Pick Two of Three

[3KillerBs]

15-week-old Blue Australorp cockerels. All these boys were identified as such with noteworthy combs at 3-weeks-old -- no stealth cockerels among them.

I know which two I like best and why -- and I'll reveal it later -- but I value the input of people who are more experienced because I'm a beginner at breeding and have no experience in this area of endeavor.

Please explain why you voted as you did so that I can learn to better evaluate my birds.

Pink

Weight: 81.4 oz (5.08lbs)

Red

Weight: 86.8 oz (5.42lbs)


Green

Weight: 85.3 oz (5.33lbs)

 

[Bonkerelli]

Think the two out of the three you should keep are the the most developed/mature ones. Or the two mildest tempers. Nice deep red combs, walks like they own the world, color and placement of feathers. Depend if you want to breed them.. look for attributes you want to pass on to future chicks. If I had to pick.. red & green bands.

 

[3KillerBs]

My poll has gone missing!

 

[3KillerBs]

If I had to pick.. red & green bands.

Could you please explain why?

 

[Windrider]

I only have knowledge of the breed and color based on reading, but for what its worth I like green the best. He has very nice breast lacing - the other two aren't even close. They look, I don't know... spotty?... but he has nice rich hackles and saddles coming in. His two-sickle-feather tail is a bit ridiculous right now, but that will surely change in a hurry.

I'm just an admirer of your flock, but hopefully you'll get some feedback from experienced people.

 

[Bonkerelli]

Could you please explain why?

Overall all 3 look great but those 2 have redder combs ( least from the pictures). Good feather development, look like a decent size, and nice thick legs... overall the look great. I'm more partial to temperament.. so that would be a factor.

 

[3KillerBs]

Overall all 3 look great but those 2 have redder combs ( least from the pictures). Good feather development, look like a decent size, and nice thick legs... overall the look great. I'm more partial to temperament.. so that would be a factor.

At 15 weeks I can't say anything definitive about temperament

For what it's worth, I don't make pets out of cockerels (or the hens, really), and they're being raised with adult hens, older pullets, and an older "rooster" (7-month-cockerel who is shaping up very nicely).

(Said cockerel is a Black Langshan, who will get to father some of the general egg-laying flock, but I want to end up with a Blue Australorp male to maintain a line of purebreds).

 

[3KillerBs]

Anyone else want to comment before I give my uneducated opinion and explain my reasons so that more knowledgeable people can tell me that I got it wrong (or got it right, but only accidentally )?

 

[Mrs. K]

I like the green best, but I think that is because I like darker colored roosters. I would like to see a video of them walking away from you or you to the side of them?

When you hold them, you do see the feathers up close, but skeletal is shown a bit more in the walk on the ground.

However, I am no judge of any birds.

Mrs K

 

[Fallenone05]

I like green best too! I love his darker plumage.