Chicken Breeds: All About Australorps
Even many chicken enthusiasts have not heard about Australorps. This is somewhat of a surprise and shame, because it’s a wonderful breed of chicken with many great qualities. Here is a little bit about it, and why it would be a good addition to any home or farm.
This large breed is black, with black legs and black eyes. They are known for their beautiful, shiny feathers, which can look green in the sunlight. Often people confuse them with the Black Jersey Giant, but there are two noticeable differences. For one, the Australorp is smaller, weighing between 6 to 9 pounds, depending on if it’s a hen or a rooster. They also differ from Black Jersey Giants in the color of the bottoms of their feet. Jerseys have yellow on their feet, whereas Australorps have a pinkish-white color.
This breed got its start in Australia, where it was bred from the English Orpington stock (hence the name Austral-orps). It was bred as a dual purpose, or utility chicken, that would provide both eggs and meat. It was officially recognized as a distinct poultry breed in 1929.
The Australorp has become legendary for its egg-laying capabilities. One record claims that a single hen laid 364 eggs in 365 days! While there is some dispute about the truth of this claim, it is well documented that hens that are happy and well taken care of will typically lay between 250-300 eggs each year. So if you are wanting eggs in the winter, this is a great breed for you. The eggs will be medium to large in size, and a light brown color.
As a dual-purpose bird, they are also good for meat. This is great if you plan on having chickens as part of a subsistence farm. These birds are good brooders as well, meaning they will sit on eggs and care for them diligently until they hatch. With them being meat chickens, you can make good use of any old laying hens or extra roosters.
Besides being great meat and egg providers, this breed has a truly wonderful temperament. They are very friendly, a little shy, and so completely docile that they are often kept as pets! If you think they might be too heavy for your kids to pick up, look for the bantam version of the breed.
This really is a great all-around breed! They tolerate confinement extremely well, are winter-hardy, good layers, and good brooding hens. In addition to being calm, they are generally quiet at well. Like their English Orpington cousins, they are also not prone to flying too high, making it easy to keep them in a fenced area.
So where can you get some of these wonderful birds? Check the Internet for reliable hatcheries. Typically a hatchery will send day-old chickens via mail (as a perishable item). Check to be sure that if you order fewer than ten chicks that they are shipped with heat packs. They will not need food and water for the first few days because they will have all their nourishment from their time inside the egg. Make sure that you will be available to pick them up as soon as they arrive! Follow the instructions from the hatchery and you will be able to enjoy this amazing breed of chicken for years to come!
For more information about the Australorps Chicken and to find the right chicken coop to keep your chickens in visit ChickenCoopAdvice.com