appps]

Do you have a recycle centre you could get wood from appps. Work out a lot cheaper than buying it new.

We have but its absolutely useless. Every now and then ill go there to see if I can get something and I'm always disappointed. I suspect they just can't be bothered looking or checking loads for useable stuff so it just goes in the land fill.

 

[satay]

We have but its absolutely useless. Every now and then ill go there to see if I can get something and I'm always disappointed. I suspect they just can't be bothered looking or checking loads for useable stuff so it just goes in the land fill.

Bugger .

 

[cluckcluckluke]

For hot humid weather, Med class breeds will be your best bet.
That's Leghorn, Minorca's, Ancona's etc.
Their big sail of a comb help cool them down ( filled with blood vessels ) and their small slim bodies ( unlike the big fluffy heavy breeds ) can cope with the heat.