Australorps breed Thread

[lightchick]

Have you tried oatmeal? Man, my girls go nutso over it! And yes, mine don't like lettuce either, but they do love mealworms! I'll have to try a few raisins and see if they like them!

My chicks go nuts over raisins! I just cut/pull apart some raisins and then I stick it on my finger and put it in the brooder and the chicks go nuts!
Oh but make sure it doesn't stick to chick fuzz...........I take my hand out and it'll have chick fuzz on it!

 

[iwiw60]

I'll have to pick up some raisins at the store today!

 

[subhanalah]

Don't overdo it on the sweets. Raisins are very high in sugar. That is why eggs were recommended, due to the nutritional content.

 

[TxFlowers]

I have a question. I have several Blk Australorps, a roo and several pullets from a well known texas show breeder's line. They are beautiful birds. Pullets are about 6 months old and roo is about a year old. They all have that beautiful green sheen but all also have a purple sheen along with the green. On the rooster, you can see he has purple "bars" in his feathers in the right light. I looked up description of black plumage in the ASOP book and it only mentions a green sheen. Is this purple acceptable? I have had some black Australorps from McMurray hatchery and they only had the greenish sheen. Thanks!

 

[ronott1]

I have a question. I have several Blk Australorps, a roo and several pullets from a well known texas show breeder's line. They are beautiful birds. Pullets are about 6 months old and roo is about a year old. They all have that beautiful green sheen but all also have a purple sheen along with the green. On the rooster, you can see he has purple "bars" in his feathers in the right light. I looked up description of black plumage in the ASOP book and it only mentions a green sheen. Is this purple acceptable? I have had some black Australorps from McMurray hatchery and they only had the greenish sheen. Thanks!

That is a perfect question for the new SOP Thread!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...or-sop-and-exhibition-thread/40#post_13498799

Purple is bad and is likely a combination of oil and feather structure.

 

[iwiw60]

Don't overdo it on the sweets. Raisins are very high in sugar. That is why eggs were recommended, due to the nutritional content.

Glad you pointed that out...I've never given raisins (or anything 'sweet' other than watermelon/cantaloupe) to my girls...never thought of that!

 

[getaclue]

I have been feeding them some meal worms. It's helping to tame them down to my presence, and helps ensure they are getting a bit of extra protein that more resembles what they would be eating if they were out with mama. We grew squash this year, and I had cut a little bit up for them. They ignored it. Later on, I went out and started pulling the seeds out of the pieces of squash they ignored, figuring I would dry them for planting next year. Lo, and behold they went nuts over the seeds!

 

[ronott1]

Glad you pointed that out...I've never given raisins (or anything 'sweet' other than watermelon/cantaloupe) to my girls...never thought of that!

I had two Australorps die from liver rupture. I do not feed them high sugar foods. Breeds that lay a lot of eggs can have this problem.

The seem to ignore many foods the first time they see it. The next time they will eat it though.

 

[getaclue]

Here are some pics. Don't shoot the photographer! LOL! The sheen is green, but the way it's showing up in the camera looks sort of blue.

 

[ronott1]

Here are some pics. Don't shoot the photographer! LOL! The sheen is green, but the way it's showing up in the camera looks sort of blue.

They are coming along nicely. The white feathers will molt out and the faces should redden up a bit.

Nice!