Australorp hens or Roos ????

[21hens-incharge]

I think the issue will be with not having enough hens. The males will fight over the ladies and they will be tattered and over bred. Males are not so nice and can cause such terrible injuries to the hens.

If my math is right that would put you with 9 roosters when they are grown. For 24 hens I would only keep 2 roosters. It is just not fair to the hens to keep so many males.

You may want to start looking at hen saddles to help keep the hens from injury.


That being said I looked back at some pics of the BA cockerel I ended up with and I include this pic of him at 14 weeks aprox. age so you can compare.


This is Mr Cogburn at about 14 weeks. You can see the red in the comb and how big it already was as well as how the feathers lay on his back. Kind of pointy looking just in front of that tail that is also getting pointy.


This one is of a pullet the same age as the male.

 

[drumstick diva]

Generally a rooster can handle 10 hens, less and he may overbreed them. So figure on 10 hens for each rooster you want to keep. If you don't need fertile eggs for hatching or selling - hens are happier without a rooster. They will lay just as many eggs but, they will not hatch into chicks.

 

[BantamFan4Life]

I agree

 

[Saint_ Marwenne_Chickens]

Australorp sexing:

1. Females get longer tail feathers before the males, the males take longer to develop their tail.
2. Roosters get bigger combs faster.
3. Roosters crow
4. Roosters fight