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Australorp is the name of the breed, compiled from the words “Australian” and “Orlington”. Australorp was bred in Australia around 1890. The black orlington imported from England served as the basis. The first Australorps were exclusively black in color. Australorp is black and today is the most common and well-known variety.
But the Australorp cannot be called a “purebred” Orlington of the Australian line. When breeding Australorp to improve the productive qualities of the Orlington in the period from 1890 to 1900, Rhode Island reds were used. Somewhat later, the Menorcan breed of chickens, the white leghorn and the Lanshan chicken were added to the Australorps. There are even references to the admixture of Plymouth Rocks. At the same time, the English Orlington itself is also a hybrid of Menorcan, Leggorn and Lanshan chickens. In other words, the Australorp was backcrossed.
In the photo, a chicken and a rooster of the Krod Lanshan breed.
The resulting result was called the Australian black orpint at that time.
Assumptions about where the name “Australorp” came from are as controversial as the attempts of poultry farmers from different countries to agree on a single standard for chickens of this breed.
Colors of Australorps in the standards of different countries
In the country of origin of the breed – Australia, only three colors of Australorps are recognized: black, white and blue. In South Africa, other colors are accepted: red, wheaten, gold and silver. The Soviet Union at one time “decided to keep up” and, on the basis of the black Australorp and white Plymouth Rock, bred a new breed – the “Black-and-White Australorp”. True, in terms of exterior and productive characteristics, this breed has little in common with the original Australorp. You could even say that they only have a common name.
Description of the original Australorp chicken breed
The original Australorp is a breed of meat and egg chickens. Like many other breeds, the Australorp has a “double” – a dwarf form.
Weight of the original Australorps
| Large form, kg | Dwarf form, kg |
adult chicken | 3,0 – 3,6 | 0,79 |
adult rooster | 3,9 – 4,7 | 1,2 |
Hen | 3,3 – 4,2 | 1,3 – 1,9 |
Cockerel | 3,2 – 3,6 | 1,6 – 2,1 |
Pictured is a pygmy australorp.
Australorp has a high egg production. In industrial conditions, 300 eggs per year are obtained from them, but experts note that in a private farmstead, the owner of chickens of this breed should not expect more than 250 eggs. In conditions, with a cold winter and short daylight hours, chickens can lay no more than 190 eggs. The average weight of eggs is 65 g. The color of the shell is beige.
Australorp chicken standard
Since the Australorp standards have not yet been really agreed upon, Australorp chickens may differ in body structure from each other. This is well illustrated by photos of white and blue Australorps.
Common to all types of chickens: red combs, earrings, earlobes and unfeathered dark metatarsus.
General impression: a massive stocky bird. The head is small, with a single crest. Beak dark, short. The neck is set high, forming a perpendicular to the body. The neck is covered with a long feather. Chest broad, arched, well muscled. The back and loin are wide and straight. The wings are tightly pressed to the body. The body is short and deep.
The fluffy tail is set almost vertically. The rooster has short tail plaits, which, together with the tail feathers, gives the impression of a bunch of feathers. In a chicken, the appearance of the tail varies greatly depending on the splendor of the plumage of the rest of the body. Sometimes the tail of chickens is almost invisible.
The tips of the fingers and claws are light, the sole of the paw is white.
A fault for the breed is whitish or white lobes.
Australorp hens have shorter legs than roosters and often look like feather balls. The appearance of chickens depends on the direction of their breeding: productive or exhibition. Exhibition birds are more exotic, but unproductive.
Black Australorps have emerald feathers. Black Australorps may have light spots on the belly and under the wings. Interestingly, black Australorp chicks are piebald in the downy stage and become black only after molting.
A three day old Australorpa chick.
Pros of the breed
High adaptability to any climatic conditions. Bred on a hot continent, the Australorp chicken breed tolerates cold climates well. Chickens are quite capable of walking in the snow. But for the prosperous life of these birds in the chicken coop should be 10 degrees Celsius. The resistance to summer heat in these chickens was laid even during the breeding of the breed. Calm temperament and friendly character. Australorps don’t chase other chickens. Good meat and egg indicators. They fly badly. Good hens and cows. Adult birds are disease resistant.
Cons of the breed
Demanding for food. With a lack of nutrients, australorp laying hens begin to “pour” eggs. This is the main reason why Australorps have not yet become widespread in private backyards. In the conditions of subsidiary farming, it is difficult to provide chickens with a balanced diet.
The breed is relatively late maturing. Chickens mature only by 6 months, and most often begin to lay eggs at 8 months. Productivity drops after the first year of life.
Features of breeding
The breeding herd usually consists of 10-15 laying hens and one rooster. When keeping more than one family, it must be remembered that with all the peaceful disposition of this breed, roosters can fight. At the same time, males are much heavier and more active than females.
In case of low reproductive ability of the main rooster, it is replaced with a young one. A good rooster can be used for 5 years.
Australorp black-and-white
With the original name preserved, in fact, this is a different breed of chickens. A black-and-white variety was bred at the Leningrad Institute of Poultry Breeding, crossing a black Australorp with a white Plymouth Rock.
The result is a marbled color similar to other variegated breeds.
The black-and-white line has lost a lot in meat productivity. The weight of an adult chicken is about 2 kg, a rooster – 2,5 kg. Egg production is similar to the original Australorp: up to 190 eggs per year. The eggs are somewhat smaller. Egg weight 55 g. The shell is beige.
Description of the black-and-white line
“Australians” have a small head with a medium-sized dark beak. The crest is pink. The color of the comb, lobes and earrings is red. The body is elegant, located at an angle of 45 ° to the horizon. In general, the black-and-white rooster gives the impression of a fragile bird. The neck is shorter than that of the parent breed and visually continues the upper line of the body.
The pectoral muscles are moderately developed. The tail is set vertically and is very similar to a chicken. The pigtails are short. The legs are longer than those of the black Australorp. The color of the paws can be light or spotted. The lower legs are not feathered.
The skin of chickens of this breed is white. The fluff is light. Day old chicks are most often yellow, but may be black or spotted.
That is, the development of an embryo in an egg laid by such a hen can begin even without fertilization by a rooster. What caused this mutation is unknown.
Advantages of the black-and-white line
Chickens of this breed have good adaptability to climatic conditions. Chickens feel good both in the floor and in the cellular content. They have a calm nature. Non-aggressive. The main advantage of the breed is resistance to pullorosis. The meat of this breed is distinguished by high palatability. Due to the white skin and a large number of white feathers, the carcasses of slaughtered chickens have a good presentation.
Feedback from owners of both lines
Conclusion
In Our Country, Australian chicken is not widely used, primarily because of the demands on feed. Even industrial compound feed may not always be of high quality, and in order to independently draw up a balanced diet, you will have to get a zootechnical education. It’s easier to get by with domestic unpretentious chickens. But connoisseurs of a beautiful bird are happy to give birth to black australoropes, which shimmer in the sun with an emerald sheen.