Australorps breed Thread

[groche]

Tomorrow I will take a pic of his mom. She will give you an idea of how far I can go with DeFluffing. Also give you an idea of what Akers has. He said she is decent Aussie type.
Here is the pic I shown here a week ago of the girl. This is the sister to the 9 month old boy. In this pic is when she is warmer.
A week ago.

Hi again, Bill,
that's better! Certainly no flatback issue, though she's exaggerating it a little by 'pulling her head in. Really like the conformation outline. Would like to see a 'smoother' rear end, if you know what I mean. The outline gets a little raggedy on the rear. I'm being picky, 'cause I know you're not just after flattery, mate. The basics seem spot on to produce some really nice birds from these guys. The conformation's the main game and we're all trying for better feathering.
Cheers Geoff

 

[cubakid]

Our standard calls for, to get the sweep in the back, "slightly sloping downward from shoulders to center of back, then rising in a gradually increasing concave sweep of tail."(APA Standard of Perfection 2010) looking at the standard, our standard calls for " lower thighs-- well feathered" for females. I see this being an issue, and an excuse for fad/trend setters.

 

[groche]

Our standard calls for, to get the sweep in the back, "slightly sloping downward from shoulders to center of back, then rising in a gradually increasing concave sweep of tail."(APA Standard of Perfection 2010) looking at the standard, our standard calls for " lower thighs-- well feathered" for females. I see this being an issue, and an excuse for fad/trend setters.

Hi Cuba,
our SOP calls for " ....a sweeping curve from neck to tail." Ray Connor - " The sweeping curve from neck to tail is very important. The key here is that the curve starts at the base of the neck and continues in one sweep to the tail. No angles at all is the point to keep in mind." Don't really see any issue here.
Pretty strong words at the end, Cuba! Not really sure what you mean, but I presume you're referring to fluffy thighs. I'm gonna have to agree to disagree with you on this one. It's a matter of interpretation, but I don't read "well feathered" as meaning 'well fluffed'. Don't want an argument, Cuba. I'll leave you with a couple of quotes from old Ray, whom I'd suggest knows more about BA's than all of us together!
" When I look down the sides of a fowl I don't want to see any side fluff hanging out."

" Fluff is one of the terms in poultry often confused in its interpretation. Both definitions apply to Australorps but in different ways. The first ...is the silky feathering found on the inner half of every feather..... we do not want them to be 'fluffy' because they are a tight feathered breed. Orpington fowls and Pekin bantams are'fluffy' breeds.
The second definition ...... describes the soft feathering on the thighs and abdomen. We really only want the absolute minimum here to cover the skin but no bare skin and no feather dusters!"
"As breeders, we must try to breed a tighter feathered bird, particularly round the thighs."
I could go on, Cuba, but I'll spare you! Over here it's a "fad" that began with the first standardised BA's.
Cheers Geoff

 

[ocap]

I would like to see side by side photos of correct fluff and incorrect fluff. I am going get my first Australorps in May. At what age should I cull my hens and should I cull roosters at the same age? Where does egg laying ability (since show judges can not see eggs per year) play in my ranking of who gets culled and who contributes to the next generation? I decided to try Australorp primarily because of egg records, but I will try and balance all areas. I am confused because of ignorance in dominate and recessive genes and all other areas of this wonderful chore of preservation of the birds proper traits.
thanks,
ocap

 

[groche]

I would like to see side by side photos of correct fluff and incorrect fluff. I am going get my first Australorps in May. At what age should I cull my hens and should I cull roosters at the same age? Where does egg laying ability (since show judges can not see eggs per year) play in my ranking of who gets culled and who contributes to the next generation? I decided to try Australorp primarily because of egg records, but I will try and balance all areas. I am confused because of ignorance in dominate and recessive genes and all other areas of this wonderful chore of preservation of the birds proper traits.
thanks,
ocap

Hi ocap,
not a simple query, as you may have noticed! I'll try to post some pics, but basically, we expect a chook to have a fluffy bum/butt, but a BA should have thigh feathering more like the breast feathers, and sweeping back, rather than out or down. The important thing to consider from your post would seem to be that tight feathering has always been closely linked to egglaying ability in BA's!
Cheers Geoff from Aus

 

[groche]

Our standard calls for, to get the sweep in the back, "slightly sloping downward from shoulders to center of back, then rising in a gradually increasing concave sweep of tail."(APA Standard of Perfection 2010) looking at the standard, our standard calls for " lower thighs-- well feathered" for females. I see this being an issue, and an excuse for fad/trend setters.

Hi Cuba,
really hope that you didn't find my last post to you intimidating nor patronising. You know how much I respect and admire so much knowledge and expertise in one so young. It's just that when you express strong, subjective opinions, they work more effectively if you're a little more 'diplomatic' if they're supported with some evidence or by experience. A fine judge, that you'll be, needs to practise the arts of diplomacy.
Also hope you don't think that I'm implying that Aussies 'know better'. Our BA breeders are no more expert than your own, they just have more exposure and experience with our National breed. I have little doubt that Ray Connor's cv/resume would make him a 'shoe in' for world BA doyen though! I have never claimed to be an expert. I just like sharing my BA journey with the fine folk on here. Am I a BA history/heritage/breeding 'tragic'? Guilty! Am I a 'know all'? No, but I wanna be!
And, hey Cuba, we will never all agree on fine detail interpretation of our SOP's. As an old English teacher, I can't help but ask though, if someone is described as having a 'full' head of hair, would your first assumption be that they are not bald, or that they had an Afro?
Cheers Geoff

 

[ocap]

Hi ocap,
not a simple query, as you may have noticed! I'll try to post some pics, but basically, we expect a chook to have a fluffy bum/butt, but a BA should have thigh feathering more like the breast feathers, and sweeping back, rather than out or down. The important thing to consider from your post would seem to be that tight feathering has always been closely linked to egglaying ability in BA's!
Cheers Geoff from Aus

The difficulty in answering my question, I understand, I want a lifetime of knowledge in a week, I want to be able to "see" how the chicks will turn out from a choice I make without waiting two years or more. It is difficult enough to understand the language of the judge since I am just getting started. I was on one thread and it seemed that the judges were being critized for selecting primarily on "bigger is better". I will try and find an Australorp "SOP" and see if I can understand the point system and be less ignorant when I post another question.

 

[groche]

Hi folks,
just some random stuff that may interest some. For pics of what the Brits are doing with BA's, google 'british australorp clubs'. "Fabulous Feathers Hatchery" near San Antonio, Texas, sell some birds that look ok from the site pics -pick up only. The "Mother Earth' site suggests there are white 'BA's' - WA's? in America.
"American Australorp Breeders, 278 County Rd., CNA, Champion, MI 49814"????
Cheers Geoff

 

[ronott1]

Hi folks,
just some random stuff that may interest some. For pics of what the Brits are doing with BA's, google 'british australorp clubs'. "Fabulous Feathers Hatchery" near San Antonio, Texas, sell some birds that look ok from the site pics -pick up only. The "Mother Earth' site suggests there are white 'BA's' - WA's? in America.
"American Australorp Breeders, 278 County Rd., CNA, Champion, MI 49814"????
Cheers Geoff

The poultry help site that lists the Australorp club was last updated in 2004:



This is probably an abandoned site with out of date information.

 

[groche]

Cheers Ron. This is from the local auction I'm attending next week. Gives an indication of how popular BA's remain here.