Australorps breed Thread

[RattlesnakeRidgeWV]

Dan,
My next batch to hatch will come out about the second week of March and I am hoping for some more blues and splashes. I only have one blue baby that hatched Feb the 8th. Pics will definitely be coming from that hatch.
Kurt

 

[MeanV2]

Dan,
My next batch to hatch will come out about the second week of March and I am hoping for some more blues and splashes. I only have one blue baby that hatched Feb the 8th. Pics will definitely be coming from that hatch.
Kurt

Great!! I know I have learned a lot from you and a couple others on here. While I am on that subject do you or does anyone else know where Lynne (aveca) is? I have not seen her on this thread for sometime.

Dan

 

[RattlesnakeRidgeWV]

Not a clue, send her a PM.

 

[tigercreek]

Stan,
What do you think about my breeding plans for 2014 on page 525? It is going to be a hell of a ride this year!
Kurt

Really hard to say Kurt. I have seen pics of a lot of your birds, and they look pretty good. The TC pen will take a few generations to set the type. They are the product of crossed lines already. The other pens are crossed lines too, so you are starting with a chance to make your own type and line out of all of your pens with the first hatch. Going to take a bunch of chicks to grow out to set the type on such a mix. Personally, I love the idea! That's the kind of challenge I have always looked for- a chance to make them my own. Wish I still had the space (and money) to jump into what you have. It's not really difficult to just maintain a line, but to improve it and have what you are potentially going to have is something to be proud of. I wish you the best and look forward to getting some RATTLESNAKE birds of my own soon..... have fun....stan

 

[tigercreek]

Kurt, so you have any blue pullets in that BBS pen???

 

[ocap]

NO! I just accidentally stepped in the middle of a conversation between two real Aussie folks with pics of Max and asked for some pros' opinions on how he was developing. When no one responded I kind of thought me and Max might be of out of our league and the "no response" might be you guys just trying to be nice.....been reading and haven't seen any other newbe Aussie folks on here for a while.

So glad to know us beginners are still welcome. Promise to keep the silly questions to a minimum and I love listening to you guys and I'm learning a bunch, even if I don't always know what you advanced breeders are talking about.

Chickisoup,
We all had to start somewhere, all are welcome. I was 55 when I started again since I was a kid with my grandfather, and now I am 60. I learn something new about chickens everyday since I retired. Just remember that it costs as much to feed a poor specimens of a certain breed as a SOP quality chicken of a breed. We all have birds that may not be up to par, but we still care for and love them anyway. I think it is human nature to strive to be the best we can be, or breed the best that we can.
Kurt

My personal journey toward a goal that is not even known to me has been:
1. learning to keep my hatchery chickens alive and falling in love with all chicks while realizing they were going to be my dinner someday
2. finding BYC
3. realizing that what Kurt is correct in everything he says about feed costs
4. looking for "quality"
5. trying to find the courage to spend $120 for shipping, my choice of breeds is large and heavy and choice of breeders was far away
6. the "best" pullet is now laying,,,, first hatch day is next Tuesday, if her eggs are fertile I will be excited beyond belief

 

[MeanV2]

John,
Keep us informed how your hatch goes!

Dan

 

[ocap]

Dan,
Will do. So far mostly hatchery eggs, my BA pullets are not laying, when the cold weather hit they stopped and have not started again. So.......I don't have any BA in the incubator. The pullet I mentioned above is a Buff Brahma and came from a guy who won in Ohio at the national in 2012. She is laying every other day like a clock. My management skills and minus eleven degrees (no clue what the wind chill was) have had an impact on my BAs in the form of frostbite, part of the journey I mentioned in the above post about keeping chickens alive. We all survived but the single combs did not fair well. Coyotes were singing outside my window last night, I have noticed digging at the edge of my pens, glad I have a wire apron.

John

edited for spelling

 

[MeanV2]

John,
This winter has definitely been a hard test for man & bird!

Dan

 

[ocap]

John,
This winter has definitely been a hard test for man & bird!

Dan

I am not embarrassed my failure, only wish I had the time to go north to see how Mr. Urch raises them.
John