Australorps breed Thread

[Mikokoke]

Congrats ! To train them put a fake egg in the nest box ..Only have colored eggs ? Put some masking tape on it

I've put golf balls and they still go right in the middle of the coop. It's a lovely surprise! So far an egg came on Tuesday, Friday and maybe tomorrow...We'll see!

 

[ronott1]

I've put golf balls and they still go right in the middle of the coop. It's a lovely surprise! So far an egg came on Tuesday, Friday and maybe tomorrow...We'll see!

They will figure it out.

Congratulations on the new egg layers!

 

[groche]

Hi to my old friends on here and welcome all newbies,
been preoccupied over recent months as I lost both parents within 6 months. I have kept up with my BA's though. Managed to produce some nice girls, but nothing worth breeding from out of 60+ cockerels. What did I learn? Well, I'd always understood that females had the greater influence over conformation, but it didn't quite work out that way for me. My short-backed, very curvy boy made some nice girls with my flattish-backed girls, but passed on his short back to his sons. Didn't really want a double-dose of short back, so I followed Ross's advice and purchased a cockerel from a decent breeder. Decided not to broaden the gene pool too much so got a boy from Brian Newell, the breeder of the boy in my avatar. He was bred late so he's small and young and still cost me more than I've ever paid for a chook before. Better breed me some nice birds with the 5 nice girls I've picked out for him. Pics to follow. Quite proud of the girls for my first serious season. Showed my birds to a couple of BA 'experts'. Loved my girls and wanted eggs, but described the last of my boys that I'd kept as "rubbish'. Couldn't help but agree.
Happy hatching Geoff from Aus

 

[ronott1]

Hi to my old friends on here and welcome all newbies,
been preoccupied over recent months as I lost both parents within 6 months. I have kept up with my BA's though. Managed to produce some nice girls, but nothing worth breeding from out of 60+ cockerels. What did I learn? Well, I'd always understood that females had the greater influence over conformation, but it didn't quite work out that way for me. My short-backed, very curvy boy made some nice girls with my flattish-backed girls, but passed on his short back to his sons. Didn't really want a double-dose of short back, so I followed Ross's advice and purchased a cockerel from a decent breeder. Decided not to broaden the gene pool too much so got a boy from Brian Newell, the breeder of the boy in my avatar. He was bred late so he's small and young and still cost me more than I've ever paid for a chook before. Better breed me some nice birds with the 5 nice girls I've picked out for him. Pics to follow. Quite proud of the girls for my first serious season. Showed my birds to a couple of BA 'experts'. Loved my girls and wanted eggs, but described the last of my boys that I'd kept as "rubbish'. Couldn't help but agree.
Happy hatching Geoff from Aus

Hi Geoff it is great to hear from you!

Sorry for the loss of your Parents. Chickens are great therapy so it is great that you are keeping them up.

Hoping you get a great Rooster!

 

[groche]

Just to remind you of how I started.

Hi again,
Attached some pics of some of my aussies. I'm not putting my roo, Derrick, up as some ideal bird, but he has such a great personality/temperament, that he'll die of old age, maybe serving one old girl when he's up to it! I know it's hard from pics, but I'd be interested in your opinions of him. I think he's good, but for great, see my avatar. The birds aren't in great shape as it's winter here, the hen is coming out of moult and the pullet hasn't even started laying. My other girls are on 'holiday'!
I used to be a bit hard-nosed about my chook breeds, not wanting pretty 'lapchooks'. My chooks needed to lay eggsI But, have been completely sucked in by d'Uccles. They are soooo cute and friendly that I don't really care if they're 'useless'. They make me feel good, that's enough! I digress, hope you like my chook pics.

Derrick my aussie roo



Getting ready for his headshot



Derrick's head



The girls



"Derrick and the Decorations"!



With Isa Brown interloper



Grand-daughter's aussie pullet, Anu, with adopted blue Pekin and very young d'Uccles. A mom, without even having laid an egg! Australorps are great backyard chooks!

Me with my other birds, Dook Dook, the d'Uccle and Wonky, the free-flying cockatoo.





Cheers Geoff from Aus

 

[aveca]

Hi to my old friends on here and welcome all newbies,
been preoccupied over recent months as I lost both parents within 6 months. I have kept up with my BA's though. Managed to produce some nice girls, but nothing worth breeding from out of 60+ cockerels. What did I learn? Well, I'd always understood that females had the greater influence over conformation, but it didn't quite work out that way for me. My short-backed, very curvy boy made some nice girls with my flattish-backed girls, but passed on his short back to his sons. Didn't really want a double-dose of short back, so I followed Ross's advice and purchased a cockerel from a decent breeder. Decided not to broaden the gene pool too much so got a boy from Brian Newell, the breeder of the boy in my avatar. He was bred late so he's small and young and still cost me more than I've ever paid for a chook before. Better breed me some nice birds with the 5 nice girls I've picked out for him. Pics to follow. Quite proud of the girls for my first serious season. Showed my birds to a couple of BA 'experts'. Loved my girls and wanted eggs, but described the last of my boys that I'd kept as "rubbish'. Couldn't help but agree.
Happy hatching Geoff from Aus

glad to hear this from one who experienced it first hand..i was told same thing about females and comformation..we need a little research on it ..and some over all results..i tried this too with black orps..out of 20 hatched..18 did play true to the female being the shape maker..but 2 were more narrow like the male..the combs came out even split half looked like mom...others like dad..would like to see if any one else tried this..the males were supposed to more influence colors.the female had beautiful wide head and neck, wonderful feathering..all but the 2 inherited that but im thinking the male may be carrying the gene as well..complicated but fun..

 

[thedragonlady]

Just to remind you of how I started.

Love Wonky !! Did you tame her from the wild, or was she turned loose ? Every time I hear about the cockatoo shootings and nettings, I get furious with the CITIES nuts. Why not export a nuisance, and let them live? Love those big Pillsbury Dough birds !

 

[Jordi15]

I am interested in ordering BA's. I want to buy from a breeder not a hatchery if possible. I am in AZ and I have already posted in my states thread. Does anyone here know of a breeder near me? If not in my state maybe close and I could order live chicks or hatching eggs. I'm trying hard to find a good breeder in my state so I can drive and get them...but I must be looking in all the wrong places. I need to be pointed in the right direction. Can anyone help me?

 

[RoseMarie1]

Just to remind you of how I started.

lol LOVE Wonky!!!
man kind that is one fine roo!!!! I sure hope mine turns out that pretty! I have 11 pullets I have finally figured out, out of 22 BA's. From the looks of the cockerels they're already getting pretty and they're only 3 months old. Had some friends come over yesterday evening just as I let them out to free range. They were flipping out at the size of them and them being only 3 months old. I told them I thought it was the fermented foods. lol

Since you have such a pretty roo can you tell me what to look for in the ones I want to keep out of mine please? I figured I would keep 2 roos but do plan on getting rid of some of those pullets since I already promised someone 4 of them. I THOUGHT I had more than that.

 

[Jetfox]

I'm sorry if this is the wrong place to ask.

I'm going to be living in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I want to raise some black Aussies, but I'm not certain on how well they'd survive dry heat. I read someone from Kentucky had success, but it's humid there. Can anyone point me to where I'd find my answer, or maybe someone here who knows about this breed?