Australorps Breeding for SOP and Exhibition Thread

[ronott1]

I am so glad I found this thread. My 3 boys are going to start a poultry project for 4H. We have to cull most of our BAs and while I've been reading the SOP, I still am not sure which ones to cull at 6 weeks! I know it's not enough growth time to really get a good idea of what type of bird we've got but we are going to do our best. Perhaps I need to take photos and post them so you all can help!

10 out of 14 pullets need to go! Only the 4 best will stay.

Welcome!

Pleas post the pictures. It is hard sometimes to judge with pictures but we love to try!

 

[ocap]

one of my cockerels has a red spot on one of his feathers about the size of a pea, any comments ?? makes me curious how it could happen.

 

[ronott1]

one of my cockerels has a red spot on one of his feathers about the size of a pea, any comments ?? makes me curious how it could happen.

I hope one of the old times or those from Australia pops in. There was a discussion about red happening sometimes. It comes from some of the Stock used to make the Australorps.

Unless someone has a Black Star of course. I know you do not have those--yours are Australorps.

 

[LynneP]

So you will place the others off your farm? If you are breeding from show lines the ones you do not choose as SOP can still make wonderful chickens for someone else...

 

[getaclue]

I read some of the earlier posts regarding red showing up in the BA's. In at least one of the posts, it mentions that a rooster with the red spots in it's plumage is good to breed back into the gene pool every few generations because it increases the desired green sheen, but not to do that in the case of blues. They also mention to check and make sure there is some copper mentioned in the list of ingredients in the feed.

 

[bonnylass79]

I have had it show up and I suspect it was from a vitamin or mineral deficiency. We were having issues with mites and lice. It didn't come back after they moulted. If it was a permanent issue, I don't know that I would use them for breeding. I have too many other roosters to choose from.

 

[ronott1]

I read some of the earlier posts regarding red showing up in the BA's. In at least one of the posts, it mentions that a rooster with the red spots in it's plumage is good to breed back into the gene pool every few generations because it increases the desired green sheen, but not to do that in the case of blues. They also mention to check and make sure there is some copper mentioned in the list of ingredients in the feed.

That is what I remember too.

I have had it show up and I suspect it was from a vitamin or mineral deficiency. We were having issues with mites and lice. It didn't come back after they moulted. If it was a permanent issue, I don't know that I would use them for breeding. I have too many other roosters to choose from.

Do you think the mites caused a copper deficiency?

 

[bonnylass79]

Do you think the mites caused a copper deficiency?

I think they caused an overal deficiency from all of the blood loss. I was also getting white feathers on my Barnevelders. Treated everyone with permethrin and started spraying the coops every time we clean them. Haven't had any more issues.

 

[ronott1]

I think they caused an overal deficiency from all of the blood loss. I was also getting white feathers on my Barnevelders. Treated everyone with permethrin and started spraying the coops every time we clean them. Haven't had any more issues.

The is a great way to do it!

Mites are terrible things.

 

[bonnylass79]

The is a great way to do it!

Mites are terrible things.

They seem to be getting worse around here. I used to be able to control them with Sevin dust, but it's no longer effective. The permithrin works really well though.