Australorps breed Thread

[lildinkem]

I've been looking for a bird that lays well during winter. Seems like I always have a group of mouths to feed without any return from about November until about February. I think I might try these to see how they do. Will the hatchery ones do as well on production? I usually buy h atchery birds first to see if I like the breed then, if I do, get real ones.

My first birds were hatchery RIR's and hatchery BR's. The RIR's were great layers. And here in Indiana we got down to near zero and have had mild winters like last years. Did not seem to make a difference. Like yours the egg production just about ended after mid November and my first eggs weren't till early February. Mine don't even lay when they molted which was late September to early October. Now these were hatchery RIR's not Aussies.

 

[ronott1]

Quote:
There is a great resource called Henderson's chicken chart that has all of the breeds that you can get from a Hatchery and most that are in the US. There is a field for egg laying at tells you the color, size, amount they lay per year and if you look for it, a snow flake that indicates winter layers.

I looked at the chart and the easiest for you to get from a Hatchery would be Delawares. Those should do well in NY. Here in CA they have trouble in the heat. We are going though a 7 or so 100 plus spell now.

There are a bunch of others. Jersey Giants are listed as winter layers but not Australorps.

This is a fun chart: http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html

Another way to get winter layers is to time the point of lay for pullets to be in Sept. Pullets that start then will usually lay the first winter. You have to rotate the flock though....

Ron

 

[lawatt]

There is a great resource called Henderson's chicken chart that has all of the breeds that you can get from a Hatchery and most that are in the US. There is a field for egg laying at tells you the color, size, amount they lay per year and if you look for it, a snow flake that indicates winter layers.

I looked at the chart and the easiest for you to get from a Hatchery would be Delawares. Those should do well in NY. Here in CA they have trouble in the heat. We are going though a 7 or so 100 plus spell now.

There are a bunch of others. Jersey Giants are listed as winter layers but not Australorps.

This is a fun chart: http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html

Another way to get winter layers is to time the point of lay for pullets to be in Sept. Pullets that start then will usually lay the first winter. You have to rotate the flock though....

Ron

what a fabulous chart! thanks for the link.

it's interesting that, of my six pullets, the australorp (Daisy) is the only one that came from a feed store rather than a breeder (a friend of mine got her for her broody hen, i then adopted the chick) -- and while she's the same age as the others, she's MUCH smaller, almost like she's a week or two younger. not sure if that's because of her probably-from-a-big-hatchery origins, or because she was raised by hen rather than a human, but it's quite striking:



these two are the same age! (fortunately the delaware decided to be her friend, otherwise she's the bottom of the pecking order)

 

[Madhen80]

I need a bit of help from the experts. New to chickens. Chose Australorps to start with. I am going to cull some here next week. They are 16 weeks now, and still probably too small, but the roos have to go! They are terrorizing my d'uccle hens. Anyways, I need help with this one chicken. I was for sure all the ones with combs developed were roos, and then this little one caught my eye this morning, and I said aloud, by darn, I believe you are a pullet! Everything about this one says pullet except for the developed comb, again only 16 weeks old. So, I am asking the experts, Pullet or Cockerel? Thanks!

 

[ronott1]

I need a bit of help from the experts. New to chickens. Chose Australorps to start with. I am going to cull some here next week. They are 16 weeks now, and still probably too small, but the roos have to go! They are terrorizing my d'uccle hens. Anyways, I need help with this one chicken. I was for sure all the ones with combs developed were roos, and then this little one caught my eye this morning, and I said aloud, by darn, I believe you are a pullet! Everything about this one says pullet except for the developed comb, again only 16 weeks old. So, I am asking the experts, Pullet or Cockerel? Thanks!

Wow! Where did you get her?

That looks like a pullet comb.

This is a picture of two of mine at 8 months.

 

[mrsc1951]

That's a pullet - looks just like mine did at that age. She just turned a year old and is beautiful, friendly and a consistently great layer. I love my Australorps.

 

[Madhen80]

Wow! Where did you get her?

That looks like a pullet comb.

This is a picture of two of mine at 8 months.

I got her from Mt. Healthy...I was really thinking this was a pullet, but didn't want to end up with extra roos. Anyone else have a differing opinion? Or are we all in agreement?

 

[FuzzyButtsFarm]

That looks just like my roosters at that age. That comb is just way too big for a pullet. None of my pullets that are now all laying have combs or waddles that big. Mine are all tigercreek chickens.

 

[ronott1]

Originally Posted by Madhen80

I need a bit of help from the experts. New to chickens. Chose Australorps to start with. I am going to cull some here next week. They are 16 weeks now, and still probably too small, but the roos have to go! They are terrorizing my d'uccle hens. Anyways, I need help with this one chicken. I was for sure all the ones with combs developed were roos, and then this little one caught my eye this morning, and I said aloud, by darn, I believe you are a pullet! Everything about this one says pullet except for the developed comb, again only 16 weeks old. So, I am asking the experts, Pullet or Cockerel? Thanks!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
That looks just like my roosters at that age. That comb is just way too big for a pullet. None of my pullets that are now all laying have combs or waddles that big. Mine are all tigercreek chickens.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Yes Madhen80, You will have to watch this one. The one thing in your favor is no crowing so far. If this is a Roo, there will be a crow or an egg soon. The crow would be sooner. The comb will get a lot larger for a Cockerel too.

Good Luck processing the others!

Ron

 

[aveca]

fuzzybuttsfarm you should show geoff some of your tiger creek aussies..great birds, we keep talking about them.. i knojw you threw in one or 2 but , it would be nice to show that there are some very good examples, including some orp crosses from different people that are impressive..i think the eye on tiger creek birds is really good..if you get a chance, can you post a few pics? you may have a while ago but im not seeing them now.