sparkysmum Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 Two of our pekin's chicks are australorps, we think one girl and one boy. They are just lovely and are now just over 6 wks old. We are soooooooo tempted to keep them. However I don't know much about the breed. Does anyone keep them What are they like How big are they At the mo, they seem very sociable & get along just great with all the others but I'd just like to know a bit more. Cheers, Alli x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egglicious Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 Are they bantams or standards? Australorps are calm, docile birds that lay lots of eggs. They are said to be an ideal backyard chicken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted August 25, 2011 Author Share Posted August 25, 2011 Thanks, egglicious, they are standards. Would also love to know how to tell male from female Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 Australorp = Australian Orpington They have all of the docile, laidback friendly nature of the Orpington without the sheer size (black Orps were crossed with other lighter breeds in Australia to create these) they are single combed so it sholuld be quite easy to tell the males from females as they grow up a bit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 They are much sleeker than an orp so less effort needs to go into feather production, so as well as laying more eggs I guess they will mature quicker too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WitchHazel Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 I have an Australorp, large fowl. She is absolutely stunning. Very big, very gentle - completely unaware of her size. she has the most gorgeous eyes. Australorps are a good dual purpose breed, and an Australorp crrrently holds the world record for egg laying. Absolutely fabulous birds. No idea if the Bantams are the same, but I can't see why not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 I have an Australorp, large fowl. She is absolutely stunning. Very big, very gentle - completely unaware of her size. she has the most gorgeous eyes. That'll be her orpington heritage And its the reason LF black orpington girls are my favouritest bird in the whole wide world Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted August 26, 2011 Author Share Posted August 26, 2011 Thanks everyone, I have a sneaky feeling this is another chick I won't be able to part with This wasn't the plan at all Yours sounds gorgeous Witch hazel, hopefully my girl will turn out the same. Alli x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auntielizzie Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 I'm desperate to see some pics now everyone Please Sounds like I might need to put one on my shopping list for next year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mothercarey Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 My two year old black australorp, Daisy, is a total joy. As has been said before, she has the prettiest eyes I've ever seen on a chicken, a lovely nature, gorgeous feathering and a real zest for life. And I believe her to be very clever - she responds to her name, lets you cuddle her, and has learnt which parts of garden are out of bounds. It was also fairly easy to tell at about eight weeks that she was a girl - the comb is quite small on hens, as compared to cocks. I've never actually found her to be a brilliant layer, in all honesty, but that's fine by me. She's never gone broody on me either, which is great! I also acquired her by accident in a batch of fertile eggs under a broody, but am now a total convert. I'd be happy to only have australorps from now on! Here she is as a four week old, with her mummy (Buff orp) and auntie (Bluebell) and then this was last summer (at around a year old). P.S. She also shares my birthday, so is especially precious to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 gorgeous Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pips_pekins Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 When I was deciding between large or bantam I saw some large Australorp. They are lovely but our current garden and set up is better for little girls. If ever we are able to have full size chickens I definitely want one! I love that green sheen against the black. The feathers that my naked neck does have are like that although nowhere near as thick and glossy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 Yes they are top of my list of ' hopefully one day big chicks' as everyone I've ever spoken to says they are just so gentle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted August 26, 2011 Author Share Posted August 26, 2011 Oh mothercarey, your Daisy is just gorgeous Hope that doesn't sound weird I will def be keeping her now assuming one is a girl My black Scots Dumpy has similar colouring & sooooo soft & gentle. They should be good together. Thanks again. Alli x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auntielizzie Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 Thanks for the lovely pics mothercarey - Daisy is beautiful Your buff orp is lovely too Roll on next spring Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mothercarey Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 Thankyou everyone, she's very special to me, bless her. The only lovelier chicken I ever had was her Mummy, Henrietta (the buff orp) who I sadly lost last January to crop impaction (died on the operating table ). Daisy was an only chick, so she and Henny Penny were especially close, even when Daisy was fully grown. When she lost her Mummy, Daisy seemed to turn to me as the next best thing, which is lovely. I recently sent her on a short holiday with a friend who has a huge friendly blue cochin boy (called Cuddles, because he loves them!), and he took something of a shine to Daisy Unbeknownst to me, her eggs went in the incubator and hence Daisy now has a son and a daughter that she's never met, but who I bet will make the most docile and beautiful pets for someone out there when they are sold. I'm even tempted to buy her daughter myself, so I have another chicken as lovely as Daisy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sootydog111 Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 im thinking about getting some chooks and i have considerd getting an australorp bantam but i need to know how high they can jump cause my fence is only about 1 and a half meters tall ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sootydog111 Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 im thinking about getting some chooks and i have considerd getting an australorp bantam but i need to know how high they can jump cause my fence is only about 1 and a half meters tall ? Also would wing clipping help ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted August 30, 2011 Author Share Posted August 30, 2011 Oh mothercarey, what a lovely story about Daisy. She sounds like one, beautiful gal Sootydog , my bantams have on occasion cleared more than 1.5 metres but tbh they're happy just pecking around and for the most part they don't fly. I haven't had any of my chickens wings clipped. Hope this helps. Alli x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
