Australorps breed Thread

[ClarendonChicks]

Kurt: The babies are doing great! I'll have to have my hubby take some pics and post them. As far as I can tell I have at least one roo. They are still in the house, but not for long! I can't stand the dust! They'll be moved to the garage for a few weeks and then out to the coop. We are still getting pretty cool here at night and I don't want to chance them getting too cold.

 

[DanielE1990]

Thank you everyone for your sympathy and suggestions. This is as far as I've gotten to know Coop I was building so it's not too late to change things up a little. I think I can buy Lowe's grid panels like you use on a dog kennel at Tractor Supply that will fit the sections on my run. Should I only use the chicken wire to go around the perimeter around under the ground to help prevent something from digging?

 

[RattlesnakeRidgeWV]

Daniel,
If you already have the chicken wire then yes, double it up, but it usually rots away in the ground. I would use a thicker fence wire in the ground. Check Craigslist for deals on supplies, it will be worth it. Your coop under const. looks great, I am impressed.
Kurt

 

[ClarendonChicks]

Kurt: Here are the pics of our babies. Two hatched on Easter and three hatched the next day. One is a roo, but I'm not sure about the rest. One of the darker chicks has a club foot. We took a pic of it so you can see it. What would cause this? One of the splash chicks took a walk up my arm, across my shoulder, behind my head and perched on my other shoulder. Then she just sat there and looked around. Very friendly!

 

[RattlesnakeRidgeWV]

Deb,
The two splashes look like girls at 5 weeks. I do not think you have one black. The rest look like Blues with good lacing. I have never seen a club foot like that before. Has it always been that way for 5 weeks? You could try to splint it with pipe cleaners and duct tape. I did have success with that on broken toes before. My best advise would be cull the bird after trying to fix it if it did not work. I know you do not want to hear that, but it should have been dealt with earlier unless it just happened which would make it an injury to be dealt with. The first blue is questionable at 5 weeks could go either way.The third blue with pink wattles is definitely your little boy! This is the ugly duckling stage, they will get better looking, trust me.
Kurt

 

[Gramma Chick]

That prior set up would not last the night here with bears if you have them, so do not copy it. A coop that size should only hold maybe 4 birds at best and definitely needs a lot of venilation for the summer time...

This little coop is stronger than it looks ..it is a bracketed 2 x 4s frame with Plywood on the outside .we had 6 baby chickens in it ..
Ended up with 4 after the fox got them while they were outside free ranging in our back yard ..
We have predator problems when they are outside ...of the coop
It Can be dragged around without wrecking it ..I figure thats what you mean by the bears ? they would flip it ?
No bears here ..thank goodness .
It is now our nesting box inside of our main coop ..( Back is Open in the Picture )we went the opposite way with lots of ventilation.

 

[mamatink7]

Anyone seem to have more flighty Black Australorps? I swear these guys were 'docile & friendly: a great breed to handle and for kids'...I have 6 of them; 1 week old now. Perhaps just handle then more or handle less? Or just wait till little older?
I try to handle each chick at least once a day to check them out. One has great tail feathers-more than any other and that one's the one who flutters wings thru the brooder.
Just a question. Thanks

 

[getaclue]

mamatink, they are totally treat motivated. Mine seemed to go through stages of tameness/calmness/flightiness growing up. I didn't pay it much attention, handled them, and gave treats just the same. Don't overdo it on the treats. As adults, mine are calm, and very tame.

 

[RattlesnakeRidgeWV]

mamatink, they are totally treat motivated. Mine seemed to go through stages of tameness/calmness/flightiness growing up. I didn't pay it much attention, handled them, and gave treats just the same. Don't overdo it on the treats. As adults, mine are calm, and very tame.

100% correct, they go thru different stages.

 

[SlimPickens74]

Greetings from Beckley folks ! Hope all are well .
Just a picture heavy update on my birds!
They are all thriving , haven't lost a one .

They are all feathered out except one sex link cock.
The austra whites are by far the friendliest ! Still debating who is who , I've seen other folks pullets at this age with red combs and small waddles . Guess I'll wait . When I opened the run door at 6 am this morn , one stood straight at attention and managed a very weak crow with all he had made my day