# A question about Black Australorps



## whiskeylivewire (May 27, 2009)

I have been looking around at different hatcheries and most of them say that the Black Australorps have a large brown egg and are excellent layers, even through the winter. One hatchery said that they have a smaller sized egg though. Is this just do to their strain of the breed? I really want these chickens, they sound great and they're so pretty! What luck have y'all had with them? Thanks!


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

Every chicken is different, as is every specific strain. I'd buy from a hatchery that procliams them excellent layers of large eggs.


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## whiskeylivewire (May 27, 2009)

That is what I was thinking as well. Thanks!


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## Uncle JD (Dec 1, 2010)

Shalom Whiskey,

I have Black Australorps and all of mine have laid big brown eggs. when the temperatures here in SW Oklahoma got to 15 degrees or less, they stopped laying for about one week. I put a light in the tractor and they started back up again with big brown eggs. I don't know if that helps, but it is my 2 shekels.

Blessings,

jd


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## whiskeylivewire (May 27, 2009)

Thanks JD that helps a lot. I've liked everything I've read about them, and it was only the one hatchery that said they had smallish eggs. I just won't order them from that hatchery


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## mawalla (Oct 28, 2002)

We had wonderful large brown eggs from ours. That was the breed we started with many years ago. They have all died off now but I would love to get another bunch of them this season. They were very good layers of big brown eggs. (The rooster was evil though.)

The chickens we have now are a bunch of mutts and are all getting old. However I have found that mutt eggs taste just as good as purebred eggs!


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## Shygal (May 26, 2003)

I started with them too, I loved them. We had an Australorp rooster that was the best rooster ever, he fought off a fox that was trying to get one of his hens. He would stand on a little hill and just oversee everything, I never saw him eat! 

Mine laid lovely large brown eggs, and their feathers are so soft and fluffy and the greenish sheen to them is really pretty.

I ordered some yesterday!


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## Guest (Feb 16, 2011)

We've been without chickens for about 4 years. Decided to get some chicks this year. We know nothing but Rhode Island Reds, but decided to go with something different for a change. So we ordered half Black Australorps and half Buff Orpingtons. My husband is really excited for the the blacks. I'd really never heard of them, but since we ordered, I see people everywhere online singing their praises.


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## lauriej57 (Nov 20, 2008)

I loved the one that I had, and she laid large brown eggs. However, she was broody from March til October, even though she laid throughout the winter, it was only about 4 eggs a week, and laid very rarely the rest of the time, because all she wanted to do was sit on eggs, so I ended up rehoming her. The real problem with her broodiness, is that she would never finish a hatch, sit for 10 days or so, then leave the nest.


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## hugh (Apr 22, 2009)

great chicken . layed great even as they got older


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

That's the breed I am adding this year. Big enough to eat - heavy enough to withstand a stiff winter - dark enough to avoid the hawks - hopefully.


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## MrHank (Sep 12, 2007)

They do lay large dark brown eggs. We started with three, one was broody so we culled her. We ordered 5 more chicks last fall and they are doing fine. We mostly have a mix of different breeds but this is my wifes favoite, I likw the barred rocks myself


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## whiskeylivewire (May 27, 2009)

Thanks for all the help! DH used to raise RIRs mostly. Now we're branching out and I'm a complete newbie when it comes to chickens. Oh my goodness, I just love them. It's such a happy sound to hear them peeping in the background. We haven't lost a chick yet and they're super active. I might become a chicken addict! lol


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## Sanza (Sep 8, 2008)

I have a little different opinion about the black australorps and I've had them for 3 years now. They are gentle giants and not pyscho at all, but lately I've been wondering about the feed needed for them compared to my other smaller breeds.
I have black australorps that are from award winning stock (private breeder) up here in Alberta and the eggs are actually smaller then the ameraucanas and marans even tho the pullets themselves are almost double in size. All my girls are 9 months old now and have been laying for the past 2 - 3 months. Even the friend with the prize winners is singing praises about the size of ameraucana eggs in comparison to his australorps. 
OTOH the australorps are great for butchering and for brooding too.


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

Sanza said:


> I have a little different opinion about the black australorps and I've had them for 3 years now. They are gentle giants and not pyscho at all, but lately I've been wondering about the feed needed for them compared to my other smaller breeds.
> I have black australorps that are from award winning stock (private breeder) up here in Alberta and the eggs are actually smaller then the ameraucanas and marans even tho the pullets themselves are almost double in size. All my girls are 9 months old now and have been laying for the past 2 - 3 months. Even the friend with the prize winners is singing praises about the size of ameraucana eggs in comparison to his australorps.
> OTOH the australorps are great for butchering and for brooding too.


Prize winners at shows has nothing to do with egg production, unfortunately. Oftentimes, 'show' stock are crummy layers because they've been selected for type over production for so long. I'll take my back yard quality production type birds over 'show' lines anyday.


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## Sanza (Sep 8, 2008)

Well not in this case! I know he's had australorps for at least 20-25 years and I know this particular line is the best black australorp line right now in Western Canada, and he has not been select breeding for looks instead of production. 
That said, they do lay an egg every day, but when we compare their size and food consumption to the ameraucana size and food consumption the ameraucanas eat less but lay larger eggs, and him not having any other breed until I gave him a couple pullets last spring is pleasantly surprized by the eggs.


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## whiskeylivewire (May 27, 2009)

Again, thanks for the help everyone. We haven't ordered any yet, we are waiting until we get these chicks grown and moved out on their own first. I'll be doing a lot of research that is for sure.


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## dustin biery (Oct 30, 2010)

Ok, not to hijack a thread, but why are some selecting against broodyness? I understand the poor brooders being culled, but having a line of birds that will sit on their own and hatch their own is a really good trait......?


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## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

Dustin, because when the hen goes broody, she stops laying once she has her eggs all collected and she sits on the nest to hatch them. That takes her out of production, if what you have chickens for is eggs.


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## dustin biery (Oct 30, 2010)

Well, I get that. But if you are in it for the eggs, why would you allow a nest to collect to that point? Seems easily avoidable with daily collections?


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## Apryl in ND (Jan 31, 2010)

Our winters are very cold and very long. My Australorps have laid very well all winter despite negative whatever temps. I do have a light in there to keep production up though. Mine lay average sized eggs. And my Australorp roo "Westley Snipes" is a very handsome boy to boot!


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## lambs.are.cute (Aug 15, 2010)

mine (from mcmurrary) lay the same sized eggs as the aras but the aras do out produce everyone including the RIRs. They are absolutly beautiful but I wouldn't have a whole flock of them because they do eat more food (besides who can resist the blue eggs?).

btw only my aras and black australorps layed during the winter (even with a light to encourage all of them).


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## Apryl in ND (Jan 31, 2010)

Oh yeah, I got mine from Welp hatchery. Good prices, healthy chicks. Didn't lose a single chick out of my batch of 45.


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## Candace (Jan 14, 2008)

I love ours. They have a nice temperament, are reliable layers and beautiful to boot. Mine also lay through the winter but you should expect fewer eggs in the winter anyway. I do use lights in the coop but my production is down when it is very cold. With the recent warm weather we have had a dramatic uptick in eggs. I hope you try a few.


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