Australorps breed Thread

[BluRoo Farm OH]

congratulations!!! You're first chick is the "gateway chick" ...lol. You will want more and more

 

[BluRoo Farm OH]

Meet Lazarus...The Comeback Chick

(Hey Fellow Australorp Lovers, I had to share this heartwarming story with you all...)

We just incubated and hatched 16 out of 20 of Blue and Black Australorp Chicks. The last 5 chicks had hatched, and they were being kept in the incubator until they dried. There were four remaining unhatched eggs remaining. One had a small hole, so that was positive. The others...not so much. (Later learned- 1 wasn't fertilized, and the other 2 had stop growing around a week.) So I'm preparing the other incubator for the next "batch"of eggs, and having difficulty with stabilizing temperature and humidity before we put eggs in and go to bed. At some point I just became so exhausted (because I stayed up til 3:00 watching the other chicks hatch...lol) I decide to unplug it and try again tomorrow.

The next morning I found that I had accidentally unplugged the incubator with the chicks and eggs inside. Luckily the 5 chicks were fine huddled together to keep warm. I got them out into the heated brooder right away. The other 4 eggs, I'm just sick about...especially the one that had a small hole. So I just stepped away, not ready to deal with removing them because I was beating myself up.

Later that afternoon, I get the other incubator stabilized and ready for eggs. I am sitting near the "shut down" incubator as I candle each egg for the other incubator. I hear a peep
from the "shut down" incubator. I open it, and see and hear nothing and no movement from any of the eggs. I close it, and later I heard a peep again. So this went on for a while
and I'm looking everywhere to try where this peep was coming from. I open the "shut down" incubator again, pick up the egg with a hole in it, and it started peeping. "No Way", I thought. I immediately put the egg in the "shut down" incubator, added some water. Plugged it back in. He worked so hard for 4-5 hours. I don't usually assist, but in this case, I just flicked off a tiny piece of egg shell where his beak was so that He could breath. He worked so hard. You could tell that he was frustrated because some of his peeps would be high pitched shrills. Then He finally made his debut. Oh, I was so relieved. So we decided to name him Lazarus. He is definitely not for Sale. We will keep him around forever for inspiration. ...and now He is snuggled up with his brothers and sisters (who are for sale)

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[pioneerchick816]

@BluRoo Farm OH
Congratulations on your Lazarus!!

 

[BluRoo Farm OH]

Thank you Pioneerchick816

 

[getaclue]

How wonderful, BluRoo. Congratulations on both the chick, and great story.

 

[BluRoo Farm OH]

Thank you Getaclue!

 

[cactusrota]

So, I called Privett this morning to ask about my little blue chick. The person I talked to said they do indeed have Blue Australorps but they are limited availability.. not offered all the time.. and that it's possible someone put a black bird from that flock with the blue gene in with the black breeders. She said to send them some pics so I send a couple of my other pics and some video from just this morning.

There's also a little cockerel in this bunch that is getting very punky. Every morning when I go out to give them their fermented feed he runs up to me to peck at my hand and bite my sleeve. This morning, after he did his pecking and biting he hopped up on my wrist and looked at me defiantly like "I have conquered you!!". It's so cute right now, but I'm feeling torn. I know that a bird like that should probably be one of the first to go to freezer camp, but he would also be very good protection for the flock from predators. I wonder if I should take him in the house to play and bond...

 

[getaclue]

cactusrota, Personally, if it were my little flock, I would not separate them, or take the possible cockerel inside to bond. They will all do better when their flock is kept together at this age. In my experience, Australorp chicks tend to be a bit flighty, and timid towards humans. If you feel that the one is being a bit too aggressive, gently shoo him away. Be sure to pick up, and coddle the more timid ones on a regular basis, offering them treats, or food. Don't overdo it on the treats. They tend to outgrow the flightiness, and timidness in time with regular handeling, and some treats.

 

[RattlesnakeRidgeWV]

cactusrota, Personally, if it were my little flock, I would not separate them, or take the possible cockerel inside to bond. They will all do better when their flock is kept together at this age. In my experience, Australorp chicks tend to be a bit flighty, and timid towards humans. If you feel that the one is being a bit too aggressive, gently shoo him away. Be sure to pick up, and coddle the more timid ones on a regular basis, offering them treats, or food. Don't overdo it on the treats. They tend to outgrow the flightiness, and timidness in time with regular handeling, and some treats.

Good advise getaclue that fits.
Cactusrota,
They are still babies and will do all kinds of flighty and weird stuff, do not jump to conclusions about their behavior until they grow up.All young chicks are flighty just like kids, they will grow out of it. We do not cuddle and pamper at Rattlesnake Ridge because you always have to be the alpha with cockerels and cock birds, maybe just baby the pullets. In 5 to 6 months you will know if someone is headed for the table!
Kurt

 

[cactusrota]

Thanks guys. I've got like a dozen cockerels, that are pretty much all destined for the table. Haven't decided if I'm gonna keep any yet. I just don't have enough room for a big flock (I mean, I have room, but my husband would have a fit if I let them fully free range, he doesn't like seeing chicken poop on ANYTHING) So I kept back three pullets, including the blue one, and sold the rest. They are all settling down since I put them outside in the grow out. I think part of the reason for that is now I'm coming in at ground level instead of above them like I was in the brooder. Big scary person overhead is big and scary!!! The the flighty-ness has already toned down alot, and they are associating me with food. They come in and take it from me now instead of waiting until I'm gone. You can still tell the pullets from the cockerels, too, as the pullets have wing coverts now, all the cockerals don't so they look like they have fuzzy grey shoulders.