Australorps breed Thread

[groche]

Hi folks,
my earlier post didn't make it to the aussie thread, so I'll try here to see if I can get involved. I am a hobby breeder from SE Australia and thought you might like some Downunder input. I am not an expert on the breed, having just started with them. I used to breed langshans until ultimately outfoxed. I'm fortunate to live in an area with some very fine breeders. For those of you interested in where aussies are at in their homeland, I suggest googling Australorp Club of Australia, then click on Snippets. There is a pic of a terrific roo from my local area. It made the cover of the latest Australian Poultry Standards. Great curves! It's great that you're trying to get rid of those upright tailfeathers shown in so many members' pics. They're just plain wrong! You're bantams seem better. Has anybody tried using some of these and breeding back to big when conformation problems are resolved. Over here we're breeding a bit big in my view - too much to the orp. side too, with danger of losing the sleek curves. More to follow if anyone's interested and if this makes it to the aussie thread.
Cheers Geoff from Australia

 

[plantcityhomestead]

Hi folks,
my earlier post didn't make it to the aussie thread, so I'll try here to see if I can get involved. I am a hobby breeder from SE Australia and thought you might like some Downunder input. I am not an expert on the breed, having just started with them. I used to breed langshans until ultimately outfoxed. I'm fortunate to live in an area with some very fine breeders. For those of you interested in where aussies are at in their homeland, I suggest googling Australorp Club of Australia, then click on Snippets. There is a pic of a terrific roo from my local area. It made the cover of the latest Australian Poultry Standards. Great curves! It's great that you're trying to get rid of those upright tailfeathers shown in so many members' pics. They're just plain wrong! You're bantams seem better. Has anybody tried using some of these and breeding back to big when conformation problems are resolved. Over here we're breeding a bit big in my view - too much to the orp. side too, with danger of losing the sleek curves. More to follow if anyone's interested and if this makes it to the aussie thread.
Cheers Geoff from Australia

Definitely interested and look forward to your posts.

 

[groche]

Thanks for the welcome. I like chillin' with my chooks too. Chickens are 'chooks' here, though you seem to have an Australian bias in pet choice so you may already know this. See how some folk there are putting some orp back into the breed to get the curves. I'd be wary of show Q orps as they're designed to be fluffy. It might be better to work with their rejects which conform more to aussies. Just a thought for your serious breeders, but I was told by an old breeder that in order to maximise the wonderful green aussie sheen, you should use a roo with a little red in the hackles every 5 or so generations. Might be bull, as some breeders are eccentric to say the least!
Cheers Geoff from Aus.

 

[aveca]

Hi folks,
my earlier post didn't make it to the aussie thread, so I'll try here to see if I can get involved. I am a hobby breeder from SE Australia and thought you might like some Downunder input. I am not an expert on the breed, having just started with them. I used to breed langshans until ultimately outfoxed. I'm fortunate to live in an area with some very fine breeders. For those of you interested in where aussies are at in their homeland, I suggest googling Australorp Club of Australia, then click on Snippets. There is a pic of a terrific roo from my local area. It made the cover of the latest Australian Poultry Standards. Great curves! It's great that you're trying to get rid of those upright tailfeathers shown in so many members' pics. They're just plain wrong! You're bantams seem better. Has anybody tried using some of these and breeding back to big when conformation problems are resolved. Over here we're breeding a bit big in my view - too much to the orp. side too, with danger of losing the sleek curves. More to follow if anyone's interested and if this makes it to the aussie thread.
Cheers Geoff from Australia

our problem seems to be that there are so few to aquire that we really have a problem..a lot of us are very interested and working but keep hitting a stone wall..we even contacted a few import places that regularly imprt english orps assil ect... but even they couldnt get ahold of australian version for us..they managed to get the coveted polet de bress, but no luck on aussies, they dont like to give up their pullets and there was a waiting list a mile long for any and all..so we try to work in what we have which isnt much..the US standard is a bit different than yours, I will see if I can upload pic and descript from it for you..let me tell you , we are much wanting real aussies and Chet hupp is one of the hardest workers, hes tireless at..i personally nominate him president of australops USA....but the hatchery stock is atrocious, they are super nice little egg laying birds, and attractive back yard bird but they are a re-creation of actual australorp and no where near correct and sometimes its all we are forced to work in due to there just is noting else..there are a few nice breeders in here like tigercreek ect.....if you could upload some pics for us we would sure appreciate it..

I have decent rooster, tried to breed him to my 2 most type hens..ZERO fertility..tried and tried..got nothing..then put 2 garbage hens that I thought the rooster would dominate thier poorer features..boy did that fail..why fertility in bad hens not good hens i sure dont know.

I actually founs 1 or 2 red feathers in my roosters neck feathers..I thought they were sun bleached, but they came in after molt.

we were using the show orp out of shear desperation..I have both english and blk orp and australorp, have not crossed them yet at least...but you get so frustrated that you think you just might try it.. ..too hard to find anything to work in , . it might work out if I get some chet and tigercreek, mix them in with rooster..but I need to get at it next year ..this rooster is 3 now. going to be too old by the time I find anything..Ivebeen messing with the orps, just a bit easier..Im not really looking for easy, dont mind the work, but at least need something to work in..both chet and I have traveled all over aquiring..results produced for me dissapointing..hens that might work dont want to produce fertile egg..Chet tells me keep at it..I am..

we sure appreciate your input.we are trying for years to learn what we are supposed to do. but i for one am frustrated..almost threw in the towel after years and years of trying with nothing much happening and started to switch to the big blk orps in below pic..just because put that many years in , order birds from different places and get same thing you already had make you ready to give up..even I am tempted to put orp in there just because somethings gotta give..I wouldnt dwell on it, put the orp in then back right back out.

this years frustration for me, somone sent me really good pics of aussies, 11 pics, thought OK, I can work in these, bought hatching eggs, 4 cracked in mail, the rest hatched..tough little things, but guess what..they were jersey giants..mustard yellow feet, every day that went by the mustard yellow got deeper color..I contacted seller, she apologised up and down said kid that works for her picked up from worng pen she offered to pick up some for me herself out of correct pen..I said said no, Ive put away the bator this year..


big orp

 

[cubalaya]

i have given up on them. sold my last trio yesterday. i did keep one little almost perfect hen to go with my ameraucana hen as we don't breed them anymore either. i don't understand why they don't sell because they are great layers, docile and healthy but maybe too plain for some folks. will continue to work on the cubalayas and delawares and try to improve them. good luck australorp people.

 

[huppfarm]

I will do my best. Having some of Stan's birds has been a good start for me, and I love the way the Australian birds look.

Thanks for the feedback.

Cindy

I have to admit that culling is a very personal experience, so when choosing those that will be processed, I never give them names, that's when they become pets and you develop an attachment to them.
Here's my take on giving culls away..............they are never gone, all you've done is moved undesirable birds to another area to possibly create MORE undesirable birds. We really want to develop a nation of desirability in our Australorps. The more folks that can swap quality hatching eggs or chicks or breeders, the less substandard Australorps there will be in America.
Our major problem is with the hatcheries and the lack of quality birds they sell by the thousands to unsuspecting first time poultry owners. All we(being Fanciers of poultry)need is concentrate on our flocks, and the folks that we trade, buy and sell to, trying to insure only the best quality stock of chickens possible.

So EVERYONE follow the "Standard of Perfection" and we can all enjoy beautiful, pure-breed chickens. Your chickens reflect who you are and the reliability of your name.


Oh, by the way, we raise two breeds, quality is our goal and we are proud of our name!

 

[huppfarm]

Chet, w e need to put tigercreek on our must have list for next year
i bought from somone, im not going to say names in here aussie hatch eggs..great looking pics she sent me just like tiger creek and ben look..she sent me quite a few pics..i studied them carefully..in one out of 11 pics the rooster had a bit of a dropped wing but none of the other males or females showed that..the packing was poor all newspaper..4 eggs broke badley...all of the rest of the eggs hatched for me.she sent pleanty of extras.............guess what.......solid mustard yellow foot sole on all of them...i mean dark mustard yellow.and that color got darker every day..it really stood out next to my 2 aussie babies and the pink toed english orps...i wrote her..sheapologised and said the kid that works for her collected from wrong group that she would send me more asap and collect them herself..i said thats OK, ive already put the incubator away for the year, it gets too humid up here even with dehumidifier..i just gave them all to 4 hers..im spoiled to hinkjc..ask , make arrangements, everything arrives intact and its what you asked for.. i told her just make sure your kid knows the giants from the aussie pen..im still an easter bunny farmer, can eat eggs all day long but you'd have to talk me into eating the birds.

I will definately keep that name in mind, with the two new lines we obtained, and all the culling for quality, there is a chance that the breeding pens we put together for next year could be stellar.
There are several combinations that we will try, document and observe for up to 11 months of age. Then I will let you know if we had success or need to use tigercreek lines.
I am very optimistic as these youngsters are coming into their own.

Fingers crossed for us and all Australorp breeders!

 

[huppfarm]

Definitely interested and look forward to your posts.

Geoff , we would very much enjoy your information!
Thank You
Chet

 

[ronott1]

i have given up on them. sold my last trio yesterday. i did keep one little almost perfect hen to go with my ameraucana hen as we don't breed them anymore either. i don't understand why they don't sell because they are great layers, docile and healthy but maybe too plain for some folks. will continue to work on the cubalayas and delawares and try to improve them. good luck australorp people.

Sorry to see you go. Check in once in a while.

Cuabalayas and Delawares sound like great projects.

I hear that white skinned chickens are preferred by Oriental peoples and Mong.

Ron

 

[groche]

Hi folks,
sorry to read so much passion mixed with so much frustration. I know nothing of your import regulations, but I have access to Q Aussies/eggs and am happy to assist in any way from this end to help ensure its survival in the States. Personally, I'm more interested in maintaining the purity of the breed than in showing, but,of course, this still requires breeding to the standard. However, I'd hate to see showbench obsession detract from the fact that it was designed as a utility bird and should be a good layer. Someone a while ago asked how aussies would cope with the heat down south. Australia covers basically the same climatic zones as you folk, but we've got more hot bits. The aussie wouldn't have made it here if it couldn't cope with summer temps. of more than 40 degrees celsius. The climate where I live would be 'Californian'. I'll post some pics of my big boy, Derrick, a gentle, friendly soul, who cost me all of $20. Top SQ might be up to $200.

Cheers Geoff from Aus