Australorps breed Thread

[JillS]

I purchased them from a private breeder in North East Florida.He said they were Heritage Black Australorps. I do not know if he has continued to the standard or if they are less pure than where he started. This is my starting point. I have alot of studying to do before I can see the standard. I'm working it.

 

[huppfarm]

a good question,
personally i would ask the folks at the australian australorp club how they get the whites, that way you cant go too wrong with the breedlings, making it a more simple operation.

the other fellow you mentioned? well, thats something that you will have to deal with on your own terms.
good luck with that!


if you want to know more about the Orps, Korfus kluckers is where i got my start with them and she is very knowlegable on the hows and whys of the breed.

 

[FuzzyButtsFarm]

Sorry they both look like roosters.

 

[RattlesnakeRidgeWV]

JillS,
Unless I am reading something wrong, Gertrude is definitely a cockerel and the second one sure looks like a boy too, with the saddle feathers and tail. Sorry, just my opinion, I hope I am wrong!

 

[huppfarm]

its all about testing uncharted waters, if it works, then youve spent your time wisely, if it doesnt work then at least you had fun trying and BBQ is always an option.

any birds that i raise and have traits that are not a contribution to its breed is culled without a second thought. to introduce mutt birds out into the public is just not fair to those who strive to create a bird of quality, you know how i feel about that. so my addage is home grown food always tastes best!

 

[huppfarm]

I was finally able to get some more pictures of my rooster. I put them in my photo album on my profile. Please keep in mind his tail is a mess after the guinea got it, but I do think the angle is off. This is one of the side profile shots, but there are many more on the profile page. I didn't want to post them all and slow the download for those who are not interested.

Almost forgot to mention, it wasn't yellow on his feet, it was dirt. Now picture me washing a full grown rooster's feet. Ok, I have lost my mind.

Cindy

losing your mind? anyone who takes their birds to poultry shows take the time to give their birds a bath,clean feet, blowdry them, trim toenails and beak then massage oils into the feet, shanks, earlobes, waddles and comb to create a lusterous attractivre animal to exibit.......and those who take the time to primp their birds usually take home ribbons, plaques and trophies! so join the masses of crazies who love their chickens!

 

[huppfarm]

I hope Aveca and / or hupp will take a look. It's a little too early for me. I would try to keep them all for another 10 weeks at least. The longer you give them to grow up, the better . I will just say pick the one that looks most like this one, with a better comb. :

howdy, i took a look at your birds, thanks for sharing! you have some that have a heavy brow over the eye, you dont want to use those for breeding as they fall along the lines of "Crow headed" meaning narrow skull. you want the taller skulled birds. find the ones or one with a very strait upright comb, any that are curved to one side or the other will usually become thumbprinted meaning pushed in on one side. check the eyes very carefully for solid dark brown almost black eyes. any orange, gold, red in the eye is not purebreed.
it takes several years to breed for perfection but sometimes that is what it takes. start off with desireable traits and keep breeding for quality.
there is a whole package that you want in the end, body and tail are the next challenge. if you have tails that rise up over 40 degrees off the back, that is too erect, your tails should be a gradual raise to 40 degrees. if your tails jump strait up off the back, that is undesireable to the breed.
a nice full body with tight plumage and black legs and strait toes. also a green beatle sheen not purple, remember you are breeding for quality if you are asking for help and that is the sign of a true poultry person who cares about their flock and reputation.

when folks see your birds? they see the person who raises them as a quality breeder or just someone who likes chickens........strive for the first!

 

[huppfarm]

i remember them..super nice birds! i liked the top middle, second row middle and there was one on the left side...boy i hope your selling hatching eggs in the future..great stuff..i knew bruce had great reputation for aussies..but i hadnt seen many of them..only at his web site long time ago...were just trying to make decisions which breeds we will be focusing on..have great rooster but so far never found the right hens for him, well we did, but one ignores him, and the other looks super nice, she often gets little spots in eggs, so its never just that simple..

there is a story told about back in the heyday of australorps when they were setting world records for egg laying no artificial light...somone from usa that had money bought up all of those birds and brought them to us..some were in calif, some in mass....so everytime i see these i cant help but wonder if that is in their ancestry..

i had a pullet back in the 90's who laid an egg a day for a year, the next year after becoming a hen, she fell off somewhat. they are still out there but few and far between. i hope to see another someday!

 

[huppfarm]

this is australorp rooster, you can see hes much smaller in frame and much tighter feather, thou excited because i just let the hens out..the orpintons i posted in las page are like the broad side of the barn front and back..thou the australorp has good width, he is just not as bulkey..he curves throu body nose to tip of tail..

good job! nice male!

 

[huppfarm]

JillS,
Unless I am reading something wrong, Gertrude is definitely a cockerel and the second one sure looks like a boy too, with the saddle feathers and tail. Sorry, just my opinion, I hope I am wrong!

yep, sure look like a couple boys to me also, find some hens and gitterdone!