What is the difference between black orpingtons and black australorps?

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madornato

madornato

In the Brooder
10 Years
Sep 2, 2009
83
0
39
Newnan, GA
I bought 5 young black hens from a couple about a month ago. I thought they were black australorps (the couple did not know--they bought them as chicks in a bantam bin--they are not bantams by the way--at Tractor Supply). I was planning to breed them to a young australorp roo that I have. I was looking at breeds in the breeds index on BYC and noticed that there is also a black orpington that looks, to me, identical to the black australorp. How can I tell the difference? I just want to know because I don't want to breed them and sell the chicks as something that they might not be. I have these chickens mixed with several other breeds in my hen house, but I think that they are laying a medium-sized (they just started laying about the time that I bought them) light-brown egg. The eggs might even be considered beige in color--nowhere near as dark as the RIR eggs.

Thanks so much.
 
black orpingtons have more plumage if im spelling that right lol and they are fatter looking there feathers just give them a hefty look about them and black australorps they dont have that huge look they are more sleek the feathers are more put together than a black orpingtons is.

a picture would be good too also breeding them would not give you a show quality breed so when selling the chicks just say a great duel purpose bird.
 
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Thanks for the information. It is raining right now where I live. When it clears up, I'll try to snap a photo and post it.
 
i googled these
this one is the black australorp i found the puffiest one
2603371687_c068b9bfc2.jpg

black orpington again on google
BlackOrpingtonChicken.jpg

and no problem byc is for questions and answers
 
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Also, chickenbottom and for whomever else, I forgot to mention that the hens I have have a beautiful bluish-green sheen to their feathers which I thought was a typical trait of australorps. However, the description you gave makes my hens sound like black orpingtons. Mine are really hefty-looking birds.

Thanks.
 
Chickenbottom, I was typing another post while you were downloading pics off google. Thanks for that. My birds look more like the top picture--black australorp. Mine do not look nearly as puffy as the one in the bottom picture, so might it be safe to say I have black australorps? I'll post a pic of mine later if I can to confirm.

Thanks.
 
I don't know of any hatcheries that sell any color of Orpington but Buff so I would say it is very safe to say you have Australorps. I do understand your questioning though. I have seen many a black Orp that had more type like a Jersey Giant or Lorp. Here is a hen that is four years old that I still have . she came from Sandhill. She has really good Orp type/
044.jpg
 
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