Australorps breed Thread

[RattlesnakeRidgeWV]

Wow Karen, thanks so much for your reply. So - I am left with a mystery chick...hmmm.

I've spoken to the breeder and he's said that he had tried to import splash Australorp eggs last year, but amongst others, they were the ones that were damaged and didn't hatch anything. He further commented, that it might be possible for there to be "some genetic markers" [for splash] but that this hadn't shown up previously, although could technically, supposedly be possible. He reiterated that his thoughts were that this was a Light Sussex chick, although it could also be an "experimental" cross breed chick.

Possibilities for a cross breed from his pens would be: Rhode Island White x Plymouth Rock.

The breeds he has are: Rhode Island White, Barred Plymouth Rocks, Rhode Island Reds, Black Australorps, Leghorns, English Game. He has noted that sometimes they breed "leghorn x australorp with touch of rir or any commerical layer".

So that seems to be my choices. Anyone able to pick what this yellowy/silvery downed chick might be??

Thanks

Thai,
Chances are just a mix breed, however, I have bred many splash Australorps that look just like your chick some with more black marks and some with less. Everybody has missed the fact that "sports" do happen in the chicken world. Somebody on BYC claims to have a White Australorp. Neither the X of a RIW and a PR would result in slate legs, only yellow. The shading on the legs could be like a bared rock pullet has so the breeder could be right about the cross listed above. I am pulling for you to have a white Australorp or a Splash, good luck.
Kurt

 

[appps]

Thai,
Chances are just a mix breed, however, I have bred many splash Australorps that look just like your chick some with more black marks and some with less. Everybody has missed the fact that "sports" do happen in the chicken world. Somebody on BYC claims to have a White Australorp. Neither the X of a RIW and a PR would result in slate legs, only yellow. The shading on the legs could be like a bared rock pullet has so the breeder could be right about the cross listed above. I am pulling for you to have a white Australorp or a Splash, good luck.
Kurt

I thought there were lots of white Australorps? Are they not common there? I thought about buying some myself.

 

[RattlesnakeRidgeWV]

Not in the USA. We have splashes, and ofcourse white orpingtons. I have heard of them but have never seen one in the USA, only claims of someone having one. I can definitely tell the difference between White Australorp and a White Orpington, especially the males.
Kurt

 

[cracrzy4chicks]

Hi Kurt,
I have a ? for you. My blue girls seem to be getting bleached out from the sun, some of their feathers have a light tan tint to them. I didn't chickens got bleached by the sun

 

[thailand]

Thanks Kurt,

Well....where's there hope I sure am hoping for a splash! I will be sure to post some photos of the chick a few weeks further down the line. Thanks for your reply

 

[RattlesnakeRidgeWV]

Crazy,
Good to hear from you. I have seen that in some of my 2 and 3 year olds. The sun does bleach the blues when they get older, don't really know why. Some say it is just the blue gene and the sun, others say that it is a bleed from buff orpingtons in the past from crossing. It changes with every molt and does not stay 100% or with every bird.
Kurt

 

[RattlesnakeRidgeWV]

Thanks Kurt,

Well....where's there hope I sure am hoping for a splash! I will be sure to post some photos of the chick a few weeks further down the line. Thanks for your reply

Thai,
If you check in my profile there are a lot of different age pics of Blue, Black and Splash Australorps for you to compare against your chick.
Kurt

 

[Turk Raphael]

Even though we don't have any Australorps at the moment, I feel certain we will again...soon. They will absolutely have to be BLACK. I have absolutely nothing against others loving/ keeping the other color phases but for me...as silly as this sounds, with the likely possibility of any color but black hatching from any black birds I may get to be just about ZERO, I would snuff it on sight.

 

[thailand]

Thanks Kurt, I did check out your photos....and I'm feeling hopeful for a splash. I do see one or two of your chicks that are very very similar. My chick in question is now getting white wing feathers. The head still has grey smudge and I think the legs might be a tad greyer than last week.

Really appreciate you taking the time to advise on this chick. Thanks again

 

[bruceha2000]

Even though we don't have any Australorps at the moment, I feel certain we will again...soon. They will absolutely have to be BLACK. I have absolutely nothing against others loving/ keeping the other color phases but for me...as silly as this sounds, with the likely possibility of any color but black hatching from any black birds I may get to be just about ZERO, I would snuff it on sight.

Perhaps you can get some nice blacks from Kurt