Australorps breed Thread

[phxflurry]

I would advise to have an area with air circulation, shade, and lots of water to keep them from dying of heat exhaustion. They are hardy chickens.

Thank you! We do that anyway. We freeze big water bottles and put them inside the watering containers and refill them regularly, and we have a misting system and make sure there is shade there. Also we run fans to help with the air circulation. We got our first chickens last summer, right before the 117 days set in. They did pretty well, laying throughout the heat. I've heard that Australorps did well in the cold but I didn't know about the heat. We were thinking of adding one or two to our flock

 

[Gramma Chick]

Quote: They should be fine if you use your chicken sense ..Other people have the breed in Texas

 

[appps]

Interestingly we have been talking about birds suffering heatstroke on the Aussie thread the last couple of days since its summer for us and two of the members said that Australorps were the only birds they had ever have die from it. We haven't had really high temps since I got mine so will be interesting what February brings this year.

I I think it's the sudden spikes that are dangerous though. Like 38c is generally about our max and the birds are fine but every few years or so we get a week where temps jump up to 45c which they are not used to and that's when they look like they are struggling. It was a heatwave killed another lady I knows Favorelles too. We had been having mid to low 20's temps then got a 35 and I had to bring one of mine inside she looked awful. Normally 35 doesn't bother her at all so think it was the sudden out of the ordinary heat rather than the max temp if that makes sense?

 

[Gramma Chick]

Normally 35 doesn't bother her at all so think it was the sudden out of the ordinary heat rather than the max temp if that makes sense?

I think that could be ...without the extra precautions..taken
When it is hot here ..I give them ice water to drink ..with a little of our salt /water softened water .
Electrolytes would be good too

 

[Seatrout00]

Interestingly we have been talking about birds suffering heatstroke on the Aussie thread the last couple of days since its summer for us and two of the members said that Australorps were the only birds they had ever have die from it. We haven't had really high temps since I got mine so will be interesting what February brings this year.

I I think it's the sudden spikes that are dangerous though. Like 38c is generally about our max and the birds are fine but every few years or so we get a week where temps jump up to 45c which they are not used to and that's when they look like they are struggling. It was a heatwave killed another lady I knows Favorelles too. We had been having mid to low 20's temps then got a 35 and I had to bring one of mine inside she looked awful. Normally 35 doesn't bother her at all so think it was the sudden out of the ordinary heat rather than the max temp if that makes sense?

113F --- yeeesh! One of the reasons I decided on Australorps was their supposed heat tolerance - I live in Florida and while we don't get actual temps that high, we have horrible humidity issues and temps over 100 with heat index are common. I wanted birds that could handle our blistering summers - hard for me to imagine temps higher - dry I can, humid I can't.

 

[Birdrain92]

113F --- yeeesh! One of the reasons I decided on Australorps was their supposed heat tolerance - I live in Florida and while we don't get actual temps that high, we have horrible humidity issues and temps over 100 with heat index are common. I wanted birds that could handle our blistering summers - hard for me to imagine temps higher - dry I can, humid I can't.

My Black Australorps handled the heat fairly well. If you might want a bird that handles the heat try peafowl. Especially Greens. Green peafowl don't do very well in cold climates without added heat but in Florida they can do very well. There are a couple people in Florida that have them. One of the peafowl breeders there sells real Green peafowl. Some peafowl breeders try to sell "Green" peafowl when they are actually Spaldings. Few breeders breed true Green peafowl. Rocking BAB Ranch has real Greens. Check out their website with the peafowl pictures of the Greens.
http://rockingbabranch.com/peafowl/peafowl-photo-gallery/

 

[Seatrout00]

My Black Australorps handled the heat fairly well. If you might want a bird that handles the heat try peafowl. Especially Greens. Green peafowl don't do very well in cold climates without added heat but in Florida they can do very well. There are a couple people in Florida that have them. One of the peafowl breeders there sells real Green peafowl. Some peafowl breeders try to sell "Green" peafowl when they are actually Spaldings. Few breeders breed true Green peafowl. Rocking BAB Ranch has real Greens. Check out their website with the peafowl pictures of the Greens.
http://rockingbabranch.com/peafowl/peafowl-photo-gallery/

If by peafowl you mean peacocks and peahens (likely you do) they are a huge invasive problem here in Florida and have become a real bane to me ... their cawing at all hours and eating native wildlife - I'm not sure I could raise them without hating them. Aside from that, do they produce a lot of eggs? I do remember their eggs being rather big and I'm sure they'd roast up really nice, as big as they are. I always figured people had them because the males are so beautiful - never thought much about utility.

 

[ronott1]

113F --- yeeesh! One of the reasons I decided on Australorps was their supposed heat tolerance - I live in Florida and while we don't get actual temps that high, we have horrible humidity issues and temps over 100 with heat index are common. I wanted birds that could handle our blistering summers - hard for me to imagine temps higher - dry I can, humid I can't.

Pennedesencas are ultra heat hardy.

 

[Birdrain92]

If by peafowl you mean peacocks and peahens (likely you do) they are a huge invasive problem here in Florida and have become a real bane to me ... their cawing at all hours and eating native wildlife - I'm not sure I could raise them without hating them. Aside from that, do they produce a lot of eggs? I do remember their eggs being rather big and I'm sure they'd roast up really nice, as big as they are. I always figured people had them because the males are so beautiful - never thought much about utility.

Peafowl is the proper term when referring to both sexes like chicken. Mine only call during breeding season when they first see sun and right before the sun goes down. I have 6 peafowl; 2 cocks and 4 hens. If you keep collecting eggs they continue laying more eggs. Some people have told me that they've gotten 30 eggs from one hen. They are only seasonal layers though. Most people raise them for feathers and peachicks. The cocks will molt every single train feather during late summer early fall (about 200 feathers). The eggs are creamier than a chicken but not as creamy as a duck egg. If you've had both chicken and duck than imagine a taste between the two.

Here's nest of 5 eggs. They are 4 inches all the way around.

Indian Blue peachicks. They can fly within a few days of hatching. They hatch out with wing quills in place.

Momma with her 4 babies.

178 sell quality train feathers from one male.

 

[Seatrout00]

Peafowl is the proper term when referring to both sexes like chicken. Mine only call during breeding season when they first see sun and right before the sun goes down. I have 6 peafowl; 2 cocks and 4 hens. If you keep collecting eggs they continue laying more eggs. Some people have told me that they've gotten 30 eggs from one hen. They are only seasonal layers though. Most people raise them for feathers and peachicks. The cocks will molt every single train feather during late summer early fall (about 200 feathers). The eggs are creamier than a chicken but not as creamy as a duck egg. If you've had both chicken and duck than imagine a taste between the two.

Here's nest of 5 eggs. They are 4 inches all the way around.

Indian Blue peachicks. They can fly within a few days of hatching. They hatch out with wing quills in place.

Momma with her 4 babies.

178 sell quality train feathers from one male.

Oooh, people BUY the feathers? Welp, I guess they would. That's pretty neat. Still not for me. Pretty but ... I'll stick with chickens. And no, I've never tasted a duck egg ... I'm so forlorn!