Australorps breed Thread

[MrsBrooke]

On an unrelated note, our broody mama just started laying eggs again and pecking at her chicks... We're two days past the five-week mark, and I know this is around the time mamas push their babies away.

So now we've got nine little chicks, all fully feathered, who are dreadfully confused. What do we do?

The mama and the chicks are still free-ranging in the backyard, but separate from the rest of the flock. The chicks seem to mind their own, appear to be having a great time playing in a pile of branches, and return to the house every night to get locked up in their crate. Mama also returns, but we've been locking her up in a different crate to prevent her injuring the chicks. She does NOT like sharing her food anymore.

I guess it's time to break out the grow-out pen until the babies can join the rest of the flock in a few months? Could we put them in with the rest of the flock now (I can't imagine that would be a good idea at all... they're not big enough yet)?

First time with (and now suddenly without) a broody.

Heeeeelp!

MrsB

 

[appps]

Mrs B it probably depends on the rest of your flock. At five weeks I integrated our loan chick quite well. The chick was still young enough that the others looked at it as a baby not another chicken to be put in it's place so left it alone, and mum while still looking after it had lost that over protectiveness that caused fights between her and the other hens when I'd tried after she first hatched. When I first tried she stood up to everyone to protect it upsetting them no end as she was supposed to be the submissive one. At five weeks she ducked and ran when she was supposed to and the other girls were happy.

My broody pen was inside their regular pen so the rest of the flock had been seeing the baby since it hatched and were used to it. They were actually far more interested in making sure the broody remembered her place at the bottom of the flock than the chick. I have quite placid breeds though.

So no harm in trying some VERY well supervised integration. For a few days first I let the others out and gave mum and bubs the run of their yard so bubs knew the layout to run for safety if needed, and I added some low hidey holes for her if she needed them. All went really well though.

 

[MrsBrooke]

Thanks for your response, appps! <3

MrsB

 

[WashingtonWino]

Quick question, my lone Australorp (Brandon Mebane is the name) has got quite a red comb and wattles at 14 weeks. My gold sex link looks similar. Both are hatchery birds. The sex link will lay soon because she's bred to but I'm curious, does the red comb sometimes pop up many weeks in advance of laying, or should I expect early eggs out of the australorp as well?

 

[hellbender]

Quick question, my lone Australorp (Brandon Mebane is the name) has got quite a red comb and wattles at 14 weeks. My gold sex link looks similar. Both are hatchery birds. The sex link will lay soon because she's bred to but I'm curious, does the red comb sometimes pop up many weeks in advance of laying, or should I expect early eggs out of the australorp as well?

Might depend if {Brandon Mebane} is a for-certain pullet or a cockerel....... in which case, I'd not hold my breath, waiting for eggs.

Any photos?

 

[MrsBrooke]

My hatchery BAs laid around 5 months. My APA BAs laid at 6 months and not a day before. How old are they?

MrsB

 

[WashingtonWino]

Might depend if {Brandon Mebane} is a for-certain pullet or a cockerel....... in which case, I'd not hold my breath, waiting for eggs.

Any photos?

Good point! Out of six sexed pullets, two roosters have already made themselves known, Brandon could be a late bloomer for all the luck I've had. Here's a pic, next to confirmed (sex link) pullet Twelfth Hen. Tail feathers broad and straight, middle to bottom of the pecking order.

 

[WashingtonWino]

Forgot to mention, both chickens are 15 weeks. Combs have colored up in the last week, maybe 2 weeks. I'm surprised that the australorp has gone so pink! Neither is squatting or singing (or crowing) yet.

 

[hellbender]

Forgot to mention, both chickens are 15 weeks. Combs have colored up in the last week, maybe 2 weeks. I'm surprised that the australorp has gone so pink! Neither is squatting or singing (or crowing) yet.

Good point! Out of six sexed pullets, two roosters have already made themselves known, Brandon could be a late bloomer for all the luck I've had. Here's a pic, next to confirmed (sex link) pullet Twelfth Hen. Tail feathers broad and straight, middle to bottom of the pecking order.

This is a really tough call for me but I THINK Brandon is a pullet.

 

[WashingtonWino]

As a first time chickener, "rooster or pullet" had been on my mind since day one, and mebane never raised any alarms for me. So assuming she's a pullet, how does red comb translate to weeks to lay? Can they color up early and then keep you waiting, or do you think u have an early bird? I wish I had experience of my own here, and I'm more curious than concerned but your opinions are welcome.