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Australorp

The Australorp Breed was developed in Australia at the end of the nineteenth century with Black...

General Information

Breed Purpose
Dual Purpose
Comb
Single
Broodiness
Average
Climate Tolerance
All Climates
Egg Productivity
High
Egg Size
Large
Egg Color
Brown
Breed Temperament
Friendly, Easily handled, Calm, Bears confinement well, Quiet, Docile
Breed Colors/Varieties
Black, Blue and White are recognised in the Australian Poultry Standards
Breed Size
Large Fowl
APA/ABA Class
English
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The Australorp is an Australian breed which was developed from Black Orpingtons imported into Australia starting around 1890. The egg laying ability of the Orpingtons was emphasized by the Australian breeders, and other breeds including Minorca, Leghorns, and Langshans were bred into the lines to increase egg production and decrease broodiness. The result was a bird with exceptional egg laying ability. They were popular entries in egg laying contests in the day and for years Australorps held many of the world egg laying records, one hen famously laying 364 eggs in 365 days.

These "Australian Black Orpingtons" were given the name Australorp around 1920. Australorps were exported in the US and England in the 1920’s, where they were an immediate hit because of their great egg laying ability, and they remain a very popular breed to this day.

Australorps are a medium sized breed. The APA recognises only one color, the original Black, but there are several other colors developed by breeders, including Blue and White, which is recognized in Australia.

They tend to be calm, docile, fairly quiet birds, with nice temperaments and they make good pets. The roosters are generally good natured. They are dependable winter layers of big brown eggs, fairly heat tolerant despite the usually black feathers, and quite cold hardy. They generally do not fly well and take well to confinement. The hens will occasionally go broody and make good mothers. They are very popular with backyard flock owners looking for a friendly productive brown egg layer, and small flock owners looking for a duel purpose breed with hens that have excellent laying ability.

It was recognized by the APA in 1929 and it is on The Livestock Conservancy's Recovering list.

First egg laid by an Australorp pullet:
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A male and female Australorp, aged 11 weeks:
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Australorp rooster:

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Australorp hen:
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For more on this breed and owners' experiences, likes and dislikes, see our breed discussion here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chicken-breed-focus-australorp.988347/

Latest reviews

Pros: Calm
Easy to handle
Cons: Can be mean to other chickens.
They are very easy to handle, very calm and are good layers.
Pros: Chatty, social, excellent layers, beautiful plumage, docile
Cons: They eat a lot, can be *too docile* that they get bullied
Love my girls. Incredibly consistent layers, and one leaves double yolkers every second day.

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My2GirlsRanch
My2GirlsRanch
They are beautiful 🤩
The ultimate backyard chicken
Pros: Great egg production even later in life! Fast to start laying large brown eggs. Excellent temperament and personality, docile, friendly, can be great pets, good in mixed flocks. Very hardy, good in confinement, good in free range, talkative but not loud, quick to mature.
Cons: Chicks grow fast and you need a large, escape proof brooder setup.
The Australorp has to be the ultimate backyard chicken.

My first flock was mixed and the Australorps stood out as the best layers, and having the best personality and temperament. Though much larger than the other breeds, they sat in the middle of the pecking order, not that there was much pecking on their part.

After 7 years of neglect, only the Australorps are left. I had figured them to be at the end of their productive life and bought chicks to "replace" them (I can't see Gertrude and Myrtle ending up in a pot), then come Spring they started laying 3-4 eggs each a week down from 5-6 in their peak laying years. Once the new pullets start laying, I'll need to start actively selling to keep from being buried in eggs. Should be able to run a slight profit with them at a bargain price.

They are very friendly and not the least be flighty. They are talkative, but not loud. They always call to me if they see me in the yard asking for treats, which are usually weeds or kitchen scraps. Man, they love weeds and I wish I could let them forage more, but concerns over avian flu and a Russell terrier mix keeps me from letting them forage unsupervised. The dog has finally learned to leave them be for the most part after 3 years, but she got a couple hens before that.
Purchase Date
April 2015, Feb 2022
Gypsi
Gypsi
I've switched to Americauna but they always had this huge elm tree for shade and a couple of ponds to drink out of. It Does get very very hot and fairly humid in Fort Worth, TX. I loved my Australorps.
Data
Data
I started to let the girls forage on the property and they've become much more vocal. They'll call to each other from opposite sides of the homestead. Sometimes it's because they've found a tasty bit of food, sometimes I have no clue.
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Reactions: Gypsi
Gypsi
Gypsi
I lost my 8 year old Australorp mix this year, she hatched almost in my hand in May 2014, hadn't laid in a couple of years, but had a surprise nest 2 years ago I was crediting to a younger hen. I do miss them, but our summers keep getting hotter and even with shade, it is punishing heat. They are great hens, and great mama hens. I am in North Texas, USA

Comments

I agree with everything you've said! I have three and while I've sold off most of my original flock of birds, the Australorps have gotten to stay because of all their wonderful qualities. I've found mine to be on the broody side, but that works for me since I don't have an incubator. They're great mom's too!
 
I am about postive that the Australop will be 1 of my best pick for egg laying.It is really difficult to decide on the ones I do want.I want Silkies,Favorelles,and I don`t what else yet,Thanks for info of all on BYC,Sandra
 
Thanks Knock Kneed Hen and Back Swamp Girl! I am new to chickens this past year and I am so glad I went with the Australorp. They couldn't be sweeter and more friendly. Had I known these birds could be such like pets, I would have gotten into chickens years ago! So far, none of my girls have not gone broody, although they are approaching 1 year old soon. I do not have a rooster so am not interested in chicks.
Good luck to the both of you and Happy Australorping!!
 
same with me my girl is flightly even though she is the size of a watermelon not friendly hasnt brooded and only laid well for the first yr i have an isa brown that has laid well for 2 or more yrs and has gone broody and raised chicks
 
my girl is flightly even though she is huge and doesnt lay very well at all and doesnt brood
 
I have one of these, and she is a beauty ! I love how she looks greenish in the sunlight :)
 
no lol thats not it i cant post a foto it looks like a red sex link crossed a red star and a red comet
it all brown witht he neck feathers being darker with yellow legs its beautiful midmolt its all speckeled and mottled lol
 
Wow! I've never heard a comment like that on Australorps before. Everyone I've known with them likes them a lot.
 
Why? Can you give some reasons? And how do they have "all" cons? Almost everyone else said that they loved the breed.
 
We have 1 Black Australorp who is head hen! She is quick to put the lower ranking hens in their place. She also tends to go broody so not our best egg layer. She is 2 years old and went broody twice last year. We wondered if she would be lower in rank after spending so much time in a nest box trying to hatch non-existent eggs but she came out of the experience still on top!
 

Item information

Category
Chicken Breeds
Added by
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Views
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Watchers
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Reviews
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Last update
Rating
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