Sexing the Australorp. Mystery or Myth?

[Chelsa'sChicks]

That's what I said. She's got herself flattened out like a pancake and no less than 6 chicks at a time poking their heads out through her wings. She hadn't stopped cackling since the chicks arrived. In a weeks time she won't be able to cover all those chicks. I think I'm going to put a small heat lamp just outside of her nesting box. It's now 27 degrees outside but 55 degrees in the coop. The chicks have finished off a pint of water already and warming up to the chick feed. They must be 3 days old. I never have seen day old chicks go after water like that.

Yes that was my thought that she won't fit them all soon lol. A lamp is a good idea, she sounds like she's going to be a good mama.

 

[BubbaLikesIt]

I think I'm going to get rid of the males right now and give her a more manageable clutch. I could put them in the brooder and see how it goes. That's a bunch of work and more wasted electricity. Are you sure you don't want these fine, top flight roosters?

 

[bruceha2000]

I'm sure but if you don't want to raise them I bet you can give them away free on Craig's List.

 

[BubbaLikesIt]

I'm sure but if you don't want to raise them I bet you can give them away free on Craig's List.

Well, the cat is out of the bag. Ended up with 10 roosters in this deal. I put them out in the shed in a horse trough with a drip water bucket hi-protein feed and a 100 watt heat lamp to call mama. 8 pullets with the mama hen running around the back 40 as we speak. The Postal lady said her mother in law would like the roosters but only when they are big enough to make soup. I told her to bring over 2 #50 pound bags of high protein and we'll talk about it.

 

[bruceha2000]

~ $25 for 10 eating roosters wouldn't be a bad price at all. But why would she only want to make soup with them?

 

[BubbaLikesIt]

~ $25 for 10 eating roosters wouldn't be a bad price at all. But why would she only want to make soup with them?

That's what she does. I think she's got a food truck and this isn't the first time she has bought chickens but not from me. Chicken soup (Sopa de Pollo) and Menudo are big sellers around here on Friday and Saturday nights south of the tracks.

 

[BubbaLikesIt]

~ $25 for 10 eating roosters wouldn't be a bad price at all. But why would she only want to make soup with them?

Honestly, I don't know what the culinary outcome will be for the roosters. Could be grilled or fried. But soup is a big deal around these parts. $12.00 per quart.

 

[BubbaLikesIt]

~ $25 for 10 eating roosters wouldn't be a bad price at all. But why would she only want to make soup with them?

I ought to ask for a couple of bags of laying feed to make up for the electricity.

 

[bruceha2000]

Honestly, I don't know what the culinary outcome will be for the roosters. Could be grilled or fried. But soup is a big deal around these parts. $12.00 per quart.

Wow, that's really decent money!

 

[Little Chicken Girl]

Australorps can be vent sexed (at hatch) or feather sexed before sale.
Many classic egg-layer breeds often are sold pre-sexed. However, not all are and there is no complete guarantee that the person who sexed the chicks you are purchasing is not a 'newbie'.
Although I have had 100% success with females so far, as you have heard, there is a margin for error, even with pre-sexed chicks. Sadly, some customers end up with the short end of the deal... Just make sure that you don't buy 'straight run' if you are concerned about getting male chicks.
Some breeds, like some crested chicks, are extremely rare to find pre-sexed because they are so difficult to gender identify.

Correction: Australorps can NOT be feather sexed. Only crossbreeds with a slow feathering mother and fast feathering father can be feather sexed.