Australorps breed Thread

[ronott1]

My very best Aussie hen, which Spencer and nine come from, is now eight. The breeder who has her now is in love with her as I was when I had her. It will be a sad day when she is gone.

I need to weigh Spencer. He's pushing ten pounds, possibly more. He's so feathered he doesn't seem like he would be that HEAVY.

I lost one of my original Australorps yesterday. She was going on 6 years old. I still have one of the original 5. I also still have a Golden Comet that is going on 7. She still jumps for treats if I do not drop it onto the ground quickly enough.

 

[Gramma Chick]

I lost one of my original Australorps yesterday. She was going on 6 years old. I still have one of the original 5. I also still have a Golden Comet that is going on 7. She still jumps for treats if I do not drop it onto the ground quickly enough.

So sorry ..our firsts are very precious ..
You have given me hope... I have a 3 year old comet ...who I love - budge - her name fits her

 

[appps]

Yes, the eggs get bigger after they molt. The egg white changes and becomes less stiff. We do not see the natural progression of eggs very often because most hens are culled after two years.

Eggs are amazing!

This explains something with my pullet eggs.
They are super thick whites compared to all my other eggs.

 

[MrsBrooke]

I lost one of my original Australorps yesterday. She was going on 6 years old. I still have one of the original 5. I also still have a Golden Comet that is going on 7. She still jumps for treats if I do not drop it onto the ground quickly enough.

Very sorry for your loss, Ron.

MrsB

 

[Gramma Chick]

Hope All the Papas had a nice day with their family's yesterday

 

[chickisoup]

Very sorry for your loss, Ron.

MrsB

X2 Ron.

 

[chickisoup]

I have a question for you knowledgeable Aussie folks. I have had a one of my just over a year old Aussies go broody. She's been at it since last Thursday. Problem I have is I have nothing to put under her. Thought I did from the neighbor who has my original Aussie roo and a couple hens from the same cackle hatchery batch as this hen. Long story but short of it is she doesn't have any eggs for me and my state is in a basic lockdown because of the AI outbreak so I just can't get hold of any eggs.

Anyway, my question. Is it too late to give her eggs now? Someone said she could stay broody as long as 45 days, is that true? I also don't want to get eggs from someone I can't trust to be honest, look what happened to those folks that got eggs from that Oklahoma breeder (and they were a reputable outfit).
What if I don't break her? Never had this problem before. Any advice???

 

[ronott1]

Very sorry for your loss, Ron.

MrsB

Thanks!

I have a question for you knowledgeable Aussie folks. I have had a one of my just over a year old Aussies go broody. She's been at it since last Thursday. Problem I have is I have nothing to put under her. Thought I did from the neighbor who has my original Aussie roo and a couple hens from the same cackle hatchery batch as this hen. Long story but short of it is she doesn't have any eggs for me and my state is in a basic lockdown because of the AI outbreak so I just can't get hold of any eggs.

Anyway, my question. Is it too late to give her eggs now? Someone said she could stay broody as long as 45 days, is that true? I also don't want to get eggs from someone I can't trust to be honest, look what happened to those folks that got eggs from that Oklahoma breeder (and they were a reputable outfit).
What if I don't break her? Never had this problem before. Any advice???

Yes, she should stick with it. It is usually best to wait a week before putting egg under a broody.

You can't get eggs shipped to you from ebay? One trick I have heard of is to drive into the country and listen for crowing. When you find a place with roosters, knock on the door and see what they have.

 

[appps]

I have a question for you knowledgeable Aussie folks.  I have had a one of my just over a year old Aussies go broody.  She's been at it since last Thursday.  Problem I have is I have nothing to put under her.  Thought I did from the neighbor who has my original Aussie roo and a couple hens from the same cackle hatchery batch as this hen.  Long story but short of it is she doesn't have any eggs for me and my state is in a basic lockdown because of the AI outbreak so I just can't get hold of any eggs.

Anyway, my question.  Is it too late to give her eggs now?  Someone said she could stay broody as long as 45 days, is that true?  I also don't want to get eggs from someone I can't trust to be honest, look what happened to those folks that got eggs from that Oklahoma breeder (and they were a reputable outfit).  
What if I don't break her?   Never had this problem before.  Any advice???

Yes it's a bit tricky with the whole AI thing I would imagine. If you are in a safe area you could always try buying a carton of free range eggs from someone selling them on the side. Like our butcher sells cartons of eggs from a local farm. Chances are they will have roosters in that sort of small set up so eggs may be fertile (crack a couple to check)

If all else fails and you need to break her I simply use whatever it takes to stop them accessing a nesting box for 3 days. And that's not on it at night either. We have a very determined silkie and it's always worked even with her (though once when she really had her heart set on it it took a week!). I don't lock them up in a cage or anything, I just put a barrier in the pen with food and water so she can't get to it of a day and lock the nest box at night to keep her off then as well so she has to roost with the others. After 3 full days let her have access and if she heads to it give it another 24 hrs then check again till she doesn't.

I don't see the point of allowing them to sit, eating very little food and producing no eggs for a month or more if there isn't going to be chicks at the end of it anyway. I figure why put their bodies through that stress for nothing.

 

[WashingtonWino]

An egg! My Cackle Australorp started off with a bang and laid a 40g egg on her first go. She's 20 weeks and one day. Go, you big black noisy bird, go!