Australorps breed Thread

[ronott1]

hello,

I have some BA pullets that are 13wks old. I have 11 total, there is 5 of these pullets that will not stop pulling out tail feathers then they eat the feathers. I thought they may be lacking something, so I added shells and protein. The other six birds have feathers. These birds are hatchery birds, but i do not understand this action. I have other breeds and have never had this. They have plenty of room and food, they seem to just do it for fun. I have no idea how to stop this if i can get some advice that would be nice. They just started this the last couple weeks. i want to breed some of them with a BA rooster i have, and some to a black/lav orpington split.

Welcome to this thread!

Have you seen them pull out the feathers? BAs go through a mini molt at this time and they will eat the feathers sometimes when they fall out.

If you have seen them pull out the feathers, you can buy plastic clips that will stop them from pulling out feathers. They can still eat ok, just can't pull out the feathers.

If they are plucking out their own feathers, it could be over preening which is often caused by mites or lice.

I hope this helps!

 

[RainyDayChicken]

Welcome to this thread!

Have you seen them pull out the feathers? BAs go through a mini molt at this time and they will eat the feathers sometimes when they fall out.

If you have seen them pull out the feathers, you can buy plastic clips that will stop them from pulling out feathers. They can still eat ok, just can't pull out the feathers.

If they are plucking out their own feathers, it could be over preening which is often caused by mites or lice.

I hope this helps!

Thanks that is very helpful.

 

[groche]

Thanks Walt,
I respect your knowledge and interest. The creation of the Australorp is a long and complex story. It seems that there are numbers of Orp people on here but no Langshan folk. The two major components are the Orp and I think even more importantly, two types of Langshan. I bred standard Australian Langshans 30 years ago and currently breed black Australian Langshan bantams. These used to be known as Chinese Langshans until Australian breeders got to them. I can assure you that they are terrific layers. They lay well in winter, lay for numbers of years and do so on a quarter less food than an Isa! I could extoll the virtues of the Australian Langshan breed for ages, but I'll spare you! Are you familiar with the Croad Langshan? It was this form that went into the original Cook Orp. It was also brought to Australia early on and went into the Aussie, so it got Croad from both ends. The Croad was/is known for it's combination of egglaying and size, making it an ideal ingredient for Cook's aim to produce the first British Utility chook. BUT, you can't truely understand the Aussie makeup without it's vital, 'magic' ingredient, that which made it the egglaying 'machine' of it's day. This is the so-called "Wakfer' Langshan. This was crucial in forming both the Australorp and the Australian Langshan. The original were a mottley lot, some with feathered feet, which went into our Langshan, and some without, which were added to the Aussie. I've attached an old article on the 'Wakfers" Sure hope no Chinese Americans are offended by the patronising tone towards their ancestors. It's a very old article! Aveca, I've not heard of barring in either our Utility or Exhibition Aussies. Cook used black sports from Barred Rocks to create his Orp. so, of course, the barred gene may be in there somewhere, but I think it's more likely 'commercial interference' from American breeders. I think there's a bit more White Leghorn in the birds than is generally credited. Can't see how the white in chicken feathers can be explained by any other ingredient. I presume that yours, being based on our Utilities are the same. Some breeders here advise to cull any chickens with more than an inch of white in the flights. Plus, both the Australorp and Leghorn were largely superceded here commercially by a cross between the two. Are you sure you're accurate in describing the Cook Orp. as being a poor layer. It did achieve fame and wide distribution and was designed as the first Utility bird. Not saying it was a great layer, but the poor-laying Orp. is the result of 'interference' for showy exhibition purposes, of Joseph Partington. Please feel free to correct me on any of this. Cheers Geoff from Aus

 

[galanie]

yes , walt is right, the australian utilty orpington,.i never could figure out how they knew that crossing such a poor egg layer with other breeds could creat a record egg layer, and it did..they used croad langshan and langshan clean legged that breeders were culling , leghorn , barred rock and cooks black orpington..one of our hens molted and her head came back with a little barring..its all interesting to me too....one problem they experience with australias version is too much of a v shape and too up on the legg, they cull those, also they see red webbing between the toes , they consider that a fault..but when they get it right , they are beautiful birds.... they did not have us version to work with , that is why they look a little different than ours, i think later on more rock and leghorn were added in us, australians then added more langshan..befor they were inducted into the australian standard, queensland held out their vote, they wanted it written that the birds must retain a tighter feather so that they would be different not a smaller orpington..

As an owner of Orpingtons for 3 years now, of all qualities, I have to contest to statement "poor layers" LOL. Though my best show quality hen *is* the poorest layer because she goes broody so much. Incidentally I mentioned the wrong book before. I was Cooks' "The Practical Poultry Breeder or How to Make Poultry Pay" that I was thinking of. It's a great read and he does have a section where he just goes on and on about Orpingtons but his general breeding advice and experience is very interesting http://archive.org/stream/cu31924003167412#page/n225/mode/2up

PS: Mr. Cook does refer to the Langshan as a super layer!

 

[ronott1]

Quote: Aveca did not say yours were poor layers. She was talking about a breed of Orps that are probably extinct that were in Australia. When you had to bring the chickens via sailing ships, you worked with what you had LOL.

I am sure yours are a lot different from the ones in Austaralia 200 years ago.

 

[galanie]

The breed hadn't been created yet 200 years ago but I know what you're saying. See the end of grouche's post. I consider Aveca a BYC friend and know she's not talking about my birds in particular. Maybe I haven't read the history of the Australorp enough but I'd no idea that the ones in Australia at that time were extremely poor layers. They weren't poor layers in England and they weren't in the USA.

 

[huppfarm]

Each bird molts differently, there really doesnt seem to be any set pattern of time, when it starts or ends, I really dont like molt but its natures way of loosing old sun fadded feathers and giving them a fine new coat for the next season of attracting breeding mates.
My males seem to make the biggest messes but of course they are kept in individual pens so have no chance to let old feathers fly in the wind as do the females who we let freerange in the daytime.

We are lucky to sell all the chickens we bring to the fair every year, only due to the care we take in keeping them in top notch conditions, which make them very attractive and desirable and the folks seem to eat them up .

 

[aveca]

As an owner of Orpingtons for 3 years now, of all qualities, I have to contest to statement "poor layers" LOL. Though my best show quality hen *is* the poorest layer because she goes broody so much. Incidentally I mentioned the wrong book before. I was Cooks' "The Practical Poultry Breeder or How to Make Poultry Pay" that I was thinking of. It's a great read and he does have a section where he just goes on and on about Orpingtons but his general breeding advice and experience is very interesting http://archive.org/stream/cu31924003167412#page/n225/mode/2up
PS: Mr. Cook does refer to the Langshan as a super layer!

.. my australorp hens are like cartoon characters when it comes to egg laying. 4 hens at the moment, i swear i walk in there some days and there are 6 eggs..howd that happen ? .i have very few orps to compare to...in one of those old books standard bred orpington or shell to showroom, it said all of the breeders were in that day complaining about the poor egg laying qualities of the blk orps. so they created the utilityorpington..or australorp..in england and us hat heries somewhat recreated them using not blk sport barred but plain barred rock..i will find that page and copy it but im on break at work right now..they made mention that the white orps wete the best egg layer of the bunch..

great post geoff..

 

[CarolynF]

hello,

I have some BA pullets that are 13wks old. I have 11 total, there is 5 of these pullets that will not stop pulling out tail feathers then they eat the feathers. I thought they may be lacking something, so I added shells and protein. The other six birds have feathers. These birds are hatchery birds, but i do not understand this action. I have other breeds and have never had this. They have plenty of room and food, they seem to just do it for fun. I have no idea how to stop this if i can get some advice that would be nice. They just started this the last couple weeks. i want to breed some of them with a BA rooster i have, and some to a black/lav orpington split.

Hi... excuse me for interrupting, but are you connected to RainCreek in Port Orchard?

 

[RainyDayChicken]

Hi... excuse me for interrupting, but are you connected to RainCreek in Port Orchard?

hello,

I am not connected to RainCreek at all. However, I do know Pam. I also live in Port Orchard.

Thank you,
Richard