Black Australorp Chickens

A champion egg-laying chicken breed, the Black Australorp was introduced to the United States around the 1920s. The Australorp was originally developed in Australia from the Orpington Chicken to create a breed with a higher quality egg production without sacrificing too much size and meat quality. This breed is now a competitive contender for one of the most popular "backyard chicken" breeds as well as the most productive egg laying breed.

The Black Australorp Chickens is an extremely hardy in most climates and can easily compete as one of the best layers of brown eggs among the heavy chicken breeds. Similar to the Buff Orpington Chickens, these birds are calm and docile, easily handled, and bear confinement with no problem.

Black Australorps are just slightly smaller than the Orpington but the males can still weigh in around 8.5 pounds. The relatively large size and pinkish white skin help this bird to dress nicely once the chicken develops its full plumage. This heavy bird is covered in glossy black iridescent plumage that has a greenish purple tint in the sunlight, and a whole flock of Australorps paints a strikingly attractive backyard scene. The Australorp is an excellent dual purpose chicken that can greatly be utilized in confined backyard environments as well as more open farm coops.

Black Australorp Chicken Facts

Black Australorp Chickens were originally referred to during their development as Black Utility Orpingtons. They were crossed with a variety of different breeds with the intention of maximizing egg production in a bird of that size and try to sacrifice as little meat production per bird.

Black Australorps have grown increasingly more popular with the growth of the "backyard chicken movement". They are dependable layers that are extremely comfortable in confined spaces and are quite easily handled, making them great backyard pets for those who want to produce their own eggs with limited space.