Australorps breed Thread

[galanie]

As my little girls are feathering out, they're all looking alike so I'm trying to find something to distinguish them apart, may use Marks-a-Lot on a specific toenail (8 girls, 8 toenails, perfect), not sure it won't wear off in the sand.  The runt is still a runt but she's turning out to be the bully of the coop.  Nobody ever picked on her so what's gotten into her?

Like the thought of a colored soda straw.  Imagining using small fingernail scissors to cut the straw in a long spiral cut and threading it on a leg.

Not liking the sound of toe-punching?  What is that?!!?

Does anyone have a photo of the velcro banding?  Not sure how it sticks to itself since it takes two different strips.  Maybe I'm just being thick this morning. 

Someone posted that they bought the velcro at a fabric store but honestly, I got mine at a hardware store. They sell multicolored velcro cable ties and that's what I use when I need to band. Probably be cheaper at the fabric store but you're right, it would take two pieces. Just sew a bit of one side backwards onto the other side like it has a hook side and a loop side. Sew hook side (hook is J) to loop side (P) so they're facing opposite each other JP. let a 1/2 inch hang out one side and the other end you can cut as you need it.

 

[galanie]

to AVECA
Did adding in the Orp loosten the feathering up? Just curious. I was considering having a "utility" flock of Australorps and as you know, I love my Orps.

 

[KnobbyOaks]

Someone posted that they bought the velcro at a fabric store but honestly, I got mine at a hardware store. They sell multicolored velcro cable ties and that's what I use when I need to band. Probably be cheaper at the fabric store but you're right, it would take two pieces. Just sew a bit of one side backwards onto the other side like it has a hook side and a loop side. Sew hook side (hook is J) to loop side (P) so they're facing opposite each other JP. let a 1/2 inch hang out one side and the other end you can cut as you need it.

Thank you, that's what I was sort of figuring.

Velcro cable ties!!! Of course, I even have some of those.

 

[fowlman01]

Hi Aveca,
I'm not aware of the Cook Orp. being a particularly poor layer in Australia. I think it may have been more the case that they were poor compared with some of the really good laying breeds which became available eg. Langshans. There was much competition to produce top laying strains at the time and there's no doubt in my mind that various breeders added bits of their own to the mix. As I've said, I think ther's more Leghorn in there than is often credited. But re the Langshan influence, I found the above pics, reproduced in Ray Connor's book, worth a close look. Firstly, with the cocks, you can see why some early commentators suggested that in creating the Australorp, we had, in conformation at least, reproduced the Cook Orp.I think you'll agree there's no major difference. Apart from the 'American' cock. Am I wrong in thinking someone's spraypainted the top half of a Sussex black and stuck it on top of an Australorp? If this is what we sent you to work with, I marvel at the skill of American breeders in producing what you have! I doubt I've seen a worse Aussie back! The girls tell us a bit more. The bottom left 1937 pic shows a coarse bird that, once again appears to be two different breeds stuck together. A good match for ugliness for 'your' cock! The 1940 model is a far more refined bird, but there is strong Langshan imput here. The upright comb and V-shaped tail are strong Langshan features. Our Aussie Standard calls for the comb to follow the outline of the neck. This is starting to happen with the 1943 girl in the middle pic. She's a nice girl who looks similar to, and better than many of our modern birds. The 1950 'American' girl is far too pretty to be with that ugly bugger! Her tail is a bit more 'Langshany' than the Australian bird, but you could breed some nice birds from her.
You posted a while ago that some Australians had contacted you trying to track down some of the Utility blood we sold you to get some back. Well, there are purportedly only 5 strains of pure Utilities left here. Finally managed to track down a single pullet from the strain of Charles Judson, who was involved with the development of the Australorp from very early on. See Ray's book p. 20. To me she looks better than most of our Utility 'Aussies'.She oughta, she cost me more at 16 weeks than purebred POL show quality pullets! Wanted her to improve laying in my birds and to tighten up the thigh feather. Somehow slipped my fading mind that feathering comes more from the male side. Now I've got to chase up a roo. Another pen!!! Will post pics soon.
Cheers Geoff from Aus

That female in the bottom left has the strangest stance I have ever seen in a chicken.

Walt

 

[fowlman01]

Im not keen on toe punch either..dont know why, I just dont like it..For some reason I can tell them apart. Just subtle things but then I never have that many of them..

Geoff these really are a work in progress here..

hes sun basking, I go out to take a pic and they all dissappear up into the orchard. It was just for my own personal taste , but I was trying to move toward the australian look..l used some english orp , didnt dwell on it.. liked the look of the tail,rounder body .. then back into the thicker hackle feather australorps but its just the way I wanted to play with it..sadly had a weasale attack earlier this year, ..lost some real good birds..One of my freinds added clean legged langshan and the results were very interesting..few if any leg feathering they were smaller culls with might be a cross there in the future..we were just trying to kind of follow the route australia used best as we knew it..




one of the SOP hens..




he literally wore feathers off trying to be under mom all of the time.



and there he goes



the bigger ones are baby black orps, the little ones are baby aussies , you can see some of those babies are pretty rotund..they are australorp. My freind is thrilled with these, so he is going to play with them as I have other irons in the fire right now.. We have been plugging away with these for quite a few years..hes very dedicated..he also plays with an american breed..so we will be kind of working together, but Like I said, I have other things going on.. the tails are really looking lot like your avatar..for a couple years the hackles were little thin, but now shorter thicker .. right now this cockeral and some of the others are at his house , so next time I go over I will get some pics ..

Very good feather width on the second picture of the SOP female Aveca.

Walt

 

[aveca]

to AVECA
Did adding in the Orp loosten the feathering up? Just curious. I was considering having a "utility" flock of Australorps and as you know, I love my Orps.

Yes , very much, but its being tamped down quite a bit, thou it wasnt as bad as I anticipated... they were far too large also so working that back as well...its interesting for sure..that one little man came out as you can see with the tight feather rounder body bone straight legs when viewed front and back..he is just nice..hes over at my freinds right now..they have a pen set up for him...I havnt seen him in a couple months ..But when I get over, I will get some pics..

Thanks Walt, I keep that hen in with the SOP rooster in breeding season..thats a terrible shot of her ..she produces little mini me's every year....she has a small fishtail in front of comb but the rooster corrects that in the chicks..still have to bring the comb points back from 7 to 4 - 6..she is kind of a charcol color , keeps the green high in the offspring. I did get a couple of suprises , and as they grew I said well lookie there..kind of stunning..someday I will show pics..that hen also has some lacing..in the right light

 

[Kansas Prairie]

ChickenForum.com posted the following on Facebook.



Chicken Forum "Some black Australorp roos from the "Photo A Day" thread!"

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

ChickenForum.com posted the following on Facebook.



Chicken Forum "Some black Australorp roos from the "Photo A Day" thread!"

I saw that! It cracked me up. My rooster Max was very offended by this, tho

 

[aveca]

Galani, I thought, when the orp breeders wanted to get as large as can be, they bred to big strapping hens, I had to go to smaller hens to bring the size back down..trickey but it was working..the cockeral you see is normal weight range and so were the rest..One was looking like it might go too big..but weasles got it..we are just going to keep playing with it..I just have to get a pic of those langshan crosses, I was stunned when I saw them.. I thought the tails were going to be a squrll tail mess, but they wernt..so suprise..i wasnt expecting to see what I did. in my opinion they are too big at this point but always a work in progress..

My freind really understands what hes after , much more than I ..He will breed these all for 2 years or so, try to set things in and shut it down..

 

[galanie]

Since Langshans were used to develop the Orpington, and the Orp was the forerunner of the Australorp, who had further Langshan blood introduced, I can see that working well! Mr. Cook considered the Langshan to be the foundation of his original black orps. He loved them but couldn't stand the foot feathering because of the potential problems that might cause.

ETA: The only real problem he had with Langshans besides this, and with most American breeds, were that they were too small to make a decent table bird, in his opinion, because too much emphasis was put on laying. Which makes me chuckle when I think of the Australorp and the reasons it was developed - FROM his Orpingtons.