Do you Think my Australorps are Show Quality?

[elizabethjg]

Im pretty sure they are Australorps... got them from a breeder in Perth. What makes you think they could be Black Orpingtons?

Because they are very round and fluffy. But if you got them from a breeder they are probably just high quality Australorps.

 

[waddles99]

Here is a good visual in determining the difference between black australorps and black orpingtons. Just because a bird is "round and fluffy" doesn't quite make it an orpington. Granted, orpingtons are far more deep and thick than australorps, but there is definetly a difference. Australorps are a larger bird too, keep in mind. But a good quality orpington will have a much deeper body as well as a much shorter back than the birds you posted. It is my observation that what you have are australorps.

Black Australorp: Black Orpington:

 

[AustralorpsAU]

These photos were also from a couple of months ago when they had all their fluffy feather! They have lost quite a lot of them now! Maybe Australorps over here have a slightly different shape to ones where you guys live because i also just got three 8 week olds and their parents looked very similar to mine as in pretty large.

 

[AustralorpsAU]

And if you have a look at the Black orpington in the picture in this link they are definitely much fluffier!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orpington_chicken

 

[AustralorpsAU]

Maybe a better title would have been do you think they are worth breeding from?

 

[Matt1616]

Here is a good visual in determining the difference between black australorps and black orpingtons. Just because a bird is "round and fluffy" doesn't quite make it an orpington. Granted, orpingtons are far more deep and thick than australorps, but there is definetly a difference. Australorps are a larger bird too, keep in mind. But a good quality orpington will have a much deeper body as well as a much shorter back than the birds you posted. It is my observation that what you have are australorps. Black Australorp: Black Orpington:

Actually an Orpington is a much larger bird than an Australorp. If you see an Australorp that is larger than quality Orpingtons then you Australorp are way to large. I have raised both for years. Matt

 

[AustralorpsAU]

Actually an Orpington is a much larger bird than an Australorp. If you see an Australorp that is larger than quality Orpingtons then you Australorp are way to large. I have raised both for years.


Matt

I have actaully never come across Orpingtons so i don't know exactly how big they are. Mine aren't humongous, like i see in orpingtons but they are large birds.

They are nothing like these

 

[Fred's Hens]

Maybe a better title would have been do you think they are worth breeding from?

One of the greatest benefits from entering a top notch, stiff competition show is what one learns. How else can one really learn? Where else can one see a couple dozen of the finest bred birds of the breed assembled in one place, side by side, to be judged and exhibited and enjoyed? Nowhere else.

So many backyarder keepers have such misled and uninformed understanding of what a chicken show is and fail to grasp the benefits that can derived from attending and yes, even registering their own birds. People ask all time, "Do you think these are good quality?" "Do you think these birds are show worthy?" "Do you think these of quality to breed for high quality offspring?" Yet, 99.9% of those asking have never seen a quality bird, attended a top notch show nor seen or understand the process of judging the fowl against the standard against which the birds are judged and placed.

All some of us can do is keep on inviting people to take a part, a small part or giant leap and get into this hobby to learn more than they ever could imagine or could learn from a forum focused primarily on backyard birds which are largely just "pets with benefits". The real "experts" simply aren't on internet forums generally and not here specifically. You find them, in the flesh, talking birds, in the aisles of a major show. I know Australia has magnificent birds in several breeds, with 'Lorps being one for obvious reasons.

 

[AustralorpsAU]

One of the greatest benefits from entering a top notch, stiff competition show is what one learns. How else can one really learn? Where else can one see a couple dozen of the finest bred birds of the breed assembled in one place, side by side, to be judged and exhibited and enjoyed? Nowhere else.

So many backyarder keepers have such misled and uninformed understanding of what a chicken show is and fail to grasp the benefits that can derived from attending and yes, even registering their own birds. People ask all time, "Do you think these are good quality?" "Do you think these birds are show worthy?" "Do you think these of quality to breed for high quality offspring?" Yet, 99.9% of those asking have never seen a quality bird, attended a top notch show nor seen or understand the process of judging the fowl against the standard against which the birds are judged and placed.

All some of us can do is keep on inviting people to take a part, a small part or giant leap and get into this hobby to learn more than they ever could imagine or could learn from a forum focused primarily on backyard birds which are largely just "pets with benefits". The real "experts" simply aren't on internet forums generally and not here specifically. You find them, in the flesh, talking birds, in the aisles of a major show. I know Australia has magnificent birds in several breeds, with 'Lorps being one for obvious reasons.

Thanks for that reply... there aren't too many poultry shows in south west australia but the next time there is one i will attend! Thanks again