Australorps breed Thread

[RossAussie]

She had vent gleet. There was no soft shelled eggs.

Make sure they do not get into that moldy kale again and she should be fine now. Keep up the Kefir. I would also give them Boss too.

G’day Ron,

Well good news, I’ve learnt a few new things from this forum, which is great.

As you know its difficult to diagnose veterinary problems without actually inspecting the fowl. If she didn't have that soft shell follow up egg, then you are probably right in your vent gleet theory. The good thing is that the fowl seems to be surviving.

What I have learnt are the two words “kale” and “kefir”. From what I figure is Kale a leafy vegetable similar to a cabbage? It’s something I’ve never grown or fed my fowls, but I do feed them fresh leafy Spinach, which grows plentiful here on our farm.
I also feed out a pest weed called “Wandering Jew” (Tradescantia fluminernsis), a native to South America, or as it’s some times called “Trad” which is a fleshy-leaved creeping plant that grows as a ground cover. It is just fantastic for fowls.

The “Kefir” through me a little, but I think its like a form of yoghurt. What we do here is get the older use-by date milk in 2 litre containers from a local grocery store here at a very cheap price. I then take the cap off and leave the containers in the sun for a about a week, which produces that rather smelly whey. It’s a little secret to help the sheen in the show fowls.

What is "Boss"?

Kind regards,

Ross

 

[RossAussie]

Ross I would be interested in hearing that story.

The first importer of Australorps to your country was Mr. D. Goddard of Gardenia, California. He also later had a trading name which was “Australian Poultry Yards”.

There was an article on Mr. Goddard in a 1926 edition of Poultry Newspaper where Walter and Athol Giles commented that they wished that they had been able to make more contact with Mr Goddard as they seriously felt the fowls he had purchased whilst they were of great egg laying quality were not up to a show standard, and their line would have certainly helped.

Many of the original fowls had what we call “gypsy” faces and I can see that in the pictures that I have seen from the USA and on the fowls at shows that I visited.

One of the most extraordinary books that has been in my collection for quite some time is an American book by Mr. D. Goddard named “Among My Australorps”. He was the first importer of Australorps into America, and was a Director of the American Poultry Association. Goddard published this book in 1929 and we believe it to be one of the few remaining copies left in the world. I also have brochures for the sale of the book, from 1929, from Mr Goddard’s enterprise and a few hand written letters that I was so lucky to get at an old curiosity shop in Atlanta, Georgia.

I wrote this in the Australorp EggSpress about 8 or 9 years ago.

"Other than Ray Connor’s exceptional book in the Doyen Series, we know are aware of one only other very small Australorp booklet written in the 1930’s by an unknown Australian and that has long since disappeared into dust. Within my collection is an American book called "Among My Australorps" by Mr. D. Goddard.,
I showed this extremely rare book to Ray Connor, over lunch recently, and he was fascinated at its content. There are many breeders mentioned by Goddard that Ray and myself had never heard of, however, remember this was written in 1929 and Ray was only 7 years old at the time!
The pics we have scanned show clearly why the Australorp in the United States differs so greatly to the fowl as we know it today in Australia. Mr. Goddard’s first imports were sourced from a prominent breeder of the time Mr. C. B. Bertelsmeier of South Australia in 1924."

Excerpt from Chapter Three
Imported Into America
April of 1924 saw the arrival of the first Australian Black Orpingtons in America. I well remember taking the car into Los Angeles and bringing the birds out to Gardena on that memorable Saturday night.
While we breed the Australorp as a business bird we have done very well in the poultry shows at which we have had exhibits. Sufficient to say in a class of 97 Australorps at the Los Angeles Mid-Winter Show of 1927 we annexed every Silver Cup competed for and this in the largest class of Australorps shown to date.

I liked his final quote on the last page.

“The only way you can win is to watch everything pertaining to your flock –-- watch it closely every day”


“ I am very proud of this particular Australorp bench-show hen as she was “Best Bird in Show” at the 1929 Tulare County Fair” · D. Goddard


I hope you all enjoy this

Kind regards,

Ross

 

[ocap]

What is "Boss"?

Kind regards,

Ross

BOSS = abbreviation for Black Oil Sunflower Seed

 

[aveca]

The first importer of Australorps to your country was Mr. D. Goddard of Gardenia, California. He also later had a trading name which was “Australian Poultry Yards”.

There was an article on Mr. Goddard in a 1926 edition of Poultry Newspaper where Walter and Athol Giles commented that they wished that they had been able to make more contact with Mr Goddard as they seriously felt the fowls he had purchased whilst they were of great egg laying quality were not up to a show standard, and their line would have certainly helped.

Many of the original fowls had what we call “gypsy” faces and I can see that in the pictures that I have seen from the USA and on the fowls at shows that I visited.

One of the most extraordinary books that has been in my collection for quite some time is an American book by Mr. D. Goddard named “Among My Australorps”. He was the first importer of Australorps into America, and was a Director of the American Poultry Association. Goddard published this book in 1929 and we believe it to be one of the few remaining copies left in the world. I also have brochures for the sale of the book, from 1929, from Mr Goddard’s enterprise and a few hand written letters that I was so lucky to get at an old curiosity shop in Atlanta, Georgia.

I wrote this in the Australorp EggSpress about 8 or 9 years ago.

"Other than Ray Connor’s exceptional book in the Doyen Series, we know are aware of one only other very small Australorp booklet written in the 1930’s by an unknown Australian and that has long since disappeared into dust. Within my collection is an American book called "Among My Australorps" by Mr. D. Goddard.,
I showed this extremely rare book to Ray Connor, over lunch recently, and he was fascinated at its content. There are many breeders mentioned by Goddard that Ray and myself had never heard of, however, remember this was written in 1929 and Ray was only 7 years old at the time!
The pics we have scanned show clearly why the Australorp in the United States differs so greatly to the fowl as we know it today in Australia. Mr. Goddard’s first imports were sourced from a prominent breeder of the time Mr. C. B. Bertelsmeier of South Australia in 1924."

Excerpt from Chapter Three
Imported Into America
April of 1924 saw the arrival of the first Australian Black Orpingtons in America. I well remember taking the car into Los Angeles and bringing the birds out to Gardena on that memorable Saturday night.
While we breed the Australorp as a business bird we have done very well in the poultry shows at which we have had exhibits. Sufficient to say in a class of 97 Australorps at the Los Angeles Mid-Winter Show of 1927 we annexed every Silver Cup competed for and this in the largest class of Australorps shown to date.

I liked his final quote on the last page.

“The only way you can win is to watch everything pertaining to your flock –-- watch it closely every day”


“ I am very proud of this particular Australorp bench-show hen as she was “Best Bird in Show” at the 1929 Tulare County Fair” · D. Goddard


I hope you all enjoy this

Kind regards,

Ross

Amazing article ..thanks Ross..I have searched high and low for that info...I knew calif and Mass..but wasnt sure who had them....Lord that hen looks much like the birds we still have today , I have one hen that looks almost exactly like that....Fantastic info!!!!
THANX.

 

[WVDan44]

Dan,
Glad she seems to be doing better. I have hatched about 40 BA's and about 20 of the boss's EE's. I have another 40 of the same in the other incubator. Need some babies???
On this friday the "Tigercreek 5" will debut for their 6 week photo shoot. If you check my profile you will see day olds, 2 week, 4 week, and 6 week on Friday.
I don't know who will win but it looks to me to be 3 cockerels and only 2 pullets. We will see on Friday.

Hey Curt

Won't be buying anything more this year, have my breeders picked out and will be hatching a few times. I will be adding that great looking cockerel I posted photos of that Geoff liked as soon as the owner has finished the spring shows. They wanted to see how he'd fare, he has taken one best english award this year. I'm picking him up in a week or two. Have a hen I can't wait to take him to and see what develops.

 

[aoccl]

Pic of a cockeral from Daniel Castle. He will be 1 year old in March. Has been in the breeding pen and he covers 7 hens pretty well.

 

[RattlesnakeRidgeWV]

Ross,
Thanks for the USA Ba info. I knew about it but never saw it in print. I have it now thanks.
Kurt

 

[ronott1]

Quote: Hi Ross!

The Language barrier again I see. Kale is a green like spinach but a bit darker green with a stronger flavor. It is very good for the chickens with a lot of nutrients. Black Oil Sun Flower seeds provide oil and good roughage for them and helps with digestion and egg laying.

The reason I thought Vent Gleet was the description of laying a perfectly formed egg with a white discharge. The walking low is also a symptom. I asked if there was moldy feed and there was moldy greens that the chickens could have eaten. The treatment for Vent Gleet, which is similar to thrush, is to give the molasses or Epson salt followed by something with pro biotics in it. Kefir has that.

I would have thought of internal egg laying if there were soft shelled eggs and a yellow discharge. Also if there were not moldy feed around too. I also would be very happy if the problem were vent gleet. Egg bound chickens with broken eggs inside is a bad thing. Many of them die within a short period of time. Vent Gleet is not usually fatal.

We are seeing more vent gleet here because of soaking feed and not being careful with fermenting feed. One person went on vacation and the Husband gave the chickens a tray of moldy fermented feed. The wife had to treat for vent gleet upon returning from vacation. The Husband has been told to wear his glasses when feeding them the fermented feed.....

 

[Cockle-Dood]

Hi all! Wanted to introduce myself and my 3 BA's! Absolutley fell in love with this breed and made sure to incorperate them into my first flock! I used to show chickens in my younger years in 4h and now that i have a little one of my own(and the space necessary, just moved to the country!!) want to get back into that swing if things! The 3 i currently have are hatchery stock from IDEAL but plan to get some breeder stock soon(so you breeders feel free to hit me up, lol) so without further ado meet Elvis, Cash, and Prince!

Not the best picture but its what i got at the moment. They are about a week old in the pic but about 17 days old currently. Plan on taking some updated pics this weekend so stay tuned!!

 

[Cockle-Dood]

wow, horrible picture in fact, i will post a better one ASAP!