Black Australorps - I need some answers!

[ging3rhoffman]

You need to get a couple of buff orpingtons. They lay well, are super sweet and are very broody. I have one that has been broody for 2 months now. If you handle them and give them treats as babies they will love you to death. Their golden color really compliments the black austolorps. I have both.

 

[youridreezen]

well they are great from what i hear.
but i live in oz and that is were they come from.

some people have told me they are great layers and don't go broody and others tell me they are really bad layers and are always broody.

so it depends on the stain.

cheers youri.

 

[youridreezen]

Quote:
sorry but i don't agree with the laying part.

i only have some australorp crosses but.

australorps have the world record of laying 364 eggs in 365 days.

cheers youri.

 

[Big C]

Here in Texas our weather is subject to 70 during the day and can snow in the afternoon, like we are experiencing today.
Our BA's perform very well and are good layers. Average is around 86%. Fairly large eggs. 75% grading to what we sell as extra large eggs.
Very hardy in the climate extremes mentioned above.
Never had one go broody. They are somewhat standoffish and like to be left to do what they do.
Roo's are dominant to the hens more so than RIR's or BR's. Also they dominate the roo flock.
This is our experience with this breed in our area.

 

[lildinkem]

Australorps should be similar to Orpingtons in temperment, cold hardiness, prolly better layers then Orpingtons. Not as meaty as Orpingtons. I have them and Orps. I am trying to focus on just Orps. But, kept Mertyl the Australorp Roo. Far as being friendly. Mertyl is as sweet as any of my Orps. And Carlos Jr, the bigger fluffier Black Orpington Roo, is a pill. I can not turn my back on him. So, I guess what I am saying, is personality is just like people. There are nice people, and idiots. So, I am not saying anything bad about Australorps. Their cool to me.

Mertyl, and you can see he is in a pen with 3 other cockerels. ALL get along.

Carlos Jr,

 

[Robin'sBrood]

I have one BA who will be 2 in April. She is a total sweetheart. Great layer but she has never been broody. I think BAs and Black Orps have the most beautiful eyes!

 

[that_crazy_lady]

oh lorps are sweeties. good mothers. mine layed through the winter without added light. the roo wallets are good sized and can get some frost bite, I only had one and he was shy, the hens where a little shy too, but they would let me handle them, or there chicks at will, and they where free range.

 

[petrelline]

australorps have the world record of laying 364 eggs in 365 days.

*One* australorp holds that world record; that's not the rate for the breed. They're excellent layers but they're not hybrids. And they're huge birds so you'll spend a lot on feed to get a good egg rate.

I have one lorp, going on two years old now, who was constantly broody in the summertime, she went broody every other month it seemed, but after about september she stopped and is now laying like crazy with no extra light. Six light brown eggs a week like clockwork. She is a machine. She's a BIG girl and friendly, but she doesn't like much to be picked up or held. We don't have too much cold out here in CA but the low 40's/high 30s and driving rain don't bother her much at all. She just fluffs up and goes on her merry way.

On the other hand her sister is flighty, standoffish, and I'm almost positive she laid for about six months and then stopped altogether. She's moulting right now and if I don't get any eggs from her when it gets warmer next year she's going into the soup pot.

So I guess that's a 50% success rate for me. I like my friendly lorp a lot and I would not turn up my nose at more BAs but I'm not sure I'd go out of my way to get them.​

 

[Cats Critters]

1. Are they cold hardy? I live in Ontario, Canada! For the record I have a bunch of hens already with single combs and we do pretty okay in the winter.

I live in western PA and I have had no problems

2. Do they brood/set well? I'm looking for a broody breed

I only have two but one was a wonderful broody this summer

3. How are they for laying? I'm looking for a hen that lays well.

Mine are okay layers, not the worst not the best.

4. What are the roosters like? Friendly?

Sorry no idea

I'd also be interested in seeing photos of anyones chicks who have come out of Australorp crosses, specifically EE/Australorps or RIR/Australorps... something along those lines. I already have 19 hens, 5 EEs and the rest RIR/Col. Rock x's (or production reds).

I have 3 girls that have BA moms and an EE dad. I need to take new pictures but here is a really bad picture of one of them at 15wks:

 

[Kim_NC]

I posted a link to a video of our BA hen with a brood of babies in the Raising Baby Chicks forum. It's this thread:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=273167