Black Austalorp Chickens
Hatching February to November
Looking for a chicken that will lay eggs consistently? The Black Australorp was developed in Australia where flock keepers needed a breed that would lay consistently even when the weather was very hot.
Production: You can expect 200+ brown eggs from an Australorp hen each year. They have pinkish skin and weigh approximately 5 pounds at maturation.
Temperament: Docile, dignified, calm, and sweet are just a few of the words that are used to describe the Black Australorp. They don’t mind being confined and tend to be a little shy.
History: The Black Australorp was developed in Australia, from Black Orpingtons imported from England, hence the name: Austral for Australia and Orp for Orpington. Before the name was widely adopted they were also called Australian Orpingtons and Australian Laying Orpingtons.
Australorps are smaller than English Orpingtons and are more dependable layers. They will lay in excess of 200 brown eggs each year, and some have been known to lay as many as 300. One hen set a record by laying 364 eggs in 365 days!
The first Australorps in the United States were imported in the early 1920s, and they were accepted into the American Poultry Association’s Standard of Perfection in 1929.
Colors: Black Australorps, are, of course, black, but in the sunlight you can see hints of purple and green, so simply thinking of them as “black” doesn’t do the breed justice. They are beautiful birds!
Status: American Livestock Breeds Conservancy Conservation Status: This breed is listed as Recovering by the ALBC.
Body Type: Black Australorps, while smaller than the English Orpingtons from which they were originally derived, are still heavy chickens. They have big, stately bodies. The bottoms of their feet are pink, and they have a comb with five points
Average Mature Weight: male: approximately 8 pounds, female: approximately 5 pounds
Classification: American Poultry Association Class: English
