australorps

Luca · **Posted:** Fri Aug 17, 2007 8:29 am

Hi there

I am looking to breed some utility australorps (not for show) but am new to the breed and breeding generally. I have 10 mature laying australorps but they are much smaller than the ones I've see at the shows. I wondered whether they are true australorps or black hybrids. How can I tell the difference?

thanks

Peacocks Australia · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2002 9:14 am **Posts:** 310755

Hello Luca, WELCOME TO THE FORUM we hope you find the forum Informative and helpful.

Australorp, there is Std and Bantam.

The original stock used in the development of the Australorp was imported from England out of the Black Orpington yards of William Cook and Joseph Partington in the period from 1890 to the early 1900s. Local breeders used this stock together with judicious out-crossings of Minorca, White Leghorn and Langshan blood to improve the utility features of the imported Orpingtons. There is even a report of some Plymouth Rock blood also being used. The emphasis of the early breeders was on utility features. At this time, the resulting birds were known as Black Utility Orpingtons. (Wikipedia)

We do not keep this variety but hope this helps, one of the Members should be able to help more.

Thanks
Peacocks Australia :lol:

snowbald · **Posted:** Mon Aug 20, 2007 11:33 pm

Hi Luca,
Welcome. I breed Australorps of show variety and it's a constant selection of your breeders for type and size. If your birds were from bantam stock then obviously they would be small. However if your bird were large Australorps and left to their own breeding, over a period of time they will loose size.

Any bird that does not conform to size with me will be discarded and never bred from, and over the years I have found that the hen is more responsible for passing on size than the rooster.

Hope this is of some help, I'm sure there's others out there who will advise you as well.Best of luck,
Snowball. :-D

Luca · **Posted:** Wed Aug 22, 2007 6:24 pm

Thanks Snowball. I have noticed some of my hens are bigger than others. Also I have some with yellow irises instead of black. Is this a normal australorp characterstic?

snowbald · **Posted:** Wed Aug 22, 2007 8:32 pm

Hi Luca, One of the first thing you should notice with Australorps is their black eye, however you will see some birds look at you at a certain angle, especially when their looking up, and you will see some yellow, I don't worry about this unless it is noticable all the time.

Regarding your hens ---- breed from the largest birds if they ae true to type, remember you can breed size into them and at the same time breed faults :!:

Good luck with your breeding programe,regards,
Snowball :-D

bunyanuternie · **Joined:** Wed Jul 11, 2007 10:31 pm **Posts:** 2903

I was have a read at lunchtime ,as their was a fair bit of discussion around Aussies lately I thought this would be one to keep going

Tahir · **Posted:** Wed Jul 09, 2008 10:22 am

the hens from county lodge were a bit bigger than bantams but smaller than large, so i guess they were just an egg laying strain or something. my show quality australorp bantam pullets lay around the same eggs even though they are half the size.

I reckon that the bantam australorps are great layers if you live in suburbia

bunyanuternie · **Joined:** Wed Jul 11, 2007 10:31 pm **Posts:** 2903

I think a "Must Have" item , for any Australorpe Breeder , whether breeding for Eggs ,showing,Tablebirds or fun is a Great Book called
"The Australorpe" by Ray Connor . It is from the Doyens of Poultry Series and Ray connor is the man ,when it comes to knowledge of fowls ,particularly the Australorpe , It's a great breed reference , and worth every cent .

Tahir · **Posted:** Wed Jul 09, 2008 1:15 pm

If it's a must book, then i'll have to get it

but first i need the money [smilie=a_doh.gif]

County Lodge · **Posted:** Wed Jul 09, 2008 3:06 pm

All that series of poultry books are very good. I have the one on sussex. I wanted the one on austalorps but didn't have enough money on me at Beaudesert feature show recently

Even though I do not breed Australorps or any other big breed for that matter I would like to know all the details if possible. Then I would not get taken for a ride at a later stage by people who are not totally honest.

AUSTRALIAN POULTRY FORUM™

australorps

Who is on the Forum