Australorps breed Thread

[groche]

Hi folks,
sorry to blame you folk for that Italian creation. The general public overseas tends to associate Leghorns with America, probably 'cause of all the cartoons! Sounds like you have similar reservations re RIR. I don't think strains we have here are that bad. I wonder if your experience is the norm over there. Perhaps, your heritage breeders could work on temperament a bit more as it's only some of 'em that play up over here. Re the guy with good orpy aussies, if he won't show 'em, won't he sell you some for your breeding program? Sounds better than using fluffy orps, even with good combs. Agree with the judges comment. I'm chasing some good girls next week from the winner of our state championships, who's also a judge. I'll put your suggestion to her! You mention some downsides to the addition of Langshan, but I wonder what it added to the original. ie. how important was it as an ingredient?
Cheers Geoff from Aus

 

[groche]

It's 20 years since I bred Langshans and I forgot! I think they may have added something to the green sheen that is so important, as I just remembered that my Langshans were quite strong in this feature. Could be wrong, but it's the best I can think of.
Cheers Geoff from Aus

 

[groche]

Hi again,
For the serious breeders, if you haven't come across the "Australorp Evolution" thread on the Australian Poultry Forum, I think you'll love it. A great site to have your questions answered by real Aussie aussie experts and to pick up fine details and tips. Try www.australianpoultryforum.com/viewtopic
Cheers Geoff from Aus

 

[plantcityhomestead]

I have shown various animals, and it always happens in the show world that fads and fashions are started by what one judge picks. I think we should all work on developing a strain of judges to a SOP, then they would all be consistant and pick the proper types of whatever livestock they are judging!!!

LOL!

 

[plantcityhomestead]

Hi again,
For the serious breeders, if you haven't come across the "Australorp Evolution" thread on the Australian Poultry Forum, I think you'll love it. A great site to have your questions answered by real Aussie aussie experts and to pick up fine details and tips. Try www.australianpoultryforum.com/viewtopic
Cheers Geoff from Aus

Try this link:
http://www.australianpoultryforum.com/

 

[aveca]

It's 20 years since I bred Langshans and I forgot! I think they may have added something to the green sheen that is so important, as I just remembered that my Langshans were quite strong in this feature. Could be wrong, but it's the best I can think of.
Cheers Geoff from Aus

something about adding langshan produses that briiliant green, sumatra if memory serves me..there was minorka through orps and cochin..queensland held out a vote long time ago in your country because they were getting too loose in the feather ' means drop in egg production ,so they would withdraw vote until the required tighter feather was written in..egg laying is a hallmark of australorp..no tight feather? no induction into their standard..queensland got their way.

even thou e are a world away, we do stuy..

 

[godsgurl377]

Well, I am in michigan and have been a lurker on this site for years, what a wealth of information! However, now that I am finally keeping chickens of my own I took the plunge and joined. My husband and I decided on australorps after doing much research but we didn't want standard hatchery fare. We want nice quality birds but that are still great layers holding true to the australorp breed. I am sure we would have done more differently if we could start over but here's what we have so far... I purchased eggs for hatching (a whole adventure I won't go into!) From someone out in NJ who's stock is from sand hill preservation. From my completely unexperenced eye, the chicks looked good, all the same mostly black with white/yellow on neck/chest/butt, now 5 weeks old and no white on any feathers coming in. I will try to take pics after the storm and see if I can't get them posted somewhere. I also stumbled across a local hatchery specializing in heritage breeds and picked up 8 wing sexed 2 day pullets as we wouldn't have had enough eggs with what we hatched. These new chicks have much more yellow/white down and have white wing tips coming in. When I google australorp chicks many pics come up like them, but I still feel my first stock is better because of the initial coloring. Am I correct in this assumption?
To clarify, I don't plan on showing (though it has crossed my mind), but I want to breed for nice birds and love a challange. My plan is to get a lot of imput from the 'experts' here and hold only the best for breeding next year. I am not afraid to cull either, just want to make sure I keep and cull the right ones. Also, like I said, I am going for great egg production and great looking birds, though I'm sure I can't have the complete best of both! If mine don't lay well enough, I am hoping to get some new chicks from someone who breeds nice australorps who lay well (aveca comes to mind after reading many of his posts). I would then either breed those intothe best of my stock or just start over with those if need be. I am open for lots of instruction and correction along the way and would like my birds to reflect what australorps were origianally bred and loved for. Thanks for reading this Very long post, if you did and I hope to learn a lot from you all in the near future. I will try to post some pics later if I can figure it out. I have to do this all from my phone!

 

[FuzzyButtsFarm]

If you lived closer I would recommend tigercreeks Aussies. I have 10 of his chicks that are now 19 weeks old. I have posted pics in previous posts. I am very happy with the way they have grown out.

edited to add:

 

[ronott1]

Well, I am in michigan and have been a lurker on this site for years, what a wealth of information! However, now that I am finally keeping chickens of my own I took the plunge and joined. My husband and I decided on australorps after doing much research but we didn't want standard hatchery fare. We want nice quality birds but that are still great layers holding true to the australorp breed. I am sure we would have done more differently if we could start over but here's what we have so far... I purchased eggs for hatching (a whole adventure I won't go into!) From someone out in NJ who's stock is from sand hill preservation. From my completely unexperenced eye, the chicks looked good, all the same mostly black with white/yellow on neck/chest/butt, now 5 weeks old and no white on any feathers coming in. I will try to take pics after the storm and see if I can't get them posted somewhere. I also stumbled across a local hatchery specializing in heritage breeds and picked up 8 wing sexed 2 day pullets as we wouldn't have had enough eggs with what we hatched. These new chicks have much more yellow/white down and have white wing tips coming in. When I google australorp chicks many pics come up like them, but I still feel my first stock is better because of the initial coloring. Am I correct in this assumption?
To clarify, I don't plan on showing (though it has crossed my mind), but I want to breed for nice birds and love a challange. My plan is to get a lot of imput from the 'experts' here and hold only the best for breeding next year. I am not afraid to cull either, just want to make sure I keep and cull the right ones. Also, like I said, I am going for great egg production and great looking birds, though I'm sure I can't have the complete best of both! If mine don't lay well enough, I am hoping to get some new chicks from someone who breeds nice australorps who lay well (aveca comes to mind after reading many of his posts). I would then either breed those intothe best of my stock or just start over with those if need be. I am open for lots of instruction and correction along the way and would like my birds to reflect what australorps were origianally bred and loved for. Thanks for reading this Very long post, if you did

and I hope to learn a lot from you all in the near future. I will try to post some pics later if I can figure it out.

I have to do this all from my phone!

This sounds like a great project!

Keep us posted with your progress and yes, post pictures.

Ron

 

[godsgurl377]

Thanks for the welcome! I do have family in FL, I'd have to look again to see where, but I am sure there will be a trip down or up from there a few times a year.