Australorps breed Thread

[iwiw60]

Your roo is gorgeous already!! Great pics, and thanks for sharing!

 

[getaclue]

Whew, thanks Ron. I consider that high praise when it comes from you. I have 3 more that are two weeks younger. I will take pics of them too when they get about 6 weeks old. Next time I will see about taking pics when they are outside, so I get the benefit of the sunlight to show their green sheen better. They are not so skitterish now. They don't run off shrieking when I open the cage door. They will come to me when I sit there for a minute, and talk to them. They don't really like being held, but they tolerate me touching them. While I don't want them to be pets, I was afraid at first that they were too flighty, and wouldn't calm down, but it seems that has a lot to do with age, and persistence in working with them. Oh, and TREATS! I am very glad I chose this breed, and quality.

 

[getaclue]

Thank you iwiw60! I sure do appreciate it when you experienced folks comment on my pics, because you know the standard better than I do, and it's very helpful.

 

[Gramma Chick]

Quote:
they probably will like grapes too...okay for a occasional treat ...as they are still growing also

 

[lightchick]

Yeah I'll try grapes next time we get them. I tried egg twice and they didn't like them.
I tried bread and they'll eat it. I tried raisins and they LOVED it! Except for my Silkie she doesn't like ANYTHING! She won't even try the raisins! Is there anything else I can try?

 

[ronott1]

Yeah I'll try grapes next time we get them. I tried egg twice and they didn't like them.
I tried bread and they'll eat it. I tried raisins and they LOVED it! Except for my Silkie she doesn't like ANYTHING! She won't even try the raisins! Is there anything else I can try?

One of the best things for them is Black Oil Sunflower Seeds. They need to be bigger and make sure they are getting grit. They do make a chick grit.

Groats
Craked wheat
Amatanth

Go easy on them but they are better than scratch because they have a high protein content.

The thing to be careful about is giving them too many treats. Most of their food needs to be chicken feed.

If you have to pull weeds, take them with you and point out the worms. They will love you!

Have you tried a flock block yet? They make a version for chicks and a different one for adults.

 

[chickisoup]

mine have a chick stick and they love it. I just don't leave it in all the time so they don't just fill up on that and not eat their feed. Mine, that are now 4 wks old, love "instant" oatmeal. Not the packet kind, the kind in the big cardboard tube. It's nothing more than rolled oats that are pulverized. I also found a Quaker mulitgrain cereal that is several rolled grains. Oh, and don't get between them and their eggs scrambled in just a bit of coconut oil, you may lose a finger!

Tomorrow should be warm enough for their first outing and I am hoping to get some good pics.

 

[TxFlowers]

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.

thank you for your suggestion!

 

[Saerasx]

In general, at 5 weeks old if a chick is getting a pink/red come and clearly red wattles that would scream roo, correct? I only have 2 BAs, and one has a pale comb and no wattles. I will work on a pic of it would help but from what I've gathered this would be the deciding factor. Very bummed as they were sexed to be pullets

They are both so sweet but we can't have roos

 

[Smiles-N-Sunshine]

Howdy y'all!

Wow, this thread has been active in the past two years since I posted! I was wondering if anyone has tried crossing BAs with Black Jersey Giants? I had to rehome my roo and stop breeding because my BA flock was getting inbred (bent toes and low hatch rates). As I'm not breeding to SOP, I thought some Jersey Giant genes in the pool would add some genetic diversity and make the large size birds I prefer down the road.

I just picked up my Meyer order of 7 Jersey Giant pullets and 8 straight-run BAs, and couldn't tell them apart right away. Then I remembered the bottoms of the feet are black or yellow so when I get off work I'll check again. I'm hoping for at least one good BA roo to replace Karl, who was just awesome (and still is, according to his new owners) but he was the only roo for four years, and I hatched eggs all four years.

I have 15 BA hens now, ranging in age from 3-7 years. Two are constantly broody but the others lay almost every day. Also two RIRs and three Seabright bantams that my wife adopted.

Cheers!

Bryan