Australorps breed Thread

[Rhode Island]

Hi Groche,
We got Gem from a friend who breeds chickens and owns a small chicken farm. I also live in Australia, Victoria. I don't think i could call myself an expert with Rhode Island Reds. I am pretty they didn't originate from Australia. Here is a pic of Rhoda my one and only rhode island red. I will try and send better ones.

 

[galanie]

You mean show quality. I dont know where terminology, SOP, came from. This bird looks good but I prefer more back definition from the tail, more u shaped sweep.This bird has a pretty flat back that is inclined. Orpingtons should have a low tail angle of about 10° or 15° which extends out flatly from the tail. Overall a flat line from the base of the neck at a 15° angle.

When I said SOP I guess the best analogy would be Breeder Quality. You could expand that to Show Quality I suppose but not all breeder birds are show birds.

SOP is short for Standard Of Perfection. In brief, I was agreeing that it looked too much like an Orpington. But my opinion isn't one of an old breeder so take it with a grain of salt.

 

[cubakid]

You are correct in saying not all breeder birds are show birds. My Black Old English are a female only line. The males are not the best for showing but will throw more awesome pullets. In Aussies I have only gotten good birds by breeding at least one showbird in the pen. Or by breeding extremes like a hen with an overly U shaped back and a male like the one pictured. I know exactly what the Standard of Perfection, by the American Poultry Association is. I breed by it.

 

[lildinkem]

Hi Bill,
thanks for the show pics. Can see quality in yours and Doug's birds, but the bottom one hardly qualifies as a BA to me. No 'lorp should have its shanks not fully exposed. That bird to me is an Orp.!
Cheers Geoff

Doug's mentor, Jack Patterson said the exact same thing. Jack is an "ole school" type of guy. He says too many "exhibition" Aussies over here have too much Orp blood. And are too loosely feathered. Funny thing here is some of our APA judges do not seem to mind the extra feathers and still will put birds like these on Champions Row.

 

[galanie]

You are correct in saying not all breeder birds are show birds. My Black Old English are a female only line. The males are not the best for showing but will throw more awesome pullets. In Aussies I have only gotten good birds by breeding at least one showbird in the pen. Or by breeding extremes like a hen with an overly U shaped back and a male like the one pictured. I know exactly what the Standard of Perfection, by the American Poultry Association is. I breed by it.

Only explaining what you seemed to not understand about my reply. Thank you. I'm positive you know more than me about the subject.

 

[bruceha2000]

Doug's mentor, Jack Patterson said the exact same thing. Jack is an "ole school" type of guy. He says too many "exhibition" Aussies over here have too much Orp blood. And are too loosely feathered. Funny thing here is some of our APA judges do not seem to mind the extra feathers and still will put birds like these on Champions Row.

That is pretty sad. If the judges don't judge by the SOP, the breed will drift with the wind.

 

[OSUman]

Well, almost all of the lines of Australorps have had Orpingtons crossed back into them at some point in time. A little extra fluff is a minor deduction, I would be more upset if a bird with no type but tight feathers won then if a bird with good type and just a little extra fluff underneath. You also have to realize that this is the Junior show, there wasn't that great of an English class from what I saw, not that that win was any less deserved. Also I think you need to take a good look as to what an Orpington looks like... especially in your country.

Hi Bill,
thanks for the show pics. Can see quality in yours and Doug's birds, but the bottom one hardly qualifies as a BA to me. No 'lorp should have its shanks not fully exposed. That bird to me is an Orp.!
Cheers Geoff

 

[OSUman]

What breed doesn't? Judges do judge by the SOP, but there are definite trends that go through birds too, look at the cushions of cochins, or wyandottes. the tail coverts are supposed to be exposed from the ball of feathers, but how often do you see that, especially in bantams?

That is pretty sad. If the judges don't judge by the SOP, the breed will drift with the wind.

 

[bruceha2000]

What breed doesn't?

"Oh look at those lovely big shoulders. Oh look at that lovely big head, lets breed for more of that."

And that is why the English Bulldog would be a dead breed without veterinarians to do C-sections.

 

[ronott1]

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Well, almost all of the lines of Australorps have had Orpingtons crossed back into them at some point in time. A little extra fluff is a minor deduction, I would be more upset if a bird with no type but tight feathers won then if a bird with good type and just a little extra fluff underneath. You also have to realize that this is the Junior show, there wasn't that great of an English class from what I saw, not that that win was any less deserved. Also I think you need to take a good look as to what an Orpington looks like... especially in your country.
Quote:

What breed doesn't? Judges do judge by the SOP, but there are definite trends that go through birds too, look at the cushions of cochins, or wyandottes. the tail coverts are supposed to be exposed from the ball of feathers, but how often do you see that, especially in bantams?
Quote:

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A couple of pages back I posted about the sad state of SQ Australorps in the US. That is why ones that do not meet SOP wind up on Champion Row. Lots of breeds that are in decline will do that. Take any fairly nice SG Dorking to a competition and you can get a ribbon.

Lots of Heritage breeds are like that. The good news is if you showed up with a BA that was SOP, you would knock the socks off of the Judges and they would love being able to judge a real nice Australorp.

You can tell how bad it is by reading that you can take a bad hen and breed it to a Roo and get a winner. That should not happen really?