Australorps breed Thread

[RattlesnakeRidgeWV]

Yep, it definitely looks like one pullet and one cockerel. So do the other 7 pullets look like her?
Kurt

 

[DanielE1990]

Most. I have 6 that I know are female and one runt that looks to favor female but not growing tail feathers yet.
Then I have one that bony wise looks like the confirmed male I have but no comb growth yet. So I'm hoping female. But statistically it's probably male lol.
I'll post a pic of the group.

 

[DanielE1990]

 

[austrolover1]

Ok, since my username means Austrolorp lover I might as well subscribe. I have 20 Austrolorp hens (all with good temperaments except one) and two mean roosters. Are BA's known for being broody? I got mine from McM Hatchery; it is probably the bloodlines but I have FIVE broody hens in my nest-boxes...

 

[Birdrain92]

Ok, since my username means Austrolorp lover I might as well subscribe. I have 20 Austrolorp hens (all with good temperaments except one) and two mean roosters. Are BA's known for being broody? I got mine from McM Hatchery; it is probably the bloodlines but I have FIVE broody hens in my nest-boxes...

BAs are not known for brooding since they are a production chicken. Same with getting mean roosters. BAs tend to be docile, almost like lap dog but a chicken.

 

[getaclue]

My BA roosters are NOT mean. I wouldn't breed a mean rooster, however, sometimes a rooster can be mean because their owner doesn't know how to get them in check. I learned a lot about rooster management from a post on here by beekissed. In fact, we built a smaller area in one of the coops for chicks being newly introduced into coop life. It's 4ft. wide x 8 ft. long x 4 ft. tall. I have this one production hen from my starter flock that is about 4 years old, that should have been out of production, and culled long ago, but she's still going strong, so I keep her in the chick pen that's inside the larger coop. In the other part of the coop, I have a BA rooster, and his 4 hens. I usually run the BA's out to the main run, close the coop door, and let the little production hen into the main coop with me while I do coop chores. They all know the drill. The reason I keep the production hen separate is the size difference, and if one of my BA roosters ever tried to mount her, he'd injure her for sure.

The other day, there was a BA hen in the back of the nest box, so I didn't notice her. I ran everyone out as usual. I let the little hen out, and everything was fine for a bit. When the BA emerged from the nest box, I opened the coop door to run her out, and she darted across the coop to the production hen. (Remember, I had just opened the door to run her out) They began screaming, and fighting, so I ran to break them up, and grab the one hen to put her out into the run. I forgot I had left the door open. As I'm running to break up the fight, the rooster came running, hackles up, to see what the commotion was about, but I didn't give him a second thought. I grabbed the BA hen, her fussing loudly, and turned to set her in the run, when I noticed my rooster. He had gotten to the door, stopped, and was looking at me. He had lowered his hackles, put his head down, began scratching and calling the hens. I set the BA hen outside the door, and he never batted an eye.

I handle the hens with him around all the time. They're MY hens, not his. He's used to that, but they don't normally scream bloody murder like they were doing. When he saw me with them, he respected that I am the alpha, and he backed off.

 

[austrolover1]

That is neat @getaclue ! Again it is probably the breeding strain that I got. My BA rooster has attacked my granddad who is about twice my size!

I am scared of him but my granddad just sees it is a chance of chicken football (with the rooster as the football!).

He also attacked my sister who had been teasing me of being a scaredy-cat but then ran into the house crying! So yeah... We took them out of my pen and took
them to my granddad's house to rule the roost there (trying to attack anyone who steps out of their car...)!



AND all of our nest boxes are filled with broody hens!

 

[RattlesnakeRidgeWV]

Lover,
Don't breed the mean roosters and tell Grandad to make soup out of them!!!
Kurt

 

[austrolover1]

We already have planned that!

 

[getaclue]

As I said, I would not breed a mean rooster. It's my understanding that the aggression is passed on thru the genes, so this is another area of selective breeding. Mean roosters taste good. The point I was trying to get across tho, is that they aren't all that way, so don't give up on looking for a good rooster. Have you seen the video of Kurt with Dundee? That's a prime example of what a good BA rooster should act like.