Australorp white feather

[Anonymous]

Hi
I have recently bought 7 Austalorp pullets at 11 weeks. Each have one white feather in their wing. The breeder assures me that that will fall out as adults however I just wondered if anyone knew any more about this and why? I viewed the parents and neither exhibit this trait. Many thanks for your input, I am new to this
Karon

 

[Tim]

Hi Karon,

I have some Black Australorps and none of them have white feathers in the wing, My Copper Black Marans can sometimes have a white feather on the end of the wing and this isn't desirable for breeding - so I don't breed from these.

Personally I haven't seen this go as the birds get older. I may be wrong but pullets with a white feather in the wing get sold on as 'pet' birds or I keep them for (eating) eggs.

Hope this helps!

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks so much, the breeder told me it is common for the green/black Australorps as this is the more desirable colour than the blue/black colour. Shame as I was considering getting a rooster as I am on an acre near Bribie Island and letting them have a batch but I will do as you suggest and leave them for eggs. They are gr8 pets for my kids. The parents especially the rooster were magnificent with no white at all. I just fell in love with the breed many years ago and finally found someone to sell me a couple of hens. Again, many thanks, I just had that nagging feeling that something about the white tip wasn't right
kind regards
Karon

 

[Tim]

Hi Karon,

The breeder may be right - it is possible they will lose it as they moult and mature, I'm not entirely sure.
What I described is what I do with my Copper Black Marans but very few have a white feather in the wing and that is an undesirable point from the Breed Standard.

That said, if the parents don't have a white feather, the gene for this trait shouldn't be in every bird you hatch - but - if you are a breeder, do you sell these birds on since you don't want to breed with them as you increase your chances of getting more white feathers appearing in future generations..?? Most probably if you are aiming for a breed standard bird.

Adding a cockerel without White Feathers will make a big difference.

I'm a great believer in starting with what you've got - if you hatch chicks next year, you should look at breeding from the birds that don't have white in the feathers, and (guess what) selling the birds with white feathers on as pet quality / for eggs....to improve your line.

Some traits are quite quick to fix over a few generations by simply excluding what you don't want and just watching you don't breed too closely.

Hope this makes sense.!

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Karon,
thanks for asking that question,I enjoyed reading Tim's response,and,until they moult,I guess you'll have to wait and see.
Chooks are harder than dogs,when I first showed my black whippet I was told if he ever had any white to colour it in with a black permanent marker pen .......I never did,he didn't get any white until he was really old and I'd stopped showing him anyway......if I had,it would have come off on the judge .

 

[Anonymous]

it is true that chicks can have white feathers to get good green sheen on black birds. my black pekins are full of white feathers but soon loose them when in first moult.

 

[Tim]

I don't know - but thinking about it, my black Australorps were like that and had a lovely green sheen to them.

 

[Anonymous]

All four of my Aussie pullets have a few white feathers under their wings. I think it's because they have white leghorn blood. The Australian breeders took Black Orpingtons from England and added Leghorn, Minorca and some others to improve them for utility use.