Australorp Chicken Breed: Black, Blue, Egg Production

Alrighty, folks! Gather ‘round, ‘cause we’re about to dive into the feathery world of the oh-so-fabulous Australorp chickens! Ever heard of them? No? Yes? Either way, we’re going to chat about these cluckin’ wonders. These aren’t just your regular, run-of-the-mill chickens; they’re practically the rock stars of the chicken world. If you’re even slightly thinking about having your own flock or just curious about what makes these particular chicks the talk of the town, then you’re in for a treat. From their origin story that sounds like an adventure tale (well, kind of), to their glammed-up looks, and their egg-ceptional egg-laying skills, we’re gonna cover it all! So buckle up, chicken enthusiasts – it’s Australorp time!

Table of Contents

  1. Australorp Chicken Origin
  2. Australorp Chicken Appearance
  3. Australorp Chicken Egg Production
  4. Should You Get A Australorp Chicken For Your Flock?

Where Did The Australorp Chickens Come From?

Australorp chickens are Australian chickens that came from Black Orpingtons. This man named William Cook brought these Orpingtons to Australia during the early 1900s, and messed around with them to make ‘em lay eggs like crazy but he also had a goal of creating a dual purpose chicken, meaning he wanted it to produce eggs and serve a value for meat. They called it “Australorp” ‘cause it’s a mixture of Australian and Orpington mixed together. Pretty cool, huh? During the 1920s they became incredibly popular because they broke records in egg laying! Can you believe it??

What Do Australorp Chickens Look Like?

Australorps are big fluffy chickens, but not as chubby as Orpingtons. They’ve got this sleek, cool-kid on the block look. And their feathers! Mostly black, but like, when the sun hits them, whoa, they shine green and it’s incredibly awesome. There are also these rare blue and white variations of the Australorp. The roosters, have got these long, pointy feathers on their necks. Making them look a little fancy, if you ask me.

They’re hefty, too – like the ladies can be six pounds and the gents, err, roosters, can hit the scales at ten pounds! The Poultry Association, only identify the black variation as an official Australorp, but the across the sea the Australians classify all color deviations as the official breed.

Here’s a photo of the Blue variation of the Australorp Chicken.

How Many Eggs Do Australorp Chickens Lay?

Hold onto your hats, cause these chickens are egg-laying machines! Seriously, like 250-300 eggs a year from each hen. But similar to many other breeds, they severely slow down as they get older, like all of us, am I right? By around 4 years old, they’re not the spring chickens they used to be (pun intended). And, get this, six of these hens once held a world record for laying an insane 309 eggs in a year. That’s a lot of omelets!

Australorp Chickens typically lay brown eggs.

How Is The Australorp Chickens Temperament?

Australorp Chickens are known to be total sweethearts! Like, seriously, they’re gentle and calm, and they won’t peck your eyes out or anything. They’re so friendly, they might even follow you around like puppy dogs. And kids! They’re great with kids, and even other birds. They’re kinda middle-of-the-road in the pecking order and usually won’t start any chicken drama. But, you gotta watch out for those larger chickens because they might pick on your sweet Australorps.

Health Issues with Australorp Chickens.

They’re usually pretty sturdy and don’t have any weird genetic stuff going on. But, you know, they can get the usual chicken issues like worms or other icky things. They’ve got loads of feathers, so you gotta check ‘em for bugs and stuff more frequently than other breeds. Oh, and don’t let them get too pudgy. They like their snacks so they’re prone to obesity, so make sure they can run around and, you know, be chickens.

What Should You Feed Australorp Chickens?

Australorp Chickens need a balanced diet. The pellet stuff you get from the store is good – it’s got corn, soybeans, and some vitamins and stuff. But don’t forget the fresh goodies! Fruits and veggies keep them happy. And if you can let them free-range, that’s like, the best. They’ll snack on bugs and plants and just be living their best chicken life. And it’s gotta have protein and calcium, especially if you want those delicious eggs. So, don’t skimp on the good stuff!

Should You Add Australorp Chickens To Your Flock?

Australorps are like the superstars of the chicken world. They lay a ton of eggs, they’re friendly, and they don’t get sick a lot. What’s not to love? They’re like your feathery best friend who makes breakfast for you every day. And they’ve got style – with those shiny feathers, they’re like the cool kids of the coop. So, if you’re thinking about getting some chickens, Australorps are a pretty egg-cellent choice! Wink wink!

Oden

Oden is a homesteader from Southern, Illinois who's always had a love for avian creatures. He started Life Of A Farm as a means of helping connect newcomers to the homesteading lifestyle to information they need.

By Oden

Oden is a homesteader from Southern, Illinois who's always had a love for avian creatures. He started Life Of A Farm as a means of helping connect newcomers to the homesteading lifestyle to information they need.

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