Australorp comb flopping over, okay?

[pnyjmper89]

I have a question regarding my 11 1/2 week Australorp cockerel. He's already grown in a good sized comb and his wattles are starting to really drop now, but for a while we had been keeping him inside in the air conditioning during the hottest parts of the day. However, as soon as we started keeping him out in the heat his comb has flopped over to the side, like the heat has made it wilt over or something. It doesn't sit crooked or anything, just flops. This is my first time keeping roos so I'm not sure if this is something that happens in the heat and is just environmental, or if it genetic and we shouldn't hatch out any of his hens eggs. I'll get some pictures if you think they'd help

 

[pnyjmper89]

*tiny bump*

 

[paddock36]

Quote:
I wouldn't think it's the heat doing it and unless your going to show him I wouldn't worry about it too much.
This was my roo until I had to get rid of him, just too much crowing, but as you can see his comb is upright and I'm in central FL.

 

[aveca]

Would like to see little closer pic I know hard it is to take pic they move quick....Its somewhere in the genes, if you decide to breed him, choose females with smaller as straight as can be found in your flock and straight top lines ..thier tails should be carried at about 40 degree ..There is no such thing as the perfect chicken , we all just keep working at this and correct things one thing at a time...Finding great australorps to work with is like finding hens teeth, they are extreamly rare in America and the aussies wont give very many of thiers up they state this on thier official site , So just keep looking for ways to correct ..Im working at australorps also with a few good freinds..we know we have a long ways to go to catch up to the australians when it comes to showing,But I like a challenge.. There are a couple of us that will be offering some outcrosses in the future.

This is a cockeral that we kept this year. He is about 4 months now so need to take some new pics, this was spring.

This is his mom.

Another shot of his mom, she has smaller straight comb..

The father Dundee the rooster

Then I will breed this cockeral back to this large black orpington for nicer neck and tail feathers, We just got her so had pultry dust on her..,

 

[pnyjmper89]

Handsome boy! Luckily my little Mr. Magic Man only crows in the morning and when I first come home, he knows who gives him treats

Hopefully it will stay that way.

My fiance had a little bitty hope that he would turn out well enough we could show him and so far, up until now with his comb getting floppy, he had been. Is there anything we could do to help it stand up while it's still growing in a little? Like splint it with some moleskin or something like for dogs when you crop their ears? I almost wonder if it could have something to do with him staying hydrated. I may experiment with taking him inside temporarily to see if the cooler temps affects it at all

 

[paddock36]

Guess it wouldn't hurt to try

 

[aveca]

A freind of mine adds wheat germ oil to thier feed for more vitality, It really added brighter red to thier faces and combs and SHINEY! and add a little higher protein feeds in summer or poultry conditioner as well as grasses ect...but mostly its somewhere in the genes.. You just have to think way ahead to the next generation all of the time..We have incubator in case no one is up to being broody.

What needs to be corrected and find a hen or 2 or 3 that has those traits and seperate them into a breediong shed with a laying box, even the best tempered rooster will get a little feisty in the breeding shed so we've learned to accept that as thier protective behavior and its OK for them to be that way..its very natural.we have trap doors for feeding and cleaning so all I have to do is reach in and change water and put feed in and close the inside door while Im cleaning that end ... Im always critising my own and then I know what I need to do and who I need to cull..This is a nice breed to work with, Ive had many different breeds but this is my personal favorite.. I have a freind who gets his hand slammed by his crele rooster and he said that bird is a pro at coming out of nowhere, he said he wound up like a gladiator for a while, he would go in there with a garbage can lid after feed bowls until he finnaly added the trap doors.

Hope you have lots of fun with them, show and have a great time, it also helps to get thier opinion, dont taker any critisism they give you to heart , they just want to see you be the best..thats thier job..They tell me all the time you need to do this and that, and that bird will not work out any which way and I listen to them cause they want to see the best for you and the breed.. Start wityh the smaller county fairs , little at a time you will breed toward the APA point shows.

Love to see some pics of your hens. You might have a blue ribbon hen in there . I would look them over cerfully if I were you.You never know.
Can you post a few pics for us?

 

[pnyjmper89]

Sorry for the picture quality, sun had already set. Miss Dora had already nestled down for the night so she was a no go. She has a very tiny comb so far, so I'll just have to wait and see if they may be worth hatching some eggs out in hopes of getting the combs to shrink down a little in the next generation. Either way my fiance want to keep him, he's gotten to attached

 

[aveca]

Somewhere back in thier ancestry , they added leghorn, they can throw back in that direction and with the other birds in the ancestry the comb can get very large.
Hes got a wonderful eye and nice gently curved beak correct eye and beak colors..Would be nice to see some more pics of him, he might have other good points.

I think if you decide to breed him, look for females that have much shorter straighter combs.. You might really look over your hens for a good show candidate.. compare them to the standard.. I know its a real problem to find another australorps cockeral ..they really are scarce as hens teeth..He does have some good points.

It is an ages old breeding problem, Hopfully it wont get worse , if you carefully choose breeding hens you will be rewarded.these birds are scarce so hope you keep working with them, I think they are one of the nicest breeds for many reasons..

I know a few people who have outstanding birds, Im a work in progress at this point..If you want to add a few outstanding birds they can send hatching eggs.. worth every penny, Im getting some next year..you can see pics of thier breeding birds , we are all really a work in progress but they have been at it for a longer time...and they have APA show wins ..

 

[pnyjmper89]

He does have a lovely eye, but I'm also a little worried about the lighter colored ear lobes, but I guess I shouldn't nit pick to much until he grows up a bit more. I need to go ahead and buy my APA book so I can start learning just what to look for. I'll probably start another thread open for critiquing them once I get some better pictures of him and our hen.