Australorps breed Thread

[Turk Raphael]

let them get to between 16 and 24 weeks old and then Chicken Dinner time!

Of course you can process earlier if they get on your nerves or get mean.

I wouldn't be too quick to wield the hatchet...he can easily take a growth spurt, catch up or even surpass the others. I'm not the only person on here who has seen this happen. I had a little hen a couple years ago that I thought might have been a bantam and I almost gave her away...and I would have, had there been any takers.

Now, she is as big as any of the others and perhaps a bit bigger than some...certainly heavier. JMHO

 

[BethanyS]

lol well I guess it's possible he's a bantam but I think he would have been noticeably smaller when I got him.The little Mrs are only nuggets now so I'll let them live a happy life....although it may be short. I weighed them all day one and their wasn't much differences untill they were about a month old.Thats when Scrawny Ronny got his name.I just would rather not breed in slow maturity on a breed that's already a bit slow to mature. I thought the males were supposed to reach butcher size before females or am I wrong?

 

[MrsBrooke]

lol well I guess it's possible he's a bantam but I think he would have been noticeably smaller when I got him.The little Mrs are only nuggets now so I'll let them live a happy life....although it may be short. I weighed them all day one and their wasn't much differences untill they were about a month old.Thats when Scrawny Ronny got his name.I just would rather not breed in slow maturity on a breed that's already a bit slow to mature. I thought the males were supposed to reach butcher size before females or am I wrong?

For standard breeds, 12 weeks is the recommended time to butcher. After that, you're just feeding them without too much growth. I've always understood males to develop much faster than females... That's one of the telling signs to sex chickens - who is bigger at the same age? Roosters tend to put on more meat than hens, but sounds like Ronny needs some Miracle Gro.

MrsB

 

[Turk Raphael]

lol well I guess it's possible he's a bantam but I think he would have been noticeably smaller when I got him.The little Mrs are only nuggets now so I'll let them live a happy life....although it may be short. I weighed them all day one and their wasn't much differences untill they were about a month old.Thats when Scrawny Ronny got his name.I just would rather not breed in slow maturity on a breed that's already a bit slow to mature. I thought the males were supposed to reach butcher size before females or am I wrong?

This is just my point of view...but I still expect to be pounced upon. I think I mentioned that I had Australorps for almost 4 years and that's so, however my dad had (still has a few) hundreds of them for decades and his dad before him.

This is one of the better breeds for egg layers but unless they are caponized, they really don't make very good meat birds. I'm not surprised that breeders and hatcheries still push them as 'dual purpose' but unless you can be satisfied with darned little meat and are willing to compensate with heavy grains (barley/rice) and vegetables in your soup....you are not likely to be satisfied with Australorps with regard to meat production.

I like chicken meat better than eggs so I made the decision to deal with reasonable meat birds some time ago. I would never use or even have a Cornish X on my property because of what they are. I can get the same thing at a chain grocery for less monwy outlaid, much less work and certainly much less time invested.

While there will always be a place in my heart for the beauty of the Australorp, their great temperament and excellent egg production....it really hurts no one to have facts of chicken life pointed out to them about a breed.


Turk

 

[ronott1]

This is just my point of view...but I still expect to be pounced upon. I think I mentioned that I had Australorps for almost 4 years and that's so, however my dad had (still has a few) hundreds of them for decades and his dad before him.

This is one of the better breeds for egg layers but unless they are caponized, they really don't make very good meat birds. I'm not surprised that breeders and hatcheries still push them as 'dual purpose' but unless you can be satisfied with darned little meat and are willing to compensate with heavy grains (barley/rice) and vegetables in your soup....you are not likely to be satisfied with Australorps with regard to meat production.

I like chicken meat better than eggs so I made the decision to deal with reasonable meat birds some time ago. I would never use or even have a Cornish X on my property because of what they are. I can get the same thing at a chain grocery for less monwy outlaid, much less work and certainly much less time invested.

While there will always be a place in my heart for the beauty of the Australorp, their great temperament and excellent egg production....it really hurts no one to have facts of chicken life pointed out to them about a breed.


Turk

Quite true!

There are better dual purpose breeds.

 

[Wildivy2112]

Is this a black Australorp? She is 20 wks old now.

 

[lightchick]

Is this a black Australorp? She is 20 wks old now.

Looks like a Australorp to me.

 

[ronott1]

Is this a black Australorp? She is 20 wks old now.

Very nice!

 

[BethanyS]

Quite true!

There are better dual purpose breeds.

what is a better dual purpose breed.that is quite, easy to handle ,good foragers,good to free range, heat and cold tolerant and able to brood it's own young ?We want hearty birds who lay tons of eggs and will be meaty enough (not expecting a Cornishx body lol)to justify eating the males,older hens once they aren't productive and maybe others if we need to thin the flock before winter.I am working toward biodynamic living producing our own food and animal feed with as little outside assistance as possible. I'm happy to hear honest opinions on better breeds I live in Tennessee summers are hot and sometimes winter can be harsh(or we get lucky lol)

 

[ronott1]

what is a better dual purpose breed.that is quite, easy to handle ,good foragers,good to free range, heat and cold tolerant and able to brood it's own young ?We want hearty birds who lay tons of eggs and will be meaty enough (not expecting a Cornishx body lol)to justify eating the males,older hens once they aren't productive and maybe others if we need to thin the flock before winter.I am working toward biodynamic living producing our own food and animal feed with as little outside assistance as possible. I'm happy to hear honest opinions on better breeds

I live in Tennessee summers are hot and sometimes winter can be harsh(or we get lucky lol)

Pita Pinta!

Bresse fit the bill but the cockerels can be mean.

You can eat the Australorps just fine. They will not have as much meat but they will be very tasty.