Australorps breed Thread

[draye]

Why? What is wrong with "full breed" chickens? If you want to sell eggs, I don't know why you want to start with a breed that is considered a "fair" layer at ~2 a week (in their prime). You'll be feeding a lot of beaks year round for not much "product". I suspect you will have a long road ahead trying to get quantity out of a "Naked Neck Australorp".

Because I like Naked Necks. No other soecial reason, I do like that yearly stats on the laying ability of the Australorps. I'm not trying to build a NN Australorp just adding their genes to the NN pool.

There is nothing wrong with the full blooded Austalorp but everybody had their own preferences in chickens. I really like a lot of different breeds but only have a limited amount if space to do ly hobby so I try adding genetics from other breeds into my NN flock. I'm not a show person so it really ident matter how I breed mine. If I sell any chicks I sell as barnyard mutts. If someone asks what's all in them then I tell them all that I know.

And btw where did you get that NN are only fair egg layers? Mine happen to be gods layers, they are averting every other day layers and some even everyday. I not saying they are as good as an Australorp nor any worse.

 

[ronott1]

I read that it was over 55 million that were lost/destroyed.

I'm currently trying to increase my hen count here and sell farm fresh eggs. It will probably be next year before I get as many as I'd like to have. I'm shooting for at least 100 maybe 150. Here in Arkansas we can have up to 199 hens before we considered commercial, which I don't want to be.

I have mainly Naked Necks, but am looking toward the Australorp to cross into them.

A lot of them were Turkeys.

Avian flu is expected to hit again this spring.

 

[Birdrain92]

Because I like Naked Necks. No other soecial reason, I do like that yearly stats on the laying ability of the Australorps. I'm not trying to build a NN Australorp just adding their genes to the NN pool.

There is nothing wrong with the full blooded Austalorp but everybody had their own preferences in chickens. I really like a lot of different breeds but only have a limited amount if space to do ly hobby so I try adding genetics from other breeds into my NN flock. I'm not a show person so it really ident matter how I breed mine. If I sell any chicks I sell as barnyard mutts. If someone asks what's all in them then I tell them all that I know.

And btw where did you get that NN are only fair egg layers? Mine happen to be gods layers, they are averting every other day layers and some even everyday. I not saying they are as good as an Australorp nor any worse.

I think it's because Turkens are meat birds not egg laying breed. If you breed a Turken to an Australorp the meat of the bird may not increase or maybe by a little but as for egg trait it would increase the Turken but decrease to the Australorp, in theory. Also it depends on if Naked neck gene is dominant or recessive. If it's recessive it won't show up. If it's dominant it will show up until bred out of it. It's less time consuming and less cost to try and get a good strain of egg laying Turkens by crossing it with high egg producing genes. If you wish to go ahead. We're just trying to point out the other side that may not cost as much.

 

[draye]

I think it's because Turkens are meat birds not egg laying breed. If you breed a Turken to an Australorp the meat of the bird may not increase or maybe by a little but as for egg trait it would increase the Turken but decrease to the Australorp, in theory. Also it depends on if Naked neck gene is dominant or recessive. If it's recessive it won't show up. If it's dominant it will show up until bred out of it. It's less time consuming and less cost to try and get a good strain of egg laying Turkens by crossing it with high egg producing genes. If you wish to go ahead. We're just trying to point out the other side that may not cost as much.

I understand. I hope it wasn't taken as offense because I didn't mean it that way.

It has been noted that there are really two types of NN now. Meat and egg.

 

[hellbender]

I read that it was over 55 million that were lost/destroyed.

I'm currently trying to increase my hen count here and sell farm fresh eggs. It will probably be next year before I get as many as I'd like to have. I'm shooting for at least 100 maybe 150. Here in Arkansas we can have up to 199 hens before we considered commercial, which I don't want to be.

I have mainly Naked Necks, but am looking toward the Australorp to cross into them.

You may remember, we used NNs, Australorps and LOTS of their hybrids with considerable success for several decades.

 

[hellbender]

I think it's because Turkens are meat birds not egg laying breed. If you breed a Turken to an Australorp the meat of the bird may not increase or maybe by a little but as for egg trait it would increase the Turken but decrease to the Australorp, in theory. Also it depends on if Naked neck gene is dominant or recessive. If it's recessive it won't show up. If it's dominant it will show up until bred out of it. It's less time consuming and less cost to try and get a good strain of egg laying Turkens by crossing it with high egg producing genes. If you wish to go ahead. We're just trying to point out the other side that may not cost as much.

The NN gene is dominant and the hybrids lay as well as or better than the pure breds.

 

[draye]

You may remember, we used NNs, Australorps and LOTS of their hybrids with considerable success for several decades.

I had forgotten that you had the Autralorp/NN crosses before.

So they did does as well as the pure breds?

 

[Gramma Chick]

You may remember, we used NNs, Australorps and LOTS of their hybrids with considerable success for several decades.

I remember ...I was waiting for you to PEEP UP ...LOL


I love my hybrids ...Aussies bring other things to a mixed breed ..besides egg laying ..
good temperament , they are less likely to get all these chicken diseases that go around ,
a beautiful mix of colors ( A have 2 that are black & white )
I hatched EEs / Bramas this year ...for blue / green eggs ...I cant wait to see how they mix with my Aussie Roo

 

[hellbender]

I had forgotten that you had the Autralorp/NN crosses before.

So they did does as well as the pure breds?

Overall, I'd have to say the hybrids were better layers than either pure breed. That's why we did it for so long. If we hadn't sickened of selling eggs to the public, we would likely be still at it with the same birds.

The NNs were far better meat birds than the Australorps, especially when caponized. The hybrids were fine too but the caponized pure Australorps were just mediocre but certainly beat the hell out of bean dumplings...

 

[bruceha2000]

And btw where did you get that NN are only fair egg layers? Mine happen to be gods layers, they are averting every other day layers and some even everyday. I not saying they are as good as an Australorp nor any worse.

The 2/week came from MyPetChicken though I see that Murray says "excellent for both meat and eggs", Cackle says 180-240/year and eFowl says "good" so who knows.