Hi Ron,
Thank you for your reply, I will keep on keeping on letting the thin shells delete themselves from the incubator group.
Australorps Breeding for SOP and Exhibition Thread
- Thread starter ronott1
- Start date
Hi Ron,
Thank you for your reply, I will keep on keeping on letting the thin shells delete themselves from the incubator group.
ocap, Do you keep free choice oyster shell available? Are the hens getting too hot? Are they stressed? Usually the only time I get thin shells is when it gets extremely hot out. I have fans to help. I also make a decent sized wet spot, then take a water jug that I've frozen the water in, with holes punched in the top portion of the water jug, and lay the jug on it's side on the wet spot. As the ice melts, it drips onto the wet spot, keeping the spot both wet, and cool for hours. I have also put ice, or floated frozen water bottles in their water buckets too. I don't like doing a lot of treats, but cold fruits, or vegetables help too.
I will try all your ideas, thanks
still thinking about thin shells
stress... might be insect or other parasite caused, treating for the unseen
temperature.... will need to be addressed next summer as the fall season has begun here.
diet..... I will be mixing a wet mash of water, layer pellets, high protein feather fixer, and oyster shell in an attempt to force more calcium into their system
australorp specific... I am ignorant of the possibility but inclined to eliminate this trait in an entire breed although the advertisement for ISA Browns claimed a breed of thick shells which led to my initial posting this topic. Please respond if your flock of australorp has had an occasional thin shelled egg (early in the spring, mid season, or fall / winter)
my flock of australorp.... might be the cause, a lifetime project if this is the cause, 1. bring in another line 2. go back to the original breeds that created the australorp to bring in a thicker shell
stress... might be insect or other parasite caused, treating for the unseen
temperature.... will need to be addressed next summer as the fall season has begun here.
diet..... I will be mixing a wet mash of water, layer pellets, high protein feather fixer, and oyster shell in an attempt to force more calcium into their system
australorp specific... I am ignorant of the possibility but inclined to eliminate this trait in an entire breed although the advertisement for ISA Browns claimed a breed of thick shells which led to my initial posting this topic. Please respond if your flock of australorp has had an occasional thin shelled egg (early in the spring, mid season, or fall / winter)
my flock of australorp.... might be the cause, a lifetime project if this is the cause, 1. bring in another line 2. go back to the original breeds that created the australorp to bring in a thicker shell
ocap, What layer feed are you feeding them? While the shells shouldn't be overly thin, they won't be super thick either. You don't want them overly thick if you plan to hatch out any of the eggs, since it makes it hard for the chicks to pip, zip, and get out of them.
Are you recently noticing thinner shells? This is the time of year they should start molting, and molt usually affects production, and often times the shell thickness. Things usually go back to normal when they finish molting, and their new feathers are grown back in.
Be careful to make sure the wet feed doesn't spoil, or mold before it's eaten. Don't overdo it on the calcium either. While the hens may occasionally need a bit more calcium, their feed should have an adequate supply of calcium for the most part, which is why any additional calcium is typically free choice.
During molt, once in awhile, treat them to some canned mackerel, or canned cat food. The animal protein really helps with new feather growth.
While I suspect some of the problem may be due to an overly hot summer this year, and now they should be ready to go into molt, you may also want to check for mites, and, make sure they don't need to be wormed.
Are you recently noticing thinner shells? This is the time of year they should start molting, and molt usually affects production, and often times the shell thickness. Things usually go back to normal when they finish molting, and their new feathers are grown back in.
Be careful to make sure the wet feed doesn't spoil, or mold before it's eaten. Don't overdo it on the calcium either. While the hens may occasionally need a bit more calcium, their feed should have an adequate supply of calcium for the most part, which is why any additional calcium is typically free choice.
During molt, once in awhile, treat them to some canned mackerel, or canned cat food. The animal protein really helps with new feather growth.
While I suspect some of the problem may be due to an overly hot summer this year, and now they should be ready to go into molt, you may also want to check for mites, and, make sure they don't need to be wormed.
Hello Kurt, and Ron. It's been awhile since I've been on, but we are finally in the process of buying a home. God willing, and the creek don't rise, we will close on it next week. We've contacted someone about putting in the posts, and doing the framing on the coop we designed. Of course, we have to move, and get settled in some before we start on the coop, but hopefully the coop will be completed by the end of Oct. I will finally be able to move forward with my breeding program.
I thought that I would show a new pic of mine that was just taken today. The 2 Splashes and the Blue on the left are from the eggs I got from Kurt (Rattlesnake Ridge). The other 3 pullets on the left I bought from Chase, who got his from Chet (Hupp Farms). It is so hard to get a good pic with all of them in, because they don't like to stand still.
Last edited:
BabyBlue, very nice looking flock.
Our coop is coming along nicely. It won't be too much longer, and I can move my flock in.
Our coop is coming along nicely. It won't be too much longer, and I can move my flock in.
Thank you! How do you like your new place?
I thought that I would show a new pic of mine that was just taken today. The 2 Splashes and the Blue on the left are from the eggs I got from Kurt (Rattlesnake Ridge). The other 3 pullets on the left I bought from Chase, who got his from Chet (Hupp Farms). It is so hard to get a good pic with all of them in, because they don't like to stand still.
Be careful in selecting future generations as his brass will be in the majority of next generation. It will take careful selection and a lot of birds to work that out. If you can locate another cock, even a black Australorp you may be better off. I'm a huge fan of Blue varieties and brassiness is a problem to watch for. The other problem with Blue is making sure not to breed out the lacing. It usually only shows in the blue birds, if well laced will show in splash. Care has to be taken to not use non laced birds or you can breed out the lace all together in your flock. By always using a blue bird, with lacing, in matings you can guarantee it's succession in your flock. Good luck in your venture.
Similar threads
New posts New threads Active threads
-
Latest threads
-
-
Is it legal for a public park to release domestic breed ducks?
- Started by madhatterfarms
- Replies: 0
-
Is my baby chick bruising? Is this bad?
- Started by Chicksgowild
- Replies: 0
-
-
Broiler Chickens from April (4 chickens)
- Started by JG_Waterfowler
- Replies: 0
-
-
Threads with more replies in the last 15 days
-
