Alright, in recent articles on a chicken coop plan and types of chickens to use in the coop, we’ve taken a look at some of the more well-known breeds. We have examined Rhode Island Red and New Hampshire Red more recently.
In today’s article we will examine the attributes of the Australorp chicken breed. As for chickens, they are quite a remarkable breed.
First, let’s see where they come from. This basic black chicken owes its origin to Australia (where we get the “Austral” in the Australorp. Wow, who guessed that?)
The original chicken broth was brought to Australia from England. William Cook and Joseph Partington exported some of their Black Orpingtons (hence the “orp” in Australorp) to Australia from their English poultry houses during the late 19th century and also into the 20th century.
Local Australian breeders at the time were trying to develop a “utilitarian” breed of chicken. They crossed the Black Orpingtons with Minorcas, White Leghorns and Langshans. There’s even a chance that some Plymouth Rock blood was used. (That’s the breed of chickens, not the famous rock!) Due to their desire for a “utilitarian breed,” the breed was originally known as the Black Utility Orpingtons.
The name change to Australorp is a mystery. Woof! A chicken mystery! It is said that before World War I (the first war that ended all wars!) Walter Wallace Scott came up with the name Australorp.
However, in 1919 Arthur Harwood said that he had suggested that Australian Laying Orpingtons be called “Australs”, and that “orp” be added to honor the primary bulls from which the breed was developed, Black Orpingtons.
Another bloody Englishman, W. Powell-Owen, said he came up with the name! The only thing that was known for sure was that the name Australorp was being used routinely in the early 1920s.
Enough of that. Let’s see the facts. The Australorp is a black-feathered chicken, with a beetle-green sheen. They have dark eyes and are very active. When waxed, their skin is white, unlike the yellow skinned Rhode Island and New Hampshire Red breeds. They lay brown eggs.
Roosters weigh about 8 1/2 pounds; roosters to 7 1/2 lb. The average hen weighs 6 1/2 pounds; chicks to 5 1/2 lbs.
The most notable aspect of this “utilitarian” breed is its ability to lay eggs. Although it was also used for meat, in 1922-1923 a team of six chickens set a world record (at the Olympic Chicken Games?) For laying 1,857 eggs during a 365-day trial! It was an average of more than 309 eggs per hen. Now that is a serious lie! (They would have kept the test, except chickens started dying of exhaustion! Just kidding!) Even a hen that dropped 364 eggs in 365 days. That record still stands today! An average well cared for Australorp can be expected to produce 250 eggs per year.
Therefore, you should consider using Australorps when developing your chicken coop plan!
Okay, let’s get on with why you put up with my ranting and raving.
Time for today’s stupid chicken joke!
Why did the rooster get away?
It was chicken!
Oh, that was really stupid … as promised.