The name "Australorp chicken" already indicates that the chicken's origin is Australia. This black chicken is a new breed of chicken that has become popular in a very short period of time. You can find all the information you need about Australorp chickens in this guide. It contains information about popular color varieties such as black, white, longevity, and characteristics.
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| Australorp Chicken Breed: Eggs, Size, and Breeding Tips |
Australorp chickens are known to be friendly and affectionate. Additionally, you cannot ignore the fact that they are good egg layers. Gallus gallus domesticus and Phasianidae are the scientific names for the species and family, respectively. Australorps are easy to raise and are a good breed for beginners.
Australorp chickens are highly adaptable, so you can give them space to roam or keep them in coops or sheds.
What are Australorp chickens?
Australorp is a popular breed of chicken mainly originating from Australia. The English Orpington chicken was bred in Australian regions and named Australorp.
It is a dual-purpose chicken with many unique characteristics such as a friendly, docile, and robust nature.
History of Australorp chicken
The main bird that contributed to the formation of this breed comes from England. Between 1890 and 1900, a few black English Orpingtons were imported to Australia from the yards of William Cook and Joseph Partington.
Then, local farmers raised these English Orpingtons with other chicken breeds such as Rhode Island Red, Minorca, White Leghorn, and Langshan. Some historical publications also explain that local breeders raised them with Plymouth Rocks.
Due to multiple breed genes, an excellent dual-purpose chicken developed, the Australian Black Orpington chicken. They also called these chickens Australorps.
Recognized Varieties of Australorps
The Australorp chicken has three recognized varieties according to the Australian Poultry Standards:
- Black
- White
- Blue
White Australorps were recognized in the 2011 second edition of the Australian Poultry Standards. However, The Poultry Club of Africa recognizes four colors of Australorps:
- Buff
- Splash
- Blue Wheaten
- Gold
According to the American Poultry Association, the large black Australorp chicken is the only accepted variety.
Lifespan
Because the Australorp is the result of breeding long-lived chicken breeds, they have good longevity. The lifespan of Australorp chickens ranges from 6 to 10 years.
Egg Production
Australorp is one of the best dual-purpose chickens, so they have excellent egg-laying capacity. On average, an Australorp hen lays around 280 to 300 eggs per year.
The eggs of black Australorp hens are light brown and large. If you want to raise an excellent egg-laying chicken, you may consider this chicken breed.
The Temperament of Australorp Chickens
Australorp chickens are friendly and playful. They are very docile and affectionate by nature. You can also give them some chicken toys to make them more active.
If you have children at home, the Australorps will love to play with them and run towards them. They live peacefully and harmoniously with other chickens.
Australorp chickens are good mothers and take good care of their chicks. They like to live both free-range and in confinement.
If you have a long yard and a place to explore, show them how active they are and what they find. Both roosters and hens are of a friendly nature.
Color, Size, Appearance, and Characteristics of Plymouth Rock Chicken
Color
As mentioned above, there are 3-4 recognized color varieties of Australorp chickens worldwide. The three most common colors of Australorps are viewable in reality. The commonly available colors of Australorp chickens are glossy black, bluish-green, and white.
Companion
Since Australorps are dual-purpose chicken breeds, they have good weight. A standard-sized Australorp rooster weighs around 8.5-10 pounds, while hens weigh 7-9 pounds.
Australorp chickens are also available in bantam varieties, but most people discourage raising them due to lower profitability.
The average weight of bantam-sized Australorp roosters is around 2.5-4 pounds and hens around 2-3.5 pounds.
Appearance
The Australorp hen has a beautiful red comb with 6-8 points. Roosters of this breed have large combs with visible spikes, while hens have a small combs.
Also bright red in color are the wattles and earlobes. As explained, Australorp chickens can be found in different colors such as black, blue, and white, but black color is the most popular raised by most breeders.
The black feathers of hens and roosters are shiny with small brown fluffed feathers on the back. Australorps, hens, and roosters all have gray to black legs. Black Australorps have black beaks, and white Australorps have white-yellowish beaks.
Features
The Australorp chicken is a delicious and friendly chicken. Most chicken breeders recommend raising this breed of chicken.
They always live calmly and peacefully with their flock companions and rarely fight. Australorp chickens are easy to train as they are not aggressive.
Buy some chicken treats and play with them so they listen to your commands. After a few days, you will see how they run toward you.
This breed's hens and roosters walk like kings and queens. Australorp chickens are dual-purpose birds, but they also make wonderful show birds.
Try buying dried mealworms for them so they become friendlier with you. Australorps are robust chickens; they do not tolerate hot weather conditions.
If you have many trees in your garden, they will enjoy grazing in their coop. Many Australorp species from hatcheries become much less broody, and your flocks may become broody if you raise them in your garden.
Advantages of Raising Australorp Chickens
Here are some general benefits of raising Australorp chickens:
- It is a dual-purpose chicken that ensures you the double advantage of eggs and meat.
- Australorp hens lay more than 250 eggs per year, so you can keep them solely for egg production.
- If you are a new chicken breeder, this chicken is the best for you.
- Australorp is one of the best chickens for beginners.
- For chicken breeders living in cold regions, this is one of the most profitable breeds.
- If you want to raise an easy-to-maintain chicken, you can choose Australorps.
- Australorp chickens are also a popular choice for show birds.
- Australorp hens rarely brood, but they make good mothers if you raise them in your garden.
Care Guide for Australorp Chickens
Australorp chickens are good foragers and are great for larger gardens. They do not require any special treatment, but like any other chicken, they require appropriate care based on their characteristics.
The Australorp rooster and hens are large chickens, so they require extra space in the coop compared to other chicken breeds.
Give each chicken at least 2.5 to 3 square feet of space in the coop and 12 to 15 square feet of space in the run area.
If you have large gardens, you do not need to worry about walking space. Stress in chickens can be alleviated by giving them space to play and live a stress-free life.
The downside of calm and docile chickens is that they are easily attacked and killed by predators. Therefore, it would be helpful to build a sturdy fence around your garden.
If you are bothered by multiple predator attacks and have already built a standard fence, try adding an electric fence around your garden. It provides extra security for your flocks and livestock. You can build chicken grazing boxes and place them on grass, leafy vegetables, and other greens.
You will see how much they enjoy pecking at them. This will help them live healthier and stress-free life. My chickens always love to nest on the branches of mango trees.
Australorp chickens are robust, so if you live in a tropical climate, you will need to provide them with cooling equipment such as coop fans, ventilation, and shade from trees.
Clean the coop bedding regularly. If it is not replaced for a long time, it can cause bacterial infection and a foul smell. Here is our guide to the best chicken coop deodorizer.
Australorps are dual-purpose chickens, so you also need to provide appropriate space for laying hens. Build good nesting boxes for chickens, or you can buy them ready-made from your nearest store.
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