Surviving Minnesota!

[duluthralphie]

@duluthralphie YAY on the article, congrats! and ...what are Minnesota Australorps? Are they a different color than the black?

They are something I am working on. I want a black Australorp with a pea, rose or cushion comb, I have been crossing with a Black EE hen I had a few years back. I am now crossing the third generation back into the BA's. I want to get a little lighter colored egg and still keep the small comb.

I have taken the advice of the sage of this thread EJB and will eventually get rid of all single comb birds, the winter trimming is just too hard on them up here, IMHO.

 

[holm25]

This is called "learning by trial and error though life experiences"... So many people are unable to learn and keep making the same mistake over and over, Surprisingly most own waterfowl.. Grats on getting rid of them.

Lol MinnesotaNice came 3½ hours to get her Muscovys!

 

[duluthralphie]

Lol MinnesotaNice came 3½ hours to get her Muscovys!

Proving some people have a much lower angle on their learning curve.....

 

[duluthralphie]

BTW Should I be making a quarantine area for Mr T?

 

[Siggie]

They are something I am working on. I want a black Australorp with a pea, rose or cushion comb, I have been crossing with a Black EE hen I had a few years back. I am now crossing the third generation back into the BA's. I want to get a little lighter colored egg and still keep the small comb.

I have taken the advice of the sage of this thread EJB and will eventually get rid of all single comb birds, the winter trimming is just too hard on them up here, IMHO.

Very cool! When you get them how you like them, I would like a few no hurry though I have my hands full right now - LOL!

 

[holm25]

BTW Should I be making a quarantine area for Mr T?

Not quite yet. I am going to see what happens. If I cant get anything from this hen I may just say heck with it and u can take him.

 

[duluthralphie]

Very cool! When you get them how you like them, I would like a few no hurry though I have my hands full right now - LOL!

I am actually letting a few out now, to see what others think. They are basically a barnyard mix in most peoples eyes. But I like them, the key will be when I keep a rooster over winter and see what it does, I have not done that yet. I have only kept hens to breed them back to BA's.

 

[holm25]

I do have a question Ralph? Are u going to find some SOP Australorps to get these birds to the standard size? Does Mr. Urch have Australorp?

 

[duluthralphie]

One of the reasons I am not happy with them is the size. They are just too small as adults for me. I am hoping I can get them bigger and not lose the comb. Time will tell.
I may try to find a good source of BA's in the future. Mine right now are all hatchery quality so there is no reason to try and make them SOP. It would take too many generations I think.

If I had half the knowledge of say, Jerry, it would be so much easier...

 

[KlopKlop]

my chickens and I are all getting tired of this rain!