Australorps breed Thread

[getaclue]

I do things in order, a routine, in my coops. The BA's are friendly, and chatty, BUT let me do things out of order, and they let me know it. They will tell me off, quite loudly. It's so funny.

 

[WVBirdsAndBees]

I have 3 though I'm pretty sure the two 4 year olds from Meyer have some Jersey Giant in them.

Interesting. Of my 4 started pullets from Meyer, 1 has a couple leg feathers. I enjoy them and they're not for breeding so it's no big deal to me, but clearly Meyer's australorp lines aren't perfect. I guess that happens with hatchery birds but was interested to see another Meyer australorp odd ball.

Appreciate the insights!

 

[bruceha2000]

I figured they added some BJG to the BA line to get more size. Without some knowledge the 2 breeds look quite similar. I have NO idea why they would introduce genetics from a feather legged breed.

 

[want2know]

Hello , It sounds like the one with brown eyes may be a mix ..
Aussies have black Eyes . Glad they are getting along better

I suspected she might be mixed, I got them as chicks together at a small feed store, that had just gotten in a whole rack of them.

 

[Phililorp]

Anyone know what age the pullets start to show red combs? We have 8 australorps that are 3.5 weeks old and 3 have red combs. The rest have black or yellow combs.

 

[Coop Z-ville]

Anyone know what age the pullets start to show red combs? We have 8 australorps that are 3.5 weeks old and 3 have red combs. The rest have black or yellow combs.

I had 2 BA, and they didn't show much of a comb at all at 3.5 weeks. They started showing more around 7-8 weeks, and then it was just a small yellow comb.

 

[SeattleSelkie]

Anything showing red at that age is a cockerel. Pullets won't start pinking up until they are much closer to laying age.

 

[Phililorp]

I had 2 BA, and they didn't show much of a comb at all at 3.5 weeks. They started showing more around 7-8 weeks, and then it was just a small yellow comb.

Oh wow all of ours have combs, but with varying sizes and colors.

 

[Phililorp]

Anything showing red at that age is a cockerel. Pullets won't start pinking up until they are much closer to laying age.

I didn't realize we could already sex some of them this early. I read australorps take a long time to be able to sex. I guess it's still too early to sex the pullets, though.

 

[want2know]

Hi BYC folks,
Haven't posted in a long while, but I have to give a shout out to my oldest Australop, Teriyaki. She is the HERO of my flock. More than once she has been the one to alert us that the flock is in danger. A couple of days ago she saved two of my hens from a fox. She came up on the stairs to our kitchen door and started screaming. Normally she is pretty quiet, so when I saw it was her I knew there was something wrong, so I ran out to check and a fox had my Orpington. As I was running down I started shouting, screaming, he dropped her but then grabbed my Barred Rock, but I kept screaming and he dropped her and fled, terrified. After about a half hour, all were accounted for and in good health. Big Bird, the Orpington had lost a lot of feathers, but she has lots to spare.