Australorps breed Thread

[FuzzyButtsFarm]

Thought you might like to see how Outback and the pullets are shaping up.  The older rooster pulled several of the cockerel's sickle feathers, but I am really happy with all of them.  I can't imagine how big they are going to get.  They are huge.  The pullets are 6 months and Outback is 7 months.

Cindy

Nice comb.

 

[weavers rocks]

What is egg production like . I read on mcmurray hatchery one hen laid 364 eggs .THats hatchery birds , just wanderin bout those that r bred to the standard

 

[ronott1]

What is egg production like . I read on mcmurray hatchery one hen laid 364 eggs .THats hatchery birds , just wanderin bout those that r bred to the standard

More like 250 plus.

You need to give most hens light in the winter to get 300plus. Also, the number starts going down after the second year.

Still, one of the top brown egg layers that is not a hybrid.

Ron

 

[FuzzyButtsFarm]

Out of 6 hens. I usually got 4-6 eggs a day. Two went broodie. One is still sitting and the other hasn't started laying again. With the hot days, I only got 2 eggs from them today. I'm hoping they do better when it cools off. If you want these birds for laying IMO I would go with hatchery stock.

 

[plantcityhomestead]

Nice comb.

LOL! His comb was still bad until a couple of weeks ago, and all of a sudden it perked up and is perfectly straight. Have yours straightened out? Do you still have extra cockerels? I am thinking I should have a second one, just in case something happens. I was really worried when he got fowl pox.

I will try to get some more photos of him, but he is camera shy. I have a few more in the album on my profile.

cindy

 

[FuzzyButtsFarm]

Quote:
They never were really crooked. It must have been the light. The one roo still has a slightly bent point. Although I think it was the result of on injury. He was my late bloomer and lowest in the pecking order. I still have all three but it's getting to the point I need to rehome 2 of them. If I had more hens I would keep 2 and rehome one.

 

[plantcityhomestead]

They never were really crooked. It must have been the light. The one roo still has a slightly bent point. Although I think it was the result of on injury. He was my late bloomer and lowest in the pecking order. I still have all three but it's getting to the point I need to rehome 2 of them. If I had more hens I would keep 2 and rehome one.

What light? We were practically doing it in the dark from a ladder perch.

The extra cockerel will have to stay with the layers until his services are needed. I only have 3 of pullets, not nearly enough for 2 cockerels, but hopefully the flock will grow. It will probably be next month before I will be able to get over there.

cindy

 

[groche]

Hi Cindy,
it's hard to tell from one pic, but your roo looks as good as any American boy I've seen. He needs a quality harem! Beg steal or borrow some nice girls and share the progeny if you can. Glad he survived the pox. How did you treat it, as one of my best girls has got it? Still laying but she has one 'grey eye' that I've been treating and horrid swellings/growths/tumours on her face. She still eats like crazy! Hatched 10 Aussie chickens in the 'bator. Doing well. Love my R-com 50. It's really idiot-proof. Less in love with ceramic reptile heating bulbs. Wish I'd never heard of them! Don't raise the temp. more than 12 degrees above outside temp. in an unheated shed and the hot spot is limited so chickens have to cluster together to keep warm. A truely crap item at a big price!
Cheers Geoff from Aus

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

The Whole Family, enjoying some Scratch Time:

The Wilco 5, 2 weeks old, today. The Homegrowns, 2 weeks old tomorrow

 

[FuzzyButtsFarm]

Hi Cindy,
it's hard to tell from one pic, but your roo looks as good as any American boy I've seen. He needs a quality harem! Beg steal or borrow some nice girls and share the progeny if you can. Glad he survived the pox. How did you treat it, as one of my best girls has got it? Still laying but she has one 'grey eye' that I've been treating and horrid swellings/growths/tumours on her face. She still eats like crazy! Hatched 10 Aussie chickens in the 'bator. Doing well. Love my R-com 50. It's really idiot-proof. Less in love with ceramic reptile heating bulbs. Wish I'd never heard of them! Don't raise the temp. more than 12 degrees above outside temp. in an unheated shed and the hot spot is limited so chickens have to cluster together to keep warm. A truely crap item at a big price!
Cheers Geoff from Aus

My whole flock had it last fall. I didn't treat it with anything. It is self limiting and if your birds have a normal immune system they will recover with a life long immunity. If you feel you need to treat it you can use Neosporin antibiotic ointment to prevent any secondary bacterial infection. Pox is a virus and is unaffected by any antibiotics. It is closely related to the chicken pox that children get.