Australorps breed Thread

[nearlyalegume]

A slightly better picture of little Vader. It's too early to tell, isn't it?

(Hard to believe that this wee puff, boy or girl, is going to grow up to be a whole lotta chook!)

 

[Gramma Chick]

I just wanted to make sure she was a Black Australorp and not one of the many other black hens lol
Any way of knowing for sure? Sorry pictures are bad it was feeding time and she was not happy about being pestered

Thanks in advance!

shape is right
U.S. Australorps have Black Eyes , Slate Legs ...Red skin on their neck under their feathers .
She may be a mixed Breed - not Pure bred

 

[Gramma Chick]

A slightly better picture of little Vader. It's too early to tell, isn't it?

(Hard to believe that this wee puff, boy or girl, is going to grow up to be a whole lotta chook!)

Yes too Early....look for early comb development and dominance of the others
it looks pretty black for a Aussie ..were there other black chicken breeds ?
I dont know too much about Australian Aussies ..are they more black as chicks ?
US aussies look more like black chipmunks

 

[appps]

Yes too Early....look for early comb development and dominance of the others it looks pretty black for a Aussie ..were there other black chicken breeds ? I dont know too much about Australian Aussies ..are they more black as chicks ? US aussies look more like black chipmunks

Yes our Australian ones look the same. These are my little guys at the same age. They were never fully black like that at that age, it took till they got their feathers instead of down for them to loose the yellow.

 

[CiceroXY]

It's the same here. Australorp chicks look the same and the adult ones have got black eyes and slate legs.

Anyway I think that the Australorp hen in BusyStFarmer's photos has got partly Australorp blood. It could be interesting to cross her with a Black Australorp rooster and then select again the chicks.

 

[RattlesnakeRidgeWV]

Cicero,
In reference to your earlier question about your best blues. If you have Blue, Black and Splash Aussies there is a preferred breeding for color. Black and splash will give you 100% Blues, however they will be a self blue meaning a lighter shade of blue
(grey) all the same shade without lacing. A Blue and Black mating gives you the best blue which is darker and has a darker lacing and that is what is preferred in breeding and showing. With this mating you get 50% Blue and 50% black chicks. Check out my profile pics. There are several different pics of blues and different shades. Also, a blue cockerel looks nothing like a blue pullet as far as coloring.
Kurt

 

[RattlesnakeRidgeWV]

I do not believe that the solid black baby chick above is a pure australorp.

Secondly, the black chicken with the red or amber eyes is definitely not a pure australorp,
Kurt

 

[CiceroXY]

Cicero,
In reference to your earlier question about your best blues. If you have Blue, Black and Splash Aussies there is a preferred breeding for color. Black and splash will give you 100% Blues, however they will be a self blue meaning a lighter shade of blue
(grey) all the same shade without lacing. A Blue and Black mating gives you the best blue which is darker and has a darker lacing and that is what is preferred in breeding and showing. With this mating you get 50% Blue and 50% black chicks. Check out my profile pics. There are several different pics of blues and different shades. Also, a blue cockerel looks nothing like a blue pullet as far as coloring.
Kurt

Hi Kurt

Your Australorps are beautiful !! Congrats

So the best combination is Blue X Black!

Moreover I have other 2 curiosities and you seem to be very knowledgeable about this breed:

1 Black and White Australorps can be crossed in order to get the splash colour?
2 Is the Australorp weight standard 4 Kg for roosters and 3 Kg for hens? because here there are breeders who have told me that their Australorp roosters can surpass the 4 Kg.
Thank you

 

[RattlesnakeRidgeWV]

Cicero,
The kg weights seem right. I am in the US, and my cock birds are 8 lbs plus and the hens are around 6 lbs.

The black and white matting will not work. The only way to make a splash is a blue and blue matting that will give you 50% blue, 25% black babies and 25% splash babies.

A splash bird has 2 blue genes.
A blue bird has 1 blue gene and 1 black gene.
A black bird has 2 black genes.

A blue bird is actually a diluted black bird.

Kurt

 

[RattlesnakeRidgeWV]

Cicero,
That black and white combo usually yields a white bird with only a few black marks, and does not really look like a splash without a lot of additional matings.
Kurt