Evaluating My Blue Australorp Cockerels

[Windrider]

Any more opinions on who is looking promising?

Specifically, for any breeder of blues, should I be worrying about that dark wash on their backs at this age or is that just a chick feather thing?

Well, you know a heck of a lot more about chickens than I do, but in every picture I've seen of blue roosters of any breed, the back, hackles, and saddles are much darker than the belly. The hens always look a bit more uniform except for a darker blue head. You sure the "dark wash" on theirs backs isn't just that contrasting cockerel color coming in early?

(Can you tell I've been researching my next pullets and like the blue ones?)

 

[3KillerBs]

Well, you know a heck of a lot more about chickens than I do, but in every picture I've seen of blue roosters of any breed, the back, hackles, and saddles are much darker than the belly. The hens always look a bit more uniform except for a darker blue head. You sure the "dark wash" on theirs backs isn't just that contrasting cockerel color coming in early?

(Can you tell I've been researching my next pullets and like the blue ones?)

View attachment 2925094

They got that wash as soon as they feathered out.

I don't know what a really good blue is supposed to look like.

 

[Windrider]

I don't know what a really good blue is supposed to look like.

I don't either! That is what Google is for!

I stole this pic off of a site that claimed to be breeding winning show stock, so I assume this is a quality Blue Australorp:

 

[3KillerBs]

@Amer, since you explained the coloring so well in re: my girls, would you mind weighing in on my boys?

 

[Amer]

Most of them have excellent type, though yellow isn’t as good. Really nice wide backs. I like the green the best but red probably has better type. I would get rid of yellow now but wait for the others to develop more.

 

[3KillerBs]

Most of them have excellent type, though yellow isn’t as good. Really nice wide backs. I like the green the best but red probably has better type. I would get rid of yellow now but wait for the others to develop more.

Thank you.

I'm trying to pick some of both the males and the female for sale to cut the weekly feed bill a bit.

There aren't a lot of Blue Australorps available so I figured I'd give a few of the boys the chance to be something other than a chicken dinner.

 

[3KillerBs]

I decided to sell Yellow and Black: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/blue-australorps-in-central-north-carolina.1504505/