Blue Australorp Boys at 14 Weeks -- Updated with Better Photos of the Candidates. And Weights.

[3KillerBs]

I was getting photos for the Craigslist ad and, while I couldn't get good individual shots, I managed to get a fair number of photos of the boys.

In my previous thread y'all recommended culling Yellow for bad type and at this point I can really see it. He's got the most amazing, beautiful sickle feathers and a really pretty pale color, but watching him walk around he seems leggy, rangy, and narrow.

Red and Green, the two top candidates are quite different in color, with Red lighter and Green the Darkest of the bunch. Both are much beefier than Yellow with generous width in the chest. I don't have actual weights, but in throwing them out the nests every evening I *think* that Green is the heaviest.

Black, the other for-sale is almost completely unremarkable, as is Pink, the back-up in case Red and Green don't work out.

 

[BlueBaby]

I'd look for the darkest colored leg's, pink on bottom of feet, and the best feather lacing.

 

[3KillerBs]

I paid close attention to the leg bands just now as I did the nightly ritual of chucking the chicks out of the nests*.

I was right that Green and Red are solid and heavy in the hand -- I'll get actual weights before I make any decisions.

Yellow, as anticipated, was significantly lighter and felt bonier.

Black was more solid than Yellow, but definitely smaller than Green and Red.

Pink, though undistinguished in photos, is weighty in the hand with a pleasing heft to him.

 

[3KillerBs]

* I do know how to stop that. I just have to do other work on the coop before I can add another roost at the same height as the ones the adults are using.

 

[Windrider]

I know you posted this to get experienced opinions about your boys, but I am not experienced and kept getting distracted by the girls! Like, that in that first pic, I was thinking, "that pullet to the right sure has nice breast lacing," or in the third pic, " that dark girl to the right is so gorgeous." I also think the very light pullet in the third pic is stunning, even if that coloring isn't considered correct.

The boys are still at that awkward immature cockerel stage, but the girls are starting to look like proper ladies!

 

[3KillerBs]

I know you posted this to get experienced opinions about your boys, but I am not experienced and kept getting distracted by the girls! Like, that in that first pic, I was thinking, "that pullet to the right sure has nice breast lacing," or in the third pic, " that dark girl to the right is so gorgeous." I also think the very light pullet in the third pic is stunning, even if that coloring isn't considered correct.

The boys are still at that awkward immature cockerel stage, but the girls are starting to look like proper ladies!

Alas, the pullet with the best lacing is a Blue Rock.

She's sold now.

 

[3KillerBs]

The boys were not happy with me stalking them to get photos, but I mostly succeeded.

Pink

Green

Pink again

Green again

(That's Yellow photoboming -- he's gangly and narrow so he's already eliminated)

Green again

Red was particularly elusive.

And Green again, trying to capture his lacing.

I'll stuff them into carriers tonight and see if I can get weights and better photos tomorrow morning.

 

[3KillerBs]

And weights.

Red is largest: 86.8 oz (5.42lbs)

Green is almost as big: 85.3 oz (5.33lbs)

Pink is lagging: 81.4 oz (5.08)

There is a little uncertainty about Red's weight because I hadn't hit on the best way to weigh a cockerel with the first one and he was jumping up and down in the bucket. My fish scale doesn't react well to that.

(To weigh a cockerel: Take a flour-sack towel, put a fold over his head and wrap the rest around his wings in a mummy-wrap tight enough that he can't flap but not so tight that he can't breathe. Put wrapped bird into a bucket and weigh bird and bucket together).

 

[3KillerBs]

Unless some Australorp expert wants to tell me that Pink is a really gorgeous specimen of excellent type (which I doubt), he's going up for sale and Green and Red will be my candidates for Australorp flockmaster.