Australorps breed Thread

[lightchick]

I went outside to eat a hamburger and my girls were just wandering around nearby. One of them (my brown sex link) suddenly run over, jumped and took a bite out of my burger! I broke that piece off and threw it and all the rest of the chicks ate it. They are sooo spoiled!

 

[getaclue]

Well, it wasn't raining today, so when I went into the run this afternoon, I walked straight up to the rooster. He moved out of my way. The hens walked over to the other side of the run, and he got between me and the hens. He had one shoulder lower than the other, so I walked up to him. He moved again. I did all my coop chores, and let the hens in to eat, but chased him out. He did fine with it, so after a little bit I let him back in to eat with his ladies. He kept an eye out for me, like "she's back"!

As to the crowing, he crows when he sees me heading towards the coop. I've always thought it to be like a greeting, nothing more. When I get close enough to the coop to talk to them, the crowing stops. Of course, when he crows the little 14 week old cockerel has to crow too. He's getting better at it, but is still has a bit of a high pitched voice. The 12 week old has a deeper voice, but he doesn't chime in with the other two. I have two coop sections, and 1 large adjoining run. I rotate access to the run every other day between 2 groups. Whichever group is penned in their coop, and doesn't have access to the run, I give them treats, usually mealworms. Let me pen the Australorps and turn like I'm going to leave without giving them their treats, and the hens start squawking, then the rooster crows at me. Again, I have never considered this to be any type of aggression. He has answered the rooster down the road a few times, but never when I was actually in the run with him, or in the coop with him. I'm satisfied with his behavior.

 

[broilerhatcher]

Hi I just got my first grown "black corps" .I'm just wondering ,I found them at a local salesman.And I didn't know what he fed them .I am currently giving them cracked corn,but they don't want to eat it but if I give them lettuce they are on it but you can't just give them lettuce so I am just wondering if they will get used to the corn???THANKS!

 

[ronott1]

Hi I just got my first grown "black corps" .I'm just wondering ,I found them at a local salesman.And I didn't know what he fed them .I am currently giving them cracked corn,but they don't want to eat it but if I give them lettuce they are on it but you can't just give them lettuce so I am just wondering if they will get used to the corn???THANKS!

cracked corn is not good enough for them. They need grower if they are chicks and either layer of flock raiser when older. Cracked Corn does not have enough protein in it for them and they need the vitamins and etc. that is in real chicken feed.

They may live if you only feed them corn but they will not look good, will not lay eggs like they should and for lorps they will often not show the green sheen in the sun. Feather quality in general will be bad.

Welcome to BYC!

 

[broilerhatcher]

But they were already fed with starter,grower and finisher or should they just get used to the cracked corn because I'm just using the corn for a replacer because I mostly use pellets

 

[ronott1]

But they were already fed with starter,grower and finisher or should they just get used to the cracked corn because I'm just using the corn for a replacer because I mostly use pellets

Do they get feed as well as cracked corn each day?

I can't give my Australops cracked corn because it causes fatty liver disease. Two of mine have died form fatty liver disease. The Necropsy report said that Australorps are prone to it. The liver ruptures and they bleed out.

I give mine a bird seed mixture that I get from costco mixed in with calf manna, fish and sweet potato cat food and timothy hay pellets. High protein and low carbs for them. They love it!

 

[broilerhatcher]

But do you think that the small pellets are appropriate for them ??

 

[ronott1]

But do you think that the small pellets are appropriate for them ??

Small pellets should be fine as long as they are big enough to eat them. The pellets are compressed crumbles and digest the same.

Can you post pictures of them? We love to see pictures.

 

[broilerhatcher]

Of my chickens or the pellets? And thanks for replying

 

[ronott1]

Of my chickens or the pellets? And thanks for replying

The chickens of course.

One thing to remember when giving chickens grains is to make sure they have grit. Manna Pro makes grit for chicks and for adults.