Australorps breed Thread

[ronott1]

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

Do you have them under supplemental lights?

 

[ocap]

Do you have them under supplemental lights?

not yet

Edited for question:
Ron
lights for eggs or heat?
John

 

[ronott1]

not yet

Edited for question:
Ron
lights for eggs or heat?
John

The light is for eggs. They need 12 to 14 hours a day to lay eggs for most breeds. Australorps will lay in the winter but they are not as good at it as Orpingtons and Rocks.

Just the way they are as a breed. You could breed for winter laying but that is a bit like trying to make a pig into a swan. It is hard to change main breed Characteristics.

Look for snow flakes on this chart. Those are winter laying breeds without light.

When you see that Leghorns lay 300 egg per year, that assumes supplemental lighting in the winter.

http://www.sagehenfarmlodi.com/chooks/chooks.html

 

[hellbender]

The light is for eggs. They need 12 to 14 hours a day to lay eggs for most breeds. Australorps will lay in the winter but they are not as good at it as Orpingtons and Rocks.

Just the way they are as a breed. You could breed for winter laying but that is a bit like trying to make a pig into a swan. It is hard to change main breed Characteristics.

Look for snow flakes on this chart. Those are winter laying breeds without light.

When you see that Leghorns lay 300 egg per year, that assumes supplemental lighting in the winter.

http://www.sagehenfarmlodi.com/chooks/chooks.html

I just can not bring myself to use lights to up-production...Now, that's coming from a man that as two old barns with plenty of light from old dormer-type windows, about 14 feet from the floor and they extend all around the buildings.

 

[ronott1]

I just can not bring myself to use lights to up-production...Now, that's coming from a man that as two old barns with plenty of light from old dormer-type windows, about 14 feet from the floor and they extend all around the buildings.

Yes!

Giving light is a choice and it should not be necessary now anyway. The light levels are going up enough now.

Not laying in the winter without light is not a sign of hardiness or a reason to cull them for not being productive. It is a breed characteristic. Get Rocks if you want winter layers.

Or Naked Necks?

 

[tigercreek]

I just can not bring myself to use lights to up-production...Now, that's coming from a man that as two old barns with plenty of light from old dormer-type windows, about 14 feet from the floor and they extend all around the buildings.

I had the same mindset about using lights to up production. I did put lights on them this year though to get an earlier hatch so I would have breeder age pullets next spring.....stan

 

[ronott1]

I had the same mindset about using lights to up production. I did put lights on them this year though to get an earlier hatch so I would have breeder age pullets next spring.....stan

The lights help with the Roosters too. If you want fertility to be up early, you need to give light to the Breeder flock.

 

[hellbender]

I had the same mindset about using lights to up production. I did put lights on them this year though to get an earlier hatch so I would have breeder age pullets next spring.....stan

I don't think of it as a mind set, I just don't need to do it...with the extra light that comes in from the dormer windows, it likely performs the same function.

I have dusk to dawn lights that cast considerable light into both houses so it likely does have some effect.

 

[Gramma Chick]

Quote:
I like Max Too !
Dont take it personal when no one responds ..I have seen this thread go for days - a week with no one posting at all .
I miss your little chick flying avatar ...didnt realize you were the same person till I looked at your profile .
Thats how we learn asking questions .

We are all about the same age ! I am 58 ...The new york thread I am on most of the time ..they are all whipper snappers ..I am the oldest one ...there .
so Gramma Chick fits
Can you feather sex a Australorp ? or Aus mix ...?
I think I have a hen ...but not sure if you can tell this early

 

[chickisoup]

Quote:
I like Max Too !
Dont take it personal when no one responds ..I have seen this thread go for days - a week with no one posting at all .
I miss your little chick flying avatar ...didnt realize you were the same person till I looked at your profile .
Thats how we learn asking questions .

We are all about the same age ! I am 58 ...The new york thread I am on most of the time ..they are all whipper snappers ..I am the oldest one ...there .
so Gramma Chick fits
Can you feather sex a Australorp ? or Aus mix ...?
I think I have a hen ...but not sure if you can tell this early

Hope you aren't asking me that! Remember I'm the one that bought two 8 week old "pullets" and that's how I now have Max!!!

Thank you for the kind words. Think I was having a bad meds day and just misinterpreted a later comment. I apologize to all for any drama I may have caused.

That baby is so cute and makes me want mine to come now instead of April. I hope one of the wise ones on here answers your question, I would like to know if feather sexing works on Aussies as well.

BTW-the chick avatar is my Noodle that was hatched from the eggs we took away from my neighbor's crazy duck and shoved under my broody Aussie Momma that I lost last fall. (shhhh! I'm a chicki gramma a couple years older than you

)