Australorp

Australorp is a beautiful and famous chicken breed. The scientific name of these birds is the same as other chickens “Gallus Gallus Domesticus”. However, its actual name is Australian black Orpington while Australorp is just an abbreviation. This chicken breed can also be known as Australian Orpington.

These chickens are convenient for the production of eggs and meat. Each year, the Hen of this breed lays more than 300 eggs. Not only had this but the Australorp hen set a record of laying 364 eggs in a year which is still a record. This breed hen can be used for poultry farming due to its egg-laying ability and can be kept as a pet due to its personality and appearance.

They are native to Australia. These chickens are most liked in Australian backyards. As we know they are beneficial for producing eggs and meat but people also love to keep them as their pets. They are fast-growing chickens, they lay eggs when they reach 20 to 23 weeks of age. Wanna get something more regarding this astonishing breed? Below we have mentioned all about Australorp chicken such as its origin, history, lifespan, appearance, etc. Make sure to check that out.

This breed originated in Australia from the English Orpington in 1890. Hens and roosters of this breed were created with two chicken breeds. One was Rhode Island red which was the main breed and the other was black Orpington. These birds used to be called “utility type Orpington” before they got their name “Australia Orpington”.

In the 1880s, “Black Orpington’ was exported to Australia to be modified for utility purposes, and then the original ‘Orpington” birds were refined in Britain. In the 1920s, the “Australian Orpington” was imported back to the UK as “Australorp”. The American Poultry Association identifies only the black color in this chicken breed while the Australian Poultry Society recognizes white, and blue along with black.

They are one of the affordable birds with a lot of benefits. It has different price ranges. The price of a hen who lays around 300 eggs every year will be more expensive than a rooster or baby chicks. Normally, chickens are bought in groups, not in single quantities. So, their price can vary on the number of chickens you are buying. The average of a single Australorp is mentioned below:

Gender	Price
Rooster	$2.50
Hen	$3.50
Straight Run	$3

The purpose of developing the Australorp chicken breed was to create a utility breed that would be great for egg production. Australian poultry standards recognized this chicken breed. William Cook Orpingtons were imported to Australia in the time of 1890 to 1900s to develop a chicken breed that would be convenient for the Australian environment

To enhance the capacity of egg-laying, people crossed Australorp with the Rhode Island Reds chicken breed. In the time from 1922 to 1923, six hens of this breed produced around 1857 eggs in a year which means a single hen laid more than 300 eggs. In 1923, a Grafton contest was held in Australia where a hen of this breed laid 347 eggs in a year which was a world record. Soon another Australorp hen broke that record by laying 364 eggs in a year which is currently a world record. After that, the poultry industry starts taking interest in these chickens due to their egg-laying capacity.

This chicken breed has distinctive characteristics for which these hens are appreciated. Roosters also have unique and amazing features. Below are some key characteristics of this chicken breed.

The Australorp breed has a longer lifespan than many chicken breeds. The average lifespan of these birds is approximately 5 to 10 years. This breed of chicken can live up to 10 years or even less than 2 years, depending on its care routine. To enhance their life, it is important to stay conscious about their health and food. Unfortunately, most people don’t care about their pet’s health, whether it’s about food or veterinary checkups. They think they have an egg-producing machine that doesn’t need grooming or a better care routine. That’s why many chickens can’t live longer and die before reaching their average lifespan.

To identify the hen, rooster, and chicks of this breed it’s essential to know about their overall appearance. They are mainly recognized by their feather and body shape. They come in 3 recognized colors such as blue, white, and black.

Chicks

Chicks are black of this breed. They have small white spots on their wings and head. You may see some yellow spots on their bellies’ sides as well. Black Australorp babies have darker feathers than blue ones.

Hen

The breasts of the hen are full and well-rounded. Their earlobes, wattles, and comb are medium-sized and in red color. Along with that, these female birds have black feathers. The legs of hens are clean, feather-free, and in state blue or black color.

Rooster

The rooster has a deep and solid body. They have long and black feathers, their eyes are shiny jet black and their beak is dark. Each foot of the rooster has four toes. These male birds have high tails and taller combs. The rooster has a straight stance and he always keeps his head high than his tail.

This chicken breed is one of the larger chickens than many other chicken breeds. In this breed, the male bird is heavier as compared to the female.

Measurements	Rooster	Hen
Standard weight	8.5 to 10lb	6.5 to 8lb
Bantam Weight	2 to 2.7lb	1.7 to 2.2lb
Height	26 to 27.5 inches	25.5 to 26.5 inches

The three recognized colors of this chicken breed are blue, white, and black.

• White color in this breed is very rare, it’s even tough to get a white Australorp bird. These white birds come with bright, white feathers.
• Black chickens of this breed are everywhere, it is the most common color of this chicken. Most people get black chicken of this breed because it’s easy to purchase.
• If we talk about blue chickens, they come after black as the most common color. The feathers of blue chicken are blueish gray.

This chicken breed is famous for its exceptional egg-laying ability. We can say that the hen is an egg-laying machine. They lay around 240 to 300 light brown eggs in a year which means approximately 5 eggs per week. Sometimes, you may see a slightly pinkish color of the egg. The egg production of hens starts at the age between 5 to 6 months. The size of these chicken eggs is medium when they just start laying eggs. They lay large-sized eggs when they become mature. At the age of 3 or 4 years, their egg production starts decreasing and some of them even stop producing eggs.

There are different personality traits that an Australorp chicken has. A chicken that has a docile temperament that’s why they are amazing for backyard flocks. Following are the personality traits of these astonishing birds.

These birds are known as affectionate birds. They make good bonds with their owner in a short time. Some birds may take time to get familiar with the environment. Due to their affectionate personality, these birds can become great family pets.

These birds are tolerant of handling by people. Make sure to keep positive attitude towards your chicken pets. They are also fascinating for those people who love interacting with their chicken pets.

The curiosity and activeness of these chickens make them an interesting pet. However, they are known as calm birds but still, you hardly see them staying at one point. These chickens always find a way to look up to new things. They often follow their owner when they are active and energetic.

Australorp is a chicken breed that is popular for going broody. This breed of chicken has a tendency to go broody which means these hens are more interested in sitting on eggs rather than laying eggs.

These birds are quiet, calm, and easy to handle. You will never get bothered by keeping them in your backyard. This chicken is easy to own for any individual even for a person who doesn’t have experience of keeping a pet.

These chicks have soft feathers and distinctive plumage. They come in white. blue, and black colors. However, the white color in baby chicks is very rare but you can have blue and black chicks. Their size is so small that even you can pick more than two chicks with one hand. They are sensitive so their owners should be conscious of their care routine. Baby chicks die at very early stages because of cold temperatures that’s why it’s essential to keep them in a warm place. Along with that, their diet should be chicks-friendly.

Diseases	Description	Symptoms	Treatments
Fowl Pox	Chicken gets white spots on its skin in fowl pox disease	1- Loss of appetite 2- Eyelid swelling 3- Eyes sealed	1- Keep them in a warm place 2- Feed them with healthy food
Marek’s Diseases	A common disease found in chicks. The iris of chicks turns gray and become paralyzed	1- Weight loss 2- Diarrhea 3- Paralyzed in the legs	1- Vaccines can control the disease
Newcastle Disease	The wings and legs of chickens become paralyzed in Newcastle disease	1- Depression 2- Coughing 3- Watery eyes	1- Antibiotics can be used to control the disease
Infectious Bronchitis	In this disease, the chicken gets coughing and sneezing	1- Wet litter 2- Laying bad-quality eggs 3- Loss of appetite	1- Vaccinate them 2- Increase the temperature of coop
Bumblefoot	A chicken gets bumblefoot disease when any wound on the hen foot becomes infected	1- Swelling on toes 2- Black spot on foot 3- Baggy and stretched skin	1- Clean the wound and apply bandage 2- Soak the infected foot
Thrush	It is a fungal disease. In thrush disease, the feathers of chickens look ruffled	1- Droopy feathers 2- Difficulty in breathing 3- Slow growth	1- Feed them with quality food 2- Use anti-fungal medicine

As we know these Australorp chickens are low-maintenance birds so caring them would not be difficult for you. These chickens don’t need any additional grooming as we do for other pets. The lifespan of these birds varies a lot on their care routine. Make sure to keep them in a warm and safe environment where they get food and water along with regular veterinary checkups to ensure that they are healthy and disease-free.

These birds require a safe environment because many chicken predators such as rats, dogs, and snakes always look for ways to kill these innocent birds. Many chickens don’t die because of food or water but they may die due to unsafe environments.

The diet of these bird pets is cheaper than many bird pets. You need to be conscious about providing them fresh food such as corn, beans, vegetables, grains, fruits, and pearl millet. These birds will find insects in your backyard and eat them.

They become dehydrated if they don’t get water after every 3 to 4 hours, so be sure to keep a big bowl of water in their place. Change the bowl of water regularly so the chicken gets fresh water every day.

The coop of these birds needs to be cleaned after every day as they poop a lot. Along with that, change their bowl water and food pot and place a new one every week or two. To keep them warm in cold weather, I would recommend placing a heat lamp or it would be convenient if you keep more chickens in a coop.

Before making these birds your family pets or owning this chicken breed for your poultry farm, getting information about their advantages and disadvantages is essential. Here are some pros and cons.

Australorp birds are amazing in every sense. They are great family pets, lay around 300 eggs yearly, and are good for meat too. Along with their benefits, this chicken breed has a majestic appearance, laid-back temperament, and hardiness. These birds are easy to handle and require low maintenance that’s why they are perfect for people who never had a chicken bird pet. These chickens are not noisy like other breeds of chicken so people who get irritated from noisy chickens can have this breed of chicken.

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