Black Australorp fans?

[OlliOlliOlli]

I LOVE these guys. I love how soft, and sweet she is. She's so dependent on having friends around her. It's like a big fluffy black sweet-smelling cloud...and those dark sweet eyes!!! OMG I'm in loooove

Any fans of the Black Australorps?

 

[EweSheep]

I know I do enjoy Black Australorps!

 

[OlliOlliOlli]

Quote:
As adults, are they quiet as chickens go? She can be a drama queen when I take her from her buddy the RI Red. However, I never really hear her.

 

[jcamardo]

All comments are good to hear because I am getting my first two chickens tomorrow. Australorp, and amber linkee

 

[Kim_NC]

I love ours. Very stately, calm, friendly in a quiet sort of way. Our roo is beautiful and impressive.

They've got class.

 

[Sequin]

I do love my BA girls. They are calm and not flighty. They lay great eggs regularly(mine have been laying daily for a long time now). And they are quite endearing and stately. They have been a great breed as a start into the world of chickens.

 

[Judy]

My BA roo died around 9 months of age, protecting his hens. He was not a lap chicken, but did not attack people and certainly did protect his flock, calling a warning as needed, etc. My BA hens were also not lap chickens but really not difficult to handle or pick up from the roost, and will eat from my hand. They come when I go outside on the chance I have treats.

I bought 50 chicks this spring and have more BA's than any other breed -- I think I have about 12 breeds out there. The BA's are the only chicks that are really friendly; several jump on my lap or come up to me to be picked up, and I can handle all of them easily. I had a bunch of chicks (21 of 50) die from delayed delivery and shipping in cold weather; the BA's did better than any other breed; lost either 1 or 2 of 10.

They lay a big brown egg, I am sure an extra large though have not weighed them, and they lay almost daily. This year I bought straight run to put the extra roos in the freezer, and the BA's are filling out faster and weigh more than any of the others (RIR, BO, BR, PR, EE, NHR, SLW, SS, that I can think of.)

Their feathers have a gorgeous green or purple sheen to them in the sun.

About the only drawback I can figure out is their combs and wattles are large and might be subject to frostbite. But I had no problem with this last winter. It does get into the 20's here but is hot in the summer, so two sides of the coop are wire, which I just covered with plastic for the cold days. I did turn on a heat lamp over the roost if it was going to be below about 25.

I have only one BA hen left (one year old now.) She has never gone broody, but when another chicken did, she did not molest the chick; I did not separate the broody and chick from the others (didn't know I was supposed to!) They are supposed to be good mothers.

For an egg/meat backyard flock, what more could one ask of a breed? Yes, I like them a lot.

 

[Renee]

Sooo pretty. I love the big, brown eyes and the glossy black color.

I'm glad to hear there are other reasons for getting one of these beautiful birds.

 

[EweSheep]

Quote:
As adults, are they quiet as chickens go? She can be a drama queen when I take her from her buddy the RI Red. However, I never really hear her.

Majority of them are quiet but a small number of them ended up as "talkers".