Australorps breed Thread

[waynec1955]

I have been disappointed by my Australorps thus far as well. My one Red Star lays a big fat brown egg almost every day if I can find it (she likes to vary her nest spot a little as A free ranger), but the Australorps also six months old now are giving me nothing still. I realize it has been pretty cold but that doesn't seem to stop the Red Star she is a happy egg making machine. The Red Star is also the only chicken that can chase my Pyrenese dog around the pen like a mad velociraptor - beast mode chicken FTW. First few times I saw it I was like BOW (thinking dog don't you realize that is just a chicken?)

My BAs are seven months old and lay almost everyday. When they started laying they were meduim to xl eggs. Now all are large to xl. Everyone around me that has chickens are getting no eggs now and are requesting eggs from me to set.

 

[chickisoup]

I have a question for all you experienced Aussie folks. What is a reasonable expectation for a heritage Aussie hen to continue to lay compared to her hatchery counterparts or sex-links?


BTW you guys were right, of course, my little Max is now THE ROOSTER with even the red sex-links, except little Gravy who is still getting a beak full of his tail feathers if he even eyeballs her
It is getting really funny because Max is getting huge!!!

I do worry about him squashing one of them if he gets any bigger. Seriously, I haven't weighed him lately but I would guess he may already be over the SOP and he's just hitting 7 months .
Oh, and he doesn't feel "fat" you can still easily feel breast bone etc , he's just BIG!

 

[bhaugh]

Since being corrected that Jedi is STILL a pullet (they are hens to me as soon as they give an egg), I stand corrected. Today all is quiet in the pen. Whew.

As was mentioned, I am at times somewhat disappointed by the laying of lorps. But I remind myself that I picked this breed for the other traits I find to be highly desirable.

1. For the most part they are very quiet
2. They like to be confined and I dont really worry that they will fly over the fence
3. They are easy going and not aggressive
4. They dont care for other birds (wild dove or pigions) in their yard and will chase them out

Although I really like the personality of the barred rocks, they want to free range ALL THE TIME. The lorps like hanging out in the pen and content doing so. The br unfortunately are not. I had a buff orp that liked to hang out in the pen unfortunately she got pretty mean when I introduced the lorps to the mix. She squawked ALL day long so I finally placed her elsewhere.

Hopefully my lorps will prove to be all that Ive seen thus far. I am looking for other birds with their calm demeanor that I can add.

 

[tnmommy]

To those with pullets not laying well, have faith. My girls laid sporadically with very small "pullet" eggs. But they are now laying very well. I've had at least two large to medium brown eggs daily despite the cold. They started laying well after 21 weeks, but they are making up for it. They are also great at foraging within their run for goodies, and they are not eating as much feed as I thought they would, given their size.

I wish my favorite pullet wasn't a hatchery bird so I could show her. She is picture perfect, started laying well in advance of the other two, and consistently lays the larger eggs. I plan on hatching out eggs from her this spring.

 

[hellbender]

To those with pullets not laying well, have faith. My girls laid sporadically with very small "pullet" eggs. But they are now laying very well. I've had at least two large to medium brown eggs daily despite the cold. They started laying well after 21 weeks, but they are making up for it. They are also great at foraging within their run for goodies, and they are not eating as much feed as I thought they would, given their size.

I wish my favorite pullet wasn't a hatchery bird so I could show her. She is picture perfect, started laying well in advance of the other two, and consistently lays the larger eggs. I plan on hatching out eggs from her this spring.

And...despite what some may espouse, most Australorps are renown foragers. Regardless of the temperature, mine will go out and work hard, so long as they can see some bare ground or grass and the wind is not severe...

 

[ronott1]

To those with pullets not laying well, have faith. My girls laid sporadically with very small "pullet" eggs. But they are now laying very well. I've had at least two large to medium brown eggs daily despite the cold. They started laying well after 21 weeks, but they are making up for it. They are also great at foraging within their run for goodies, and they are not eating as much feed as I thought they would, given their size.

I wish my favorite pullet wasn't a hatchery bird so I could show her. She is picture perfect, started laying well in advance of the other two, and consistently lays the larger eggs. I plan on hatching out eggs from her this spring.

And...despite what some may espouse, most Australorps are renown foragers. Regardless of the temperature, mine will go out and work hard, so long as they can see some bare ground or grass and the wind is not severe...

Yes, they are great foragers. I have read descriptions of them eating ticks and other bugs too.

 

[Gramma Chick]

I wish my favorite pullet wasn't a hatchery bird so I could show her. She is picture perfect, started laying well in advance of the other two, and consistently lays the larger eggs. I plan on hatching out eggs from her this spring.

• Welcome
  
  to waynec1955 & tnmommy
• Hatchery birds arent all bad ...they are also good utility birds ..Some times they meet the SOP .There is no reason you cant post a picture of her . Show her off ..to us . We love Pictures !
• Shes a Australorp ! Some of us have hatchery birds also .I started with a BA ROO purely by chance . I also love how they are not prone to get sick alot like some breeds .

 

[tnmommy]

My rooster almost caught a mouse lol

 

[hellbender]

Please visit my new thread.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/845018/breeding-for-production-eggs-and-or-meat

 

[tnmommy]

Pictures of my cockrel, Chirp (my son named the chickens) and prize pullet, Cluck (again, my son named them). They are almost 7 months here.


Cluck in the foreground, my Roo behind her. My cat outside the run pretending not to care that these birds can totally beat him up now.





Look at her broad chest and wonderful straight tail And she already poses like a supermodel