- Aug 22, 2010
- 742
- 24
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I like head two more. Head one has too long of a beak and the whole head looks elongated, or crow headed. Looking at head one, just below the middle point of the main three points there is a flat spot that peaks above the eye. This spot adds to that elongated look. Both combs have little bumps at the front, which the more there are the less I like. I usually count points from the back point( not counting the blade or any splits in the blade causing a false blade, which many australorps including the ones pictured do) to the front. I will accept any from 4-6 points( major thing I'm culling for this season). When I count five from the back, I then see the nubs in the front. One or two is acceptable, excepting everything else is ok, but three starts to take away from the elegance of the head(none is ideal, but there are always exceptions). I'd love to see body profiles when the birds are mature. My breeding pens are set. This is my earliest start as I'm usually showing, but decided future generations are more important than a placing. I have 2 hens and 6 pullets, two cocks and two cockerels. I also have a cockerel and one pullet that I believe to be out of a white hen( which I may breed this trio seperate to try to establish the color). From these birds I have set 24 eggs, which I think is decent considering laying season is just beginning. Things I have problems with in my birds: Flat backs(more orp like) Fluffy thighs Length of shank( I had a male of another line that stands to my knees, with super long shanks, but his weight has caused his legs to bow together so he's on his way off the property.) Comb points(from a trio of birds with five points each last year, I produced only about 5 or 6 out of thirty that had less than 7 points and all but one were females.) Most of my breeding pens are set with extremes. My best backed females are with a male that needs work, but he has less fluff than they do so it counters both ways. I have two pairings that are experiments of how my line will mix with another. My best pullets are over my fluffy cockbird which I can predict still more fluffy butts, but nicer backs hopefully. I plan to hatch at least 75 birds and I can hatch 100 that will make me happy. In previous years our fertility was horrid, in like 3 years we hatched five birds kinda bad. So with numbers comes options. One thing I can do is start culling for points at a young age, then when I have enough decently combed birds to choose from I'll start growing them out with as much growing space and as much food as they'll eat(which scares meHi folks, as promised, a few pics of my cull.Giving some of the young pullets (and the odd boy that slipped through early) a good coat of looking at!
Just for a bit of fun for the more experienced. Why have I chosen to cull these 2 guys even though they have quite good conformation? The first boy is going to a mate for his flock of layers and the 2nd to the pot. They have just started to crow so combs are not fully developed.
Cheers Geoff from Aus
). Then I can cull at about six to seven months for backs and fluffies. Then let those grow out and choose next years breeders(hopefully only about 10 or less will be kept, though I'll keep more if they are worth it). And hopefully we can get our own house by next season, and I won't be so crammed. Keep the pictures coming, I may not post too much but my Internet bill on my phone goes through the roof because I am here multiple times a day everyday. I'm here if there are questions, you just have to ask!
