Australorp chickens: The beginner’s egg-laying breed
Imagine a bird that gives copious eggs without complaint, day in and day out. A bird that’s hardy as heck. A bird that’s overwhelmingly docile and loving. A bird that could feed your family (that is, if you can look past it’s puppy dog eyes—I can’t).
Well, you don’t have to imagine that bird—it’s an Australorp.
Australorps should be the most popular chickens on the market. These birds are so versatile, so easy to care for, and so wonderful in basically every way. Though not uncommon, they really don’t get enough credit.
Frances Bassom, veteran poultry breeder and author of Mini Encyclopedia: Chicken Breeds and Care, attributes this to “black bird unpopularity syndrome.”
Don’t succumb to the syndrome! These chickens are stunningly beautiful with their black feathers that shine in shades of dark blue and vibrant green in the sunlight.
If you’re a new chicken keeper, want a family-friendly chicken, or need a homestead chicken superstar, you’ll definitely want to consider the Australorp.
But beware! Australorp chickens do tend to struggle in the heat. So, if you fare from a hot and humid climate, know that this breed isn’t cut out for that.
What else do you need to know? In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about Australorps, so you can make sure they’re the right chickens for your flock.
You’ll learn:
Everything you ever wanted to know about Australorp egg laying
Australorp broodiness (do these girls want to hatch their eggs or not?)
Australorp meat (how much do they provide and what does it taste like?)
Climate considerations for Australorp chickens (are they a good fit for your region?)
Foraging, space, and predator considerations for Australorp chickens (is your yard the right setup?)
Australorp temperament (are they right for you and your family?)
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Australorp chicken facts
Category: Eggs & meat
Place of Origin: Australia
Egg-laying ability: Good-exceptional
Broodiness: Variable
Meat production: Good
Cold tolerance: Poor-exceptional (depends on comb and wattle size)
Heat tolerance: Moderate-good
Predator evasion: Moderate
Foraging ability: Moderate
Toleration for confinement: Good
Temperament: Docile
Aggression toward flock members: Low
Noise level: Low-moderate
Origin of Australorp chickens
The name Australorp is a portmanteau, a combination of two separate words into one (think: Brangelina). The breed name comes from combining the words “Australian Orpington.” The breed was once referred to as the Australian Utility Orpington. Then, the breed was called the Austral for a time, and, finally, the name was changed to Australorp.
You may hear the Australorp breed referred to as “Australia’s version of the English Orpington.” This is because the breed was developed from the original Orpington breed of England, which actually differs quite a bit from the much fluffier and less hardy modern Orpington breed.
The original Orpington breed was a beautiful and versatile black chicken created in the 1880s by crossing Minorcas, Black Plymouth Rocks, and Langshans. Some of this original stock was imported into Australia in the 1890s and early 1900s, and this stock was refined over several generations into the Australorp breed.
How were the chickens refined? Breeders crossed in some other breeds of chickens. They had the ultimate goal of making Australorps a commercial egg-laying breed. Nobody knows for sure exactly which other breeds were used to develop the Australorp, but some have proposed Minorcas, White Leghorns, Plymouth Rocks, and Langshans.
Australorps were imported into America and England in the early 1920s.
A bantam (i.e., miniature) version of the Australorp was developed before World War II in England.
Today, Australorps are listed as “Recovering” by The Livestock Conservancy. Although Australorps have become more popular in recent years, thanks to the backyard chicken craze, they are still low in numbers.
What do Australorp Chickens look like?
Australorp feather colors and patterns
Australorps only come in one variety that is recognized by the American Poultry Association (APA), and that variety is the Black Australorp.
The Black Australorp has black feathers that shine a beautiful beetle green in the sunlight. Some even have a bluish sheen to them. Some young Black Australorps will even have white feathers. This is normal, and they will likely lose the white feathers after a major molt or two.
Below, you can see a flock of Black Australorps with their beautiful plumage.
You may also find breeders who breed Australorp in other colors, such as White, Blue, or Splash. Below, you can see videos of each of these colors.
White Australorps
Blue Australorps
Splash Australorps
What is notable about the Australorp chicken’s appearance?
Australorps have medium- to large-sized upright, single combs. They have red earlobes and a red, featherless face. Hens have small wattles and roosters have medium-sized wattles.
The birds also have black beaks and dark slate to black legs and toes. They have a pinkish-white color on the bottoms of their feet and toes.
One of the most stunning features of Australorps is their dark brown to brownish black eyes. You can see these dark, beautiful eyes in the photo of the rooster below.
How big do Australorp chickens get?
Australorps are considered a medium-heavy breed. They are smaller than heavy breeds, like the Orpington, but still larger than your average chicken breed.
Roosters: 8.5 lbs
Hens: 6.5 lbs
Bantam roosters: 1.875 lbs
Bantam hens: 1.625 lbs
What do Australorp chicks look like?
Black Australorps are black with some white or pale-yellow patches, particularly on their wing tips and underbellies. You can see some Black Australorp chicks in the video below.
In the video below, you can see just how different White Australorp chicks look from their black counterparts.
Australorp chicken growth
For a heritage breed, Australorps grow fairly quickly and mature early. In the video below, you can see a video montage of Black Australorps from day-old chicks to three months of age. Notice how much they mature in just three months.
And in the video below, you can see a video montage of White Australorp chicks as they grow from 1-day old to 6 months old.
And below, check out the video of Australorp hens at 14 weeks—just because they’re really cute.
Are you getting Australorp chicks?
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Australorp chickens and egg laying
Egg color: Brown
Egg size: Large
Age of lay: 5-7 months
Eggs/week: 4-5
Eggs/year: 200-250
Most Australorp eggs tend to have a light brown tint. Some strains lay well through the winter, but other strains don’t. You’ll have to check with your hatchery or breeder.
Australorp Bantams (i.e., the miniature versions) lay fewer eggs, typically around 170/year. Still not bad.
Broodiness: Do Australorp hens want to hatch their eggs?
Some Australorp strains are broody and do want to sit on their eggs and raise their babies, but other strains aren’t broody at all. Hatchery strains are less likely to be broody, but if broodiness (or the lack thereof) is important to you, make sure you ask before you purchase.
Australorps who do go broody are reportedly very good mothers. Below, you can see a video of a Black Australorp mama with her chicks.
And in this video, you can see an Australorp Bantam hen with her babies.
Meat production of Australorp chickens
Although Australorps don’t produce as much meat as Orpingtons, they’re still decent meat birds and are a favorite of homesteaders. One chicken keeper said, “For the self-sustaining crowd of homesteaders, these are a hard to beat breed.”
When fully mature, Australorps have a market weight of 5.5-7.5 lbs.
However, many homesteaders process their roosters early at around 16-18 weeks. One homesteader said, “I prefer 16-20 weeks, as then the meat is still tender but flavorful, and you have a good-sized carcass.” At this age, the birds process at about 4-5 lbs.
Australorp chickens: A hardy breed
How do Australorp chickens do in the heat?
Australorp chickens are overall a hardy breed, which makes them excellent choices for backyards and barnyards alike. However, they don’t tolerate the heat as well as some other breeds.
If you live in a climate that gets very high temperatures, this may not be the right breed for you. And if you live in a particularly hot and humid climate, like many of the Southern states, look elsewhere.
How do Australorp chickens do in the cold?
Overall, Australorp chickens are incredibly cold hardy.
One chicken keeper described her situation, “I live in the mountains of Colorado. I have one Black Australorp right now, and she handles the cold better than my other chickens.”
Another said of her Australorp flock, “I’m in Eastern Kansas and it got down to 4 degrees last night. The temp didn’t phase them a bit.”
And another said, “I live with winter temperatures that drop -0 (F) with windchill, and they have no problems and continue to lay.”
However, there are a couple of caveats you need to keep in mind with Australorps in cold climes. First of all, roosters don’t fare as well in cold temperatures as do hens. They have larger combs and wattles that are subject to frostbite.
The video below shows Chalky, the Black Australorp rooster. You can see in this video just how big an Australorp rooster comb can be. These large combs are especially prone to frostbite.
If you keep Australorp roosters (or any roosters with large combs or wattles), you will need to make special accommodations to prevent frostbite. I prevent frostbite in my roosters’ combs by hanging Sweeter Heaters over their roosting bars.
Because Sweeter Heaters are radiant heaters, they don’t heat the whole coop, but they do prevent combs from freezing. My chickens love them.
You can find small Sweeter Heaters here on Amazon, medium Sweeter Heaters here, and large Sweeter Heaters here.
The other thing you need to be aware of is that although Australorps are cold hardy, they don’t like snow. Most breeds aren’t crazy about snow, but Australorps have a reputation for not going near it.
So, if you live in a snowy place, make sure you have a covered run and take measures to keep your run dry during the winter. This will allow your Australorps to enjoy the outdoors during cold and snowy days.
Australorp chickens vs. predators
Australorp chickens are neither the best predator evaders, nor the worst. These birds are active and alert, and their medium-large size can deter some smaller predators, so they’ve got that going for them.
However, they don’t fly very well and aren’t as good at escaping as some of the flightier breeds.
Australorp chickens: Should they free range or live in confinement?
Australorp chickens are versatile chickens, so they can do well free ranging or living confined to a run.
However, this breed is very active, loves to forage, and is somewhat large, so the more space you are able to give them, the happier they’ll be.
Australorp chicken temperament: Just what kind of birds are they?
Australorps are generally happy, inquisitive, and active birds with a very sweet and gentle demeanor.
Many chicken keepers find their Australorps to be incredibly loving, and many of these chickens thrive on human attention.
One chicken keeper said, “One of them likes to crawl into my husband’s lap and snuggle, regardless of what he’s doing, or if he’s in the mood for chicken love.”
Another chicken keeper said of her Australorp flock, “Our girls run up to us every time we go to the coop. You have to be careful where you step as to not step on them as they are always underfoot. They are very clam and have very laid-back personalities.”
Another told a similar story: “They are exceptionally curious and have to be elbows deep in whatever we are doing, which can be problematic if we’re trying to do a construction job in their coop. They want to ‘help.’ If I sit or squat in their run, they will be on my lap or shoulder—particularly if it puts me in an awkward stance and particularly if I don’t want them to…”
And another told this story: “… these girls are so social. They walk right into the house and don’t flinch when the 80-pound dogs sprint by (or over) them. These are the girls I have harnesses for that will follow me around the feed store!”
Other chicken keepers tell stories about how funny and entertaining their Australorps are.
One keeper said of hers, “They are the clowns of my flock…”
Another described her Australorp hen as “a very sweet bird, who likes fun as much as she likes being gentle.”
One Australorp keeper said of her flock, “They act like parrots…climbing my arm until they get to my neck and trying to nuzzle me! It’s bizarre to see a chicken behave this way!”
Below you can see a video of this climbing behavior. Watch as Australorps climb up on a guy and then around kids—fast forward a bit over a minute into the video to see this.
How are Australorp chickens around children?
Australorp chickens typically do exceptionally well with children. They will tolerate being picked up, and many actually enjoy it.
One chicken keeper put it this way, “These birds are super docile and don’t mind being man-handled by children.”
Another said, “My children and granddaughter had no problems making lap pets of ours…”
Australorps are a bit heavy for small children, though. So, if you want a chicken they can easily pick up, consider the smaller Australorp Bantam variety.
In the video in the section above, you can see a young girl holding a Black Australorp hen, and then see a hen perched on a guy’s shoulder. These birds love interaction. Fast forward 2 minutes and 25 seconds in to see this.
Are Australorp roosters aggressive to people?
Most Australorp roosters are very friendly to people. However, be aware that every breed of chicken will have some aggressive roosters.
See the video below of a friendly Australorp rooster named Major.
How well do Australorp chickens get along with other chickens?
Australorp chickens get along with each other quite well. Some keepers have even raised multiple roosters without problems. However, you will want to have a backup plan in case your roosters end up not getting along. You just never know with roosters.
But raising a flock of Australorp hens together tends to go very well.
One chicken keeper said of her flock of hens, “They are so sweet and good natured. They aren’t mean to each other… The only thing they do bad is pick on the one being held, because they are jealous, so I have to stand to give them loving.”
Australorps also tend to be friendly to other breeds of chickens as well. One chicken keeper said of hers, “We never have any issues introducing new birds into the flock. The Australorps are always very welcoming to the new girls”
Below, you can see a video of a Black Australorp rooster foraging happily with his Black Australorp hens, and then you see other breeds of hens peacefully enter the scene.
And below is an adorable Australorp rooster in a nesting box. He’s doing a gentle tidbitting sound to show the hens where to nest—so cute!
One thing you do need to be aware of with Australorps, though, is that they can become the victims of aggression. Some Australorps are so gentle and passive they don’t stand up for themselves. They end up getting picked on. Because of this, these birds do best with other gentle breeds.
Australorp chickens: Are they noisy?
Overall, australorps are one of the quieter breeds of chicken. However, some keepers have noticed that their hens like to have conversations with them when perched on their shoulders or sitting on their laps.
And, like all breeds, Australorp hens may have very loud egg songs (i.e., vocalizations associated with the laying process) and Australorp roosters love to crow.
Below, you can hear the quiet chattering of Australorp hens as they happily forage.
And, if you’re like me, you always want to know what the rooster’s crow sounds like. In this video, you can hear Chalky, a Black Australorp rooster, with his beautiful crow—you can hear this crow about 2 minutes into the video.
And here is a young Australorp cockerel’s cute little crow. He’s still working on it—check it out at 30 seconds into the video.
And this last video is just too hilarious not to share! This video shows Gill, a 6-week old Australorp Bantam rooster, attempting to crow.
Australorp chicken health problems and life expectancy
Australorp chickens are a robust and hardy breed with no associated health problems. You can expect them to live the average chicken lifespan of 5-8 years.
Breeds you may want instead of Australorps
Australorp crosses: Amazing hybrid breeds made for the backyard
You can find several different Australorp hybrids. These are all incredible birds! Australorp hybrids have what’s termed “hybrid vigor.” This means that they tend to be more vigorous and productive than either of their parent breeds.
The most common Australorp hybrids include:
Austra White chickens. These chickens are bred from Black Australorp roosters and White Leghorn hens.
Production Blue chickens. These chickens are bred from Rhode Island Red and Blue Australorp parents.
Breeds similar to Australorps
If you like Australorps, you may also want to consider other docile, egg-laying breeds, such as Orpingtons, Plymouth Rocks, and Sussexes. For more information on these breeds, check out my articles:
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Black Australorp sources
Bassom, Frances. Mini Encyclopedia: Chicken Breeds and Care. Dorking: Interpet Publishing, 2011.
Damerow, Gail. Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens. North Adams: Storey Publishing, 2017.
Damerow, Gail. The Chicken Health Handbook. North Adams: Storey Publishing, 2015.
Ekarius, Carol. Storey's Illustrated Guide to Poultry Breeds. North Adams: Storey Publishing, 2007.
Verhoef, Esther and Rijs, Aad. The Complete Encyclopedia of Chickens. Lisse: Rebo Publishers, 2005.