Australorps breed Thread

[groche]

Hope you can read this,folks. Am I doing it wrong? It's mainly for Orp. people and feel free to move it wherever if you haven't already got it. Old William gives us his recipe for creating the Buff, which he created from what others created and reminds us that there were always genetic throwback issues. He doesn't half spruik his birds as well, eh?
Enjoy Geoff from Aus

 

[groche]

Sorry about muddled order and forgot to mention - it's not hard to pick from the two illustrations which Orp. form had the major influence over the 'original' Aussies!

 

[groche]

Also compare both backs with that of my avatar. My Derrick's got a back just like those old Orps. and I'm trying to turn him into my avatar! Slight case of that syndrome here, Aveca!

 

[aveca]

well, im not giving up in the sence that they are my favorite breed..the few that i have as said befor are extrordinary egg layers so im keeping that line going..and as befor my freinds who have everything from leghorns to rir said they were impressed that every mid winter there they are in the egg boxes while evey other bird takes a couple months off , no artificial lighting..so in that aspect , they are well worth keeping them going..but if the show ring fad of birds too big or loose feathered then its setting the origional purpose of the bird back..we are way behind you guys in the great looks of the birds ..yes i have seen some orp crosses that are splendid birds..i would be proud to own them too..but that shot of the mass egg layer has to somehow be included..otherwise its a terrible loss..learned that lesson when we talked to those distressed aussies trying to get their early egg layers back..i might have saved a few emails from them, i will check..interesting stuff..

Aveca,
please tell me you're not seriously giving up! All that knowledge and effort already expended! Are you sure it's not just a serious case of 'Frustrated Breeder Syndrome"? It strikes worst in cold winter and/or hot summer, when nothing's really happening with our chooks and it all seems like too much effort. We develop the 'glass half-empty' mentality and look at our birds hypercritically. We must look for the faults if we're to try to breed 'em out, but we musn't lose sight of what we have achieved. Sometimes we feel a bit like Sisyphus from ancient mythology - he was the poor bugger condemned to forever push a bloody great round stone up a hill and, as he got near the top, gravity would defeat him every time! Well, our gravity is genetics and, just as we have found ways to 'defy' gravity over the years through engineering, albeit with respect for its power, we can also 'engineer' genes within its laws. It's arguable that these days our knowledge of genetics is exploding!
"Blessed are the peacemakers", Aveca. More of 'em needed in the poultry world which seems to have always suffered from a lack of them! We are still waging that Cook/Partington battle, whether as Orp.-lovers, or as aussie-lovers who can't ignore the issues as they carry over. You're concerned that adding 'Partington-type Orp. will result in birds that are too big and fluffy for Australorp Standard. Have you seen some of our prize-winning birds of recent years? Our Australorp Club lobbied to up the weight Standard here because "bigger birds have been winning major prizes for years". You can see 'em from pic over there, but not weigh 'em! Some Blue Orp "showstock" I saw recently would require your AI skills to 'mate', Aveca! They looked like monster Pekins.
As a Game breeder said, "It's a lot easier to breed squirrel tails in than to breed them out". Not suggesting that your birds have squirrel tails, but that tails are hard to get 'right'. Our Utility lines don't have that tight curved tail you see on my avatar and maybe that gene just aint there in your Utilities either. There's lots of evidence that our exhibition strains and maybe even the birds specifically bred to a form an 'Australorp' that 'warranted' acceptance as a breed, had a bit of Partington added. We need to keep reminding ourselves that these breeds were created, and in my grandmother's lifetime! What we have created can be recreated. The following post should help 'remind' you.
It's the start of breeding season here, eggs in the inc., breeding is full of possibilities, exciting! But, throughout winter, and even now at times, I find myself looking hypercritically at my chooks. I look at Derrick, and all I see is that short back that lacks a 'stocksaddle'....and why won't he stand properly...he makes it look worse than it is!... in some poses he doesn't look so bad. I have to consciously widen my perspective and 'listen' to Derrick 'saying', "Yeah, but look at my lovely head and nice tail..... and I'm not one of those oversized bullyboys ruling the showcages these days.....and look at those lovely, long, flatbacked girls you got me. I'll breed some 'saddles' for you with those babies!" Maybe he's just spruikin', but right now the glass is half full! May yours be also, Aveca.
Cheers Geoff from Aus

 

[aveca]

if you look at ben the rooster, he has the longer neck, as called for by sop..the other guy here has some impressive orp crosses that could do very well if he manages them well..there are a few quiet people too that kind of suprised me when they got around to showing their birds...real nice stuff.

 

[TexasLady]

well, im not giving up in the sence that they are my favorite breed..the few that i have as said befor are extrordinary egg layers so im keeping that line going..and as befor my freinds who have everything from leghorns to rir said they were impressed that every mid winter there they are in the egg boxes while evey other bird takes a couple months off , no artificial lighting..so in that aspect , they are well worth keeping them going..but if the show ring fad of birds too big or loose feathered then its setting the origional purpose of the bird back..we are way behind you guys in the great looks of the birds ..yes i have seen some orp crosses that are splendid birds..i would be proud to own them too..but that shot of the mass egg layer has to somehow be included..otherwise its a terrible loss..learned that lesson when we talked to those distressed aussies trying to get their early egg layers back..i might have saved a few emails from them, i will check..interesting stuff..

I'm sorry. I'm a bit confused. You're talking about Australorps here right?

I have not owned Australorps, but I have been trying several breeds to see which lay the best in the winter. I have found that the Orpingtons I have are fairly good winter layers, but they surely are not daily--maybe once every five days.

 

[aveca]

yes australorp.i have found that if you keep them reasonably comfortable in winters, i see a drop for about 3 weeks and freind ruth said same thing, then they increase again..after their little break we start getting egg every other day, then every day..winters here can be very dark gloomy weather...in texas they might not take time off..but the only thing is, they can and do go broody..that is why they were never picked up by commercial operations..they love the chore of being mom..funny we have a couple of part hatchery birds that have never gone broody, the mass birds do..

 

[TexasLady]

I've been looking for a bird that lays well during winter. Seems like I always have a group of mouths to feed without any return from about November until about February. I think I might try these to see how they do. Will the hatchery ones do as well on production? I usually buy h atchery birds first to see if I like the breed then, if I do, get real ones.

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

Quote:

Maggie worked a swap with a friend and now has a proposed Australorp Fanciers International logo.

 

[aveca]

I've been looking for a bird that lays well during winter. Seems like I always have a group of mouths to feed without any return from about November until about February. I think I might try these to see how they do. Will the hatchery ones do as well on production? I usually buy h atchery birds first to see if I like the breed then, if I do, get real ones.

over the many years we have had hatchery aussies..mcmurray and cackle, cackle are little better looking most of them lay a nice egg too but that was quite a few years ago..dont know how things are today