Chicken Breeds: All About Australorps
Posted: Saturday, September 25, 2010
by Kor Rassad
Even if you are fond of chickens, you may not have heard about Australorps. It's a somewhat rare breed, but one worth learning about! Here is a brief look at this chicken, and why you might want to include them in your coop.
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.
Australorps have become famous for their egg-laying abilities. There is one claim that a hen laid 364 eggs in 365 days. This may or may not be true, but one this is for sure; these chickens are good layers. Reliable claims say that if well taken care of, they can average between 250-300 eggs per year. This means you'll most likely get eggs all winter, a feat other breeds cannot boast! The eggs are a light brown in color, and medium to large size.
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.
They are not just exceptional egg layers and meat providers, they make excellent pets! This is due to an easy-going temperament. They are docile, friendly, and a little bit on the shy side. If you intend them as a pet for children, you may want to look for the bantam version of Australorps, which is much smaller.
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.
If you want to get some Australorps, there are many online hatcheries that will be able to send you day-old chicks. They ship them via mail as a perishable item (the chicks do not need food or water the first couple days as they get the nutrition from the egg). Make sure you are able to take them home as soon as they arrive, then just follow whatever directions the hatchery sends with the chicks. Enjoy these truly wonderful chickens!
More info about the Australorps Chicken can be found at http://www.chickencoopadvice.com/australorps-chicken/
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)My parents used to keep chickens when I was a child, and I have such fond memories of them - especially the chicks! Some day I hope to be able to keep some myself, in which case, I'll keep your Australorps in mind!
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