Australorps breed Thread

[ronott1]

Hi everyone! I'm new to this forum and am hoping you can help me. I bought our first australorps back in.....I'm thinking September. I was told the older 3-4 were ready to start laying, with the other close behind. We got 5, 1 hatched in April, 3 in May, 1 in June. Since then, we've lost our April and one of our May australorps (long story but we're good now). Anyway, here it is January and we STILL haven't gotten a single egg. When you look at them, they still look like they're young and growing. They're combs are still very small and pale, as is their waddles, but that's how they came to us. It seems like they're body has grown, but not their comb and no maturation to the point of laying. Are they stunted? When we got them, they looked seriously at point of lay age (minus their comb ordeal) but as far as size, their feathers....definitely weren't just out of fuzz or anything. Being a larger breed, is it common for them to take a little longer to mature? Especially given the time frame they're maturing and the days being shorter and such? We do have artificial, supplemental lighting we use when necessary hoping that would help. Any help would be great! Thanks!

POL(Point of Lay) changes by the season. Mine were February Babies and the 5 of them took from 25 to 30 weeks to start laying. Yours should start soon though. A person here in CA just got the first egg from a barnevelder pullet that was 48 weeks old.

The combs and wattles often grow a lot in a couple of week when they are ready to lay. Look for that and the comb and wattle turning red. They will also start checking out their nest boxes and egg squatting. Look that up. When you see the Squat, it is usually a week or two until the first egg is laid.

Welcome!

 

[bruceha2000]

We got 5, 1 hatched in April, 3 in May, 1 in June. Since then, we've lost our April and one of our May australorps (long story but we're good now). Anyway, here it is January and we STILL haven't gotten a single egg.

Being a larger breed, is it common for them to take a little longer to mature? Especially given the time frame they're maturing and the days being shorter and such? We do have artificial, supplemental lighting we use when necessary hoping that would help.

I imagine every one is different. I can only tell you about my 2. Hatched June 11, received from Ideal Poultry June 13th.

One has been noticeably larger than the other since they were about a month old. The smaller started laying Nov 26th the larger not until Jan 3rd but she has laid every day since except the day after her first. The smaller lays a Medium, sometimes pushing toward Large egg. The larger a solidly Large egg sometimes nearly XLarge.

Supplemental lighting isn't "as necessary", either you use it or you don't. You have to fool them into thinking there is 12-14 hours of day light and that means every day. Maybe that is what you meant, just checking.

Bruce

 

[tigercreek]

There have been a few cockerels pics posted lately asking for your opinions on the birds worst and best points. I would value your comments on my breeding bird for this year. It is a small flock and this is the only one I kept. He is in the area of 10 months old, and heavy, but it has been a few months since I had him on a scale. He has the worst comb of any I grew last year, but I chose him for other reasons. Please let me know if you think I am heading in the correct direction. I do appreciate all comments. I can learn from the good and the bad.

........stan

 

[Melabella]

Wow,, he is so very handsome! I am no authority on anything here, but he is such eye candy!

 

[KnobbyOaks]

Wow,, he is so very handsome! I am no authority on anything here, but he is such eye candy!

X2! He just looks so.....regal.

 

[aveca]

He curves beak to tail as he should..nice color..its so hard to tell by one pic..I would choose hens that focus on what his fixes are such as fewer comb points.. rounder eye..A little feather fixing as his tail appears just a tad high..he should curve al the way through like he does above and below..Love that he also holds his wing as he should..I think hes going to make some nice babies with the right hens

 

[ronott1]

There have been a few cockerels pics posted lately asking for your opinions on the birds worst and best points. I would value your comments on my breeding bird for this year. It is a small flock and this is the only one I kept. He is in the area of 10 months old, and heavy, but it has been a few months since I had him on a scale. He has the worst comb of any I grew last year, but I chose him for other reasons. Please let me know if you think I am heading in the correct direction. I do appreciate all comments. I can learn from the good and the bad.

........stan

He curves beak to tail as he should..nice color..its so hard to tell by one pic..I would choose hens that focus on what his fixes are such as fewer comb points.. rounder eye..A little feather fixing as his tail appears just a tad high..he should curve al the way through like he does above and below..Love that he also holds his wing as he should..I think hes going to make some nice babies with the right hens

X2!

I know weight is supposed to be considered but I have also heard that Judges are now looking for over weight birds. I wonder if his legs are too big? I can't really tell from the picture. If he is too heavy, you might want to use smaller hens.

I would use him.

 

[WVDan44]

Hi Stan - you know I've already stated that I am a novice of sorts, but when a bird is symetrical and well conformed, they tend to look good even to an untrained eye. I've been "interviewing" roosters of late, and I've seen a few dandies and a few duds. I've also seen a lot of middle of the road "he's okay but he doesn't knock my socks off" roos. From my perspective, I'd say yours has a body to die for, you've already mentioned the comb, but there are far worse faults than that you could have in a bird IMHO. Someone mentioned his heavy looking legs, well I like a good set of running gears on a rooster also and yours looks like he has rebar for legs! He has a super wing set and displays a great degree of balance overall. I'd say he's a dandy...very nice! I just bought me a big boy today and he has tree stumps under him too. After he settles into his new digs, I'll load up a photo for you to critique.

 

[CowgirlHC]

I imagine every one is different. I can only tell you about my 2. Hatched June 11, received from Ideal Poultry June 13th.

One has been noticeably larger than the other since they were about a month old. The smaller started laying Nov 26th the larger not until Jan 3rd but she has laid every day since except the day after her first. The smaller lays a Medium, sometimes pushing toward Large egg. The larger a solidly Large egg sometimes nearly XLarge.

Supplemental lighting isn't "as necessary", either you use it or you don't. You have to fool them into thinking there is 12-14 hours of day light and that means every day. Maybe that is what you meant, just checking.

Bruce

Yes Bruce, sorry, that is what I meant, making sure they get 12-14 hours of day light by either natural and/or supplementing artificial. Due to our weather, some days they can get outside some days they cannot. Ronott1 thank you for your input, I have a feeling they're just not quite to POL. I assumed no matter what, when they hit that 20-24 week mark they were matured enough to lay, not realizing weather/season/breed, etc would play a role. I've learned so much!

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

Wow,, he is so very handsome! I am no authority on anything here, but he is such eye candy!

x2