Australorps breed Thread

[appps]

I agree try more light ...is the cement floor in the coop? if not ...dont let them out till they have laid

Yes we've just put the concrete in the coop.

Each morning I lock them up in what we call Alcatraz which is a small pen so that the rest of the flock gets a chance at breakfast. They just run right over everyone and eat everything in minutes otherwise. This morning she laid in there on the dirt so I got hubby to cut one end off a plastic tote and have put it in there with hay in it. It's not enclosed so it's lighter at least. Hopefully she might start laying in that fingers crossed. Never had this problem before, it's rather frustrating!

 

[Gramma Chick]

Never had this problem before, it's rather frustrating!

Chickens are very much a habit bird....sounds like a plan ..Make it so inviting ...she cant resist

 

[Gramma Chick]

I had 9 chicks hatch in the last 2 days ...not aussies ..

Some one elses eggs legbars , marans ...Cute though

 

[SilverWolff]

she really sounds like she is still broody ...maybe her hormones are stuck ..
How long has she been broody ? My broodys are broody for a couple of months .
if she is the lowest on the pecking order ...being broody normally wont change that .
I do notice that the sweet chickens are sometimes picked on because they are timid..

Once they reached about a month old she started pecking their heads anytime they got near her. So I figured she was done with them and whenever I let the others out to free range she kept wanting to go with them. I tried letting them all out to free range but she left the babies behind.

Until I got my rooster she was 2nd in the pecking order and occasionally tried for the top spot, so not really timid, then I got him and she dropped to 3rd. Now that she went broody she is at the very bottom of the pecking order.

 

[Gramma Chick]

Quote: Yes ..after a month some hens...abandon them she could still have a trace of hormones

 

[SlimPickens74]

Just got 10 of Australorp Roos ready for a lady to come get .
She is gonna use them as meat .
I had way to many . Hate it for them . Yet what is one to do ?

 

[appps]

Just got 10 of Australorp Roos ready for a lady to come get .
She is gonna use them as meat .
I had way to many . Hate it for them . Yet what is one to do ?

It's hard but if she didn't eat yours she would eat somebody else's. I think you at least have comfort knowing these guys at least had a much better life than store bought processed chickens. It's taken me quite a few years to get to that point though, note to self don't name them till you know they are keepers ;-)

 

[appps]

Chickens are very much a habit bird....sounds like a plan ..Make it so inviting ...she cant resist

Well they scratched all the hay out of it and when I remembered to put the plastic egg in today my eldest Aussie ran up and pecked it. Hopefully because I sort of chucked it the last little bit not because she thought it might be edible.

Meanwhile picked another egg up from the dirt in the run.........

 

[Couchmo]

I am thrilled with my Aussies . They were hatched on Feb. 8th. The day after their 19th week birthday, I got my first egg from one of the pullets. Got another egg in that pen again yesterday Iwasn't really expecting to get any eggs till they got to 21 weeks old. Love my beauties!

 

[Turk Raphael]

Thinking of trying to locate about 5 or 8 top-quality Australorp pullets........... As near Lexington KY as possible. I know where I can pick up 4 or 5 aged hens for nothing (I think) but I'm not actually sure if the current owner will let them go now, nor if they are still laying. They would almost have to be laying because they are still walking around with no life-threatening wounds in their bodies...when I saw them last.