Australorps breed Thread

[WVDan44]

Welcome to the world of Black Australorps. I would however caution you to read the "warning label" attached to these birds. They can become extremely addictive even after just one encounter! Don't say we didn't warn you, CBS.

 

[Carebearsmiles]

She looks like a 4 month old BA. congratulations!

Wow! Great guess at age! She's almost 5 months. I got her at Atwoods and she was in the Dominique bin. Lol.

Welcome to the world of Black Australorps. I would however caution you to read the "warning label" attached to these birds. They can become extremely addictive even after just one encounter! Don't say we didn't warn you, CBS.

She is a hoot! And I already want more. Someone should have warned me sooner. She has so much personality!

 

[bonnylass79]

Depends what you want out of your flock. IF your breeding to show, and want to be competative, you will have to hatch out a bunch to get the few to continue to bettering your flock. IF you are looking for vigor, aka high egg production, you will do just fine with what you have. Pics would help far as getting an idea of what would be the best breeders for what you like to do.

I'd like to show, but also breed to sell. I'll try to get some pictures today.

 

[ronott1]

Quote: It is winter, so the first egg will be a bit delayed. You should see the first egg in about 6 weeks. How exciting for you!

Ron

 

[FromChictoChick]

Anyone willing to ship a small quantitity of fertilized eggs to MA? Or anyone in MA who has pullets or POL hens who's willing to sell one or two. .. Please please message me! Thanks!

 

[groche]

Hi Cuba,
you really are a 'kid'! I thought you must be someone older using a pet name. Your knowledge and appreciation of BA's is first rate. You'll make a fine judge I reckon. Your comments re a full tail are spot on. Roos where the main sickles are separate from the rest of the tail are showing their Utility background. We don't like to see daylight between the tail feathers in our Exhibition birds. Good luck with your judging dreams, though I don't think you'll need much!
Cheers Geoff from Aus

 

[groche]

Hi Dan,
do come to Aus some time if you can. I think you'd like it. American friends here tell me that where I live is very like California. They tell me that there are so many Aussie gum trees there that many folk think they're natives. I too wish my avatar was mine. He's the best roo I've seen and graces the cover of our latest SOP. My roo, Derrick, is supposed to be of the same blood though. I posted some pics of him earlier that you may have missed. See post 94.
Cheers Geoff

 

[groche]

Dan,
re the lucerne concern, its recommended widely for chooks here. Never heard of any negative reactions. I doubt whether they'd eat enough of it to cause issues. I want my eggs to have naturally orange yolks and that's tough when there's no green pick around. It's currently around 40 celsius/103 degrees F. here, so the birds really seek out the soaked lucerne.
Cheers Geoff

 

[ronott1]

Hi folks,
haven't posted recently as I still haven't started my cull. Interesting pics posted. I haven't commented much as I've found myself generally agreeing with the informed comments of Aveca, Ron, Bill et al. I find Cuba's comments especially informed and interesting. If you're a "kid", you're a hell of a precocious one! Ron, from the 1 pic of Stan's bird, I can't pick up any leg issue. Our SOP calls for "legs medium in length, strong, bayonet-shaped and spaced well apart.....and the whole of the shanks showing below the underline." Aveca, I'm sure your boy has a nice breast, but he aint showing it in that pose! It seems a real pity that your roo doesn't go to some good girls. Our country's big too, but I have friends who regularly 'import' birds from interstate. We have animal transport professionals, who don't seem to charge the earth and look after the birds well. Although it's difficult at times (never work with kids or animals!) I really think we should try to post a minimum of 3 pics of birds from different angles if peoples' comments are to be really useful.
On an unrelated point, we've had a hot, dry summer here with very little green feed available. Decided to try lucerne chaff as recommended to me. Mixed it with their normal ration. It got left in the bottom of the feeder. Thought I'd try soaking it in water for an hour. Fed it straight. Chooks love it! Might help those with penned birds, especially.
Ron, thanks for your suggestions re my birds tending to be cow hocked when the parents aren't. All of my hatches occurred over 4 days, with a mixture of eggs. Early hatched chicks, therefore, spent days in the inc. The Rcom 50 has a hard plastic floor and the egg-holding tray is slippery. I think the problem may be occuring from this.
Cheers Geoff from Aus

It is good to hear from you!

Is there a drought where you are?

Stan has a great Rooster! I am just not used to seeing such a big boy.

I have used a shelf liner that they sell here. It is used as a non slip padding for glasses and etc. It has holes in it to allow the humidity to circulate, but provides grip for the chicks feet. I have been told that it can go through a clothes washer for cleaning too.

Bye,

Ron

 

[groche]

Thanks Ron,
is the stuff a bit 'rubbery' and kind of sticky? I'll run yuor suggestion by the Rcom folk, but I think it would interfere with the rolling mechanism. It does have a nasty feeling of the start of another drought. Half our state seems to be on fire at the moment. Not near us at the moment, but they're scary times. Extreme weather events seem to be more and more common everywhere. Even more scary! While I'm here I should mention that I only feed as much soaked lucerne as they'll eat in a sitting. Could get issues if it went sour, but I doubt they'd eat it then.
Cheers,mate : Geoff