Red australorp

[InsanePoultryFarmer]

I'm considering starting a breeding program to develop red australorps because I love the australorp traits, characteristics and temperament but love the red color. My question is how would one go about breeding the red color into australorps? What color australorps would be best to use?

 

[The Moonshiner]

I'm considering starting a breeding program to develop red australorps because I love the australorp traits, characteristics and temperament but love the red color. My question is how would one go about breeding the ewd color into australorps? What color australorps would be best to use?

What color australorps are available?

 

[InsanePoultryFarmer]

What color australorps are available?

From what I can find is the standard blacks then white and blue

 

[The Moonshiner]

Blues are based off of blacks with the blue gene added. I'd have to assume whites are black based with recessive white.
I wouldn't use white since they're recessive. The recessive gene could go sight unseen so it could keep popping back up unless you did test breeding.
Blue wouldn't be as bad but I'd just use blacks. They're so many more blacks around that you'd surely find better quality ones.

 

[3KillerBs]

From what I can find is the standard blacks then white and blue

White Australorps are extremely rare. Blacks and Blues are far more common.

I wonder if it might be good to start with Production Blues, which are a cross between Rhode Island Reds and Blue Australorps? That would take care of your F1 cross so you don't have to start absolutely from scratch.

But I don't understand the genetics of red to know how you'd get rid of the blue or black so that only the red showed.

 

[Sally PB]

Interesting! I hope someone expert in color/genetics chimes in. A red Australorp might be lovely!

 

[Amer]

I don’t see why you don’t try another breed first? Have you ever owned New Hampshire Reds, Red Orpingtons, Buckeyes, Red Sussex, or standard bred Rhode Island Reds? They might have the same traits and personality as Australorps but with the same coloring. Plus, you can adjust temperament and productivity to your liking more easily than creating a new variety of a breed.

 

[InsanePoultryFarmer]

White Australorps are extremely rare. Blacks and Blues are far more common.

I wonder if it might be good to start with Production Blues, which are a cross between Rhode Island Reds and Blue Australorps? That would take care of your F1 cross so you don't have to start absolutely from scratch.

But I don't understand the genetics of red to know how you'd get rid of the blue or black so that only the red showed.

I was thinking similar about using blues

 

[InsanePoultryFarmer]

Blues are based off of blacks with the blue gene added. I'd have to assume whites are black based with recessive white.
I wouldn't use white since they're recessive. The recessive gene could go sight unseen so it could keep popping back up unless you did test breeding.
Blue wouldn't be as bad but I'd just use blacks. They're so many more blacks around that you'd surely find better quality ones.

You are correct and I agree

 

[InsanePoultryFarmer]

I don’t see why you don’t try another breed first? Have you ever owned New Hampshire Reds, Red Orpingtons, Buckeyes, Red Sussex, or standard bred Rhode Island Reds? They might have the same traits and personality as Australorps but with the same coloring. Plus, you can adjust temperament and productivity to your liking more easily than creating a new variety of a breed.

Yes I have have most of the common breeds and varieties for I have raised and bred for 2 decades and have found australorps to meet all my requirements and I believe that that australorps could be very useful in the egg production market but are handicap because they cant be used to produce sexlink which as we all know is very much preferred. And I just like a challenge