The Australorp breed of chickens belongs to the universal. From birds of this breed, you can expect a high yield of meat and excellent egg production.
Australian breeders used in breeding egg breeds of chickens. Thus, the user qualities of the breed were significantly improved.
Australorp - meat and egg breed of hens. The history of its origin began in 1890 with the delivery of black English orpingtons to Australia. William Cook in Kent County was involved in their breeding.
A beautiful breed with the highest genetic potential has entered the country. It contained the genes of Cochin Quin, Black Plymouth, Minorca.
The main task for the breeders was a significant increase in the productivity of eggs from one layer. For this purpose, such recognized egg breeds of chickens as the langshan and the white leggorn were used. Such introduction of fresh blood allowed to somewhat reduce the plumpness of the plumage and slightly reduce the live weight of the bird.
They achieved their goal - the Australorp breed of chickens shook the world with record egg-laying. On average, 309 eggs were received from the hens per year under natural conditions of housing (without artificially increasing daylight hours and various additional feedings).
Already in 1921, the British Standard recognized the Australian black universal orpington breed. But the poultry farmers of Australia offered their version - the Australians. Later, the supplement “Orp” appeared, which made the final official name of the breed - Australorp.
In 1929, the breed received recognition in the Americas. Currently, fans of the Australorp black breed are united in clubs around the world - Australia, USA, Germany.
Australorp black
The bird is calm but agile. Full-bodied, massive-bodied, moderately stocky chicken. Luxurious plumage, exclusively black, down dark, skin - white.
The head of the bird is small, with a leaf-shaped 5-toothed comb, short beak of black color. Eyes brown, red lobes. Neck with a rich plumage of medium length.
The Australorp Black breed of chickens is distinguished for its carcass and excellent meat taste. The birds have a convex broad chest, a rounded dense body, a wide long back. The tail does not differ in pomp, with respect to the line of the back has a slope of 45 0. Legs thick, short, dark color.
What features have chickens? Baby Australorpes are distinguished by a lively temperament, high growth energy and good health, the survival rate of young animals is up to 99%. The live weight of males can reach almost 4 kg by the age of eight months.
For the proper development of the bird, growing without walking, it is recommended to give fish oil at the rate of 0.1 gram per chick (from five days of age). It is useful to enter into the diet (from the tenth day) wheat bran, vegetables, chopped beef, fish (boneless), crushed grain.
The breed of chickens Australorp refers to the early maturing. Chickens start to be born already from 135 days of life and in the first year give an average of 200 eggs. From the second year of life, egg production begins to decline.
Australorp marble (black and motley)
When breeding the black-and-white Australorp breed, the main emphasis was placed on lowering the age of sexual maturity of the bird and increasing the mass of eggs.
Australorp is black-motley or marble (photo on the left) displayed at the All-Union Institute for the Breeding of Farm Animals. The basis was the descendants of hens of the original breed (Black Australorp), which was infused with intramuscular blood of striped Plymouthrocks. The peculiarity of the breed is its resistance to pullorosis. The main plumage is black with slight depigmentation, giving the bird a variegated color.
Breed is considered to be egg. Its representatives are somewhat smaller than the birds of the original breed. Youngsters at the age of 150 days reach a live weight of 1.3 kg, adult roosters - 2.6 kg, chickens - 2.2 kg.
Sexual maturity of birds comes in 5.5 months. The egg shell cream color. Egg production - 220 pieces per year with an egg mass of 55 grams.
Chickens are perfectly adapted for cellular and group housing. Prized primarily as carriers of the gene “st” is a recessive gene responsible for clarifying the color of the cover and improving the presentation of the carcass.
In addition to the black-and-white Australorp, there is also white and blue. In whites, let's say a yellowish hue of plumage in the neck, reddish eyes and dark blue metatarsus. Australorp blue has a plumage of gentle gray-blue color. Plumage in chickens - with a black border, cockerels have a fringe on the chest. Both subspecies are smaller than black Australorp, eggs weigh up to 55 grams.
Characteristic
Australorp black description:
- egg production - up to 220 pieces,
- egg weight - 62 grams
- egg color - brown,
- chickens weight - 2.8 kg
- roosters weight –3.8 kg,
- comb - with five teeth, leaf-shaped,
- safety of young stock - on average 95%,
- temperament - balanced,
- plumage color - black with a greenish tint,
- productivity - meat and egg.
To unacceptable defects include:
- narrow and short body
- too long pointed tail,
- narrow and long teeth on the ridge,
- clarified tarsus,
- yellow sole,
- purple or bronze plumage,
- brown color of feathers,
- red or light eyes
- the presence of white plaque on the lobes.
Care and maintenance
Australorp black - breed of chickens that does not require special conditions of detention. An important factor is the positive temperature in the hen house. Under the floor content the best litter will be peat. It absorbs moisture well, not allowing pathogens to multiply. Timely replacement of litter material will help avoid diseases.
To prevent parasitic invasions, chickens should be given the opportunity to take "baths" from a mixture of ash and dry sand.
Australorp black is used for crossbreeding, which significantly increases egg production in hybrid layers.
In feeding the bird is no different from other chickens. Adults should receive a balanced diet for all nutrients. In the summer, green grass is introduced, in the fall - vegetables and fruits. In winter, eggshell is added (as a source of calcium). To normalize digestion - coarse sand and fine gravel.
Benefits
The advantages of this breed include:
- calm and balanced nature, the birds get along well with other pets and never provoke conflict situations,
- quick adaptation to the conditions of detention
- the possibility of using the breed as an enhancer to increase the egg production of hybrids,
- chickens do not cease to sweep in the winter,
- high egg production combined with excellent meat qualities of the breed.
Rooster - breed signs
When describing a rooster, the following breed characteristics can be noted:
- Head. Wide, low, medium size, proportionally rounded. Bill is medium, strong, black. Eyes brown, lively. Comb is average, upright, simple with five uniform teeth. Not adjacent to the back of the head, although it continues its line. The "face" is smooth, red with rough skin. The lobes are medium, red in color, oblong.
- Neck. Slightly more than the average length, with a voluminous mane, falling on his back.
- Chest. Obviously protrudes forward, convex, well rounded, deep and wide.
- Back. From the shoulder and waist - evenly wide. Lumbar plumage - abundant with long and wide feathers.
- Stomach - rounded, wide, full.
- Tail. Opened, rather long, wide at the base.
- Wings. To the body fit tightly.
- Body. Delivered almost horizontally, long.
- Shins. Strong, widely set.
- Hocks. Widely set, dark, smooth, medium length. The claws are light, the sole of the feet is white or light pink.
- Plumage. It fits tightly, deep black with a clear green tint, the down is dark, the skin is white.
Chicken - breed characteristics
Chickens have similar characteristics, except for those responsible for gender difference. Their crest is smaller, the body is slightly longer. Very well defined belly. With proper care, the bird looks sturdy, well-fed.
Universal productivity makes it quite justifiable to choose for the breeding of Australorp hens in private households. Reviews of happy owners of birds confirm the relevance of the use of the breed.
The origin of the breed
Australorp hens were bred by Australian ornithologists at the beginning of the 19th century by crossing local birds with the British Orpingtons. A new species has gained wide popularity in all corners of the globe. Already in the 20s of the last century at the World Congress, representatives of this family were recognized as one of the most useful crosses.
Interesting. The breed became famous all over the world thanks to a record number of eggs laid: in just one year, 6 laying hens yielded 1,857 eggs - approximately 309 pieces each.
In 1946, this unique bird was brought to the Soviet Union, where it was bred "in itself", and also, relying on the genetic properties of the birds, developed an independent direction - the black-and-white population.
The Australorps did not fall into the category of industrial birds, moreover, they were not even destined to enter the category of farm birds. This is due to the high cost of proper maintenance and selection of quality manufacturers. Today, the breed is distributed VNIIZHRZH of the Russian Federation, on private farmsteads, or is acquired abroad.
Description and characteristics of the breed, photos
Australorp breed is a massive strong bird, which is characterized by strong immunity and excellent adaptation to different conditions of detention. The live weight of an adult rooster reaches 4 kg, chicken - 3 kg.
This is one of the best species that combines meat and egg productivity. According to farmers, Australorp meat has a dark red color and looks like beef. The carcass is endowed with a trade dress, because, despite the dark plumage of chickens, their skin is white.
A significant advantage of the birds is their beautiful nature, balanced by nature. They easily find a common language with neighbors in the coop, do not enter into conflicts and have a wonderful contact with the owner. In addition, the chickens are well adapted to the conditions of the herd, individual or cellular content.
Roosters of this breed are endowed with the following breed characteristics:
- wide, small head with a straight, leaf-shaped comb, which is divided into 5 identical teeth and continues with the end of the occiput,
- a medium-sized, powerful beak is endowed with a dark or black color, the eyes are dark brown or black, and the comb, earlobes and earrings are rich red,
Australorpa roosters have earrings and a comb of bright red color.
Chickens have the same pedigree characteristics, with the exception of those that indicate gender:
- the crest is smaller than that of the male, upright and with wide teeth,
- the body is slightly longer, and the stomach is full and pronounced,
- the short tail is set wide apart and fully opened, the tail feathers are wide,
- the line of a back smoothly passes into a tail.
The main defect of the Australorp breed is the shortened and narrow body of a small size, as well as an excessively long and sharp tail.
The original color of the Australorp plumage is black with an emerald sheen. On the inside of the wing and abdomen, you can see yellow or light gray spots. The iris is dark brown, the metatarsus is gray or black, the claws and the tips of the fingers are slightly lighter, and the sole is almost white.
Meet other breeds of chickens that have completely black plumage:
- Chickens Jersey giant - heavyweights meat productivity.
- Absolutely black rare, unique and expensive chickens - Ayam Tsemani.
Another species of the breed is widespread - the marble Australorp or the popular black-and-white. In such birds, most of the feather cover has a black color with small bright patches. Representatives of Australian variegated colors are more susceptible to the disease pullorosis than other subspecies.
In the photo a variety of breed - Marble Australorp.
There are also golden, chocolate, white and blue color. White varieties have yellowish feathers on their necks, while blue ones have a gray-blue tide.
Productivity Characteristics
Australorp breed has high performance characteristics. Reproductive functions begin to manifest themselves at the age of six months - this factor directly depends on the degree of illumination of the house.
The egg production of chickens does not stop throughout the year and does not depend on climate fluctuations and the change of seasons. In a year, hens are able to lay from 160 to 200 eggs, and the achievement of purebred individuals is an indicator of 300 pieces. The egg weighs on average from 55 to 62 g and has a creamy-brown shell color.
Important. Australorps begin to sweep from 135 days of life, but after two years of intensive egg production, the level of productivity will fall. By old age, the hen has the peculiarity of laying two-yolk eggs.
In a year, hens are able to lay from 160 to 200 eggs.
Thanks to good muscle mass, these birds are also raised for meat. The average weight of the gutted carcass of an adult rooster varies in the range of 2.3 - 3 kg.
Maintenance and care
Despite the fact that representatives of Australorp breed perfectly adapt to low temperatures, in winter time in the hen house you should maintain climate control above 0 degrees. In the warm season, the best option will be a temperature regime of 12-15 degrees.
Ventilate the room regularly, but avoid drafts. For adults, the duration of daylight hours should not exceed 14-15 hours. Family aviaries contain 4 heads per 1 sq. M with free access to water bowls and feeders.
When ground maintenance is necessary to equip the floor with dry mats. For these purposes, peat, which has the ability to absorb moisture and absorb unpleasant odors, has proven itself well.
For floor maintenance, it is necessary to fill the floor with dry bedding.
It is famous for its antibacterial properties, dries the paws of birds and prevents the occurrence of colds. This natural material can be used separately, or mixed with other types: sawdust, shavings, straw, dry leaves, etc.
Another prerequisite for the maintenance of Australorps is the presence of dust baths, due to which the skin and feathering of the birds are enveloped in a protective layer, and a kind of barrier against parasites is formed. To organize a dust bath in the same ratio mixed fine sand and wood ash.
Feeding Australorp breed chickens
Representatives of the Australian chicken class unpretentious in food, and their diet is not much different from the nutrition of other breeds. Chickens, as a rule, begin to feed the ground egg, diluted with crushed grain if desired. Weak chicks should be fed with a mixture of milk and chicken yolk.
The following products should be present in the food complex of the adult livestock:
The diet of Australorps is not much different from the nutrition of other breeds.
- cereals,
- potatoes and its cleaning in boiled form,
- fresh greens
- carrot,
- beet,
- vegetables,
- boneless fish waste,
- dairy products.
In winter, eggs should be injected into the ration of birds as a source of calcium, and to improve the digestive process to give a small amount of sand.
Cultivation and breeding
The family of Australian birds consists of one male and 10-15 females. It is necessary to take into account the fact that, with a calm disposition, the roosters have a high activity and a strong build. Therefore, the poultry farmer is recommended to constantly monitor the state of the hens and, if necessary, wear protective vests.
Purebred specimens with the presence of standard traits are allowed for breeding. Roosters should be left late. It is noted that with a large mass of males, low fertilization is more common. On average, the percentage of fertilized eggs is 95%.
Usually breeding chickens is carried out by incubation, although among females you can find high-quality chickens, breeding about 13-15 chickens over the summer.
Nestlings are characterized by good survival and have strong immunity.
Many household owners prefer the hustling instinct of Australorps, citing an increase in the hatchability of offspring to 100% and an increase in the percentage of future females to 70%.
Important. Often, hatching eggs are imported from abroad, overcoming a huge distance. Птенцы оказываются в совершенно иных климатических условиях, что приводит к большому падежу в первом выводке. К тому же неопытного птицевода ждет немалый процент выбраковки.Therefore, to create a full-fledged family, it is recommended to stock a large number of hatching eggs.
Nestlings are characterized by good survival and have strong immunity. For them, you must create a suitable temperature and moderate lighting. If you ignore the requirements for the conditions of the chickens will develop ahead of time and in the future will not give good offspring.
Shedding and disease propensity
Such a physiological phenomenon as a molt adversely affects representatives of the Australorp breed.
Australorps are resistant to different types of diseases.
Chickens have excellent fertility and adequately tolerate reduced incentives during this natural process. However, the remnants or hemp feathers of black-colored individuals noticeably spoil the presentation of the carcass. Therefore, these birds immediately after molting slaughtered for meat.
Australorps are resistant to different types of diseases, and their immunity is practically the benchmark in their field.
Where can I buy Black Australorp chickens?
Since the breed is quite common in Russia, if you wish, you can always find a decent breeder with high-quality livestock.
Black Australorps implement the following domestic farms:
- Incubatoria (Chekhov) has on sale day-old chicks,
- Golden Feathers (Moscow) offers 2-month-old chickens and an egg,
- The Gurkin family farm (Bulatnikovo village) and the Bird's village (Pereslavl-Zalessky) sell layers, day-old chickens and an egg.
Australorp breed is common in Russia.
Reviews and opinions of poultry farmers
Lyudmila. I took 100 eggs in the gene pool, out of which I chose 35. 3 roosters and 32 wonderful chickens were born, which do not stop being born even at -30 degrees. In winter, the barn is not heated, but it is well insulated. Chickens start to be born approximately in half a year and in winter time give from 18 to 26 eggs per day. Their character is very calm. This is the only breed to which I can add chickens from 3 weeks, when relocation happens. They chase them for a couple of days, and then they fall behind and give the chicks the opportunity to eat and walk.
Vladimir. In my opinion, the Australorps are characterized by very good egg production, I collect about 250 pieces a year. I observe such dynamics in my chickens: they rush for a couple of days, then one day break. It happens that three days in a row they give eggs, and one day they rest. The special advantages of the breed include their strong immunity and the ability to rush in an unheated hen house. The rest of the breed, probably waiting for warming.
Australorp breed of chickens
The black pearl of ornithology, the Australorp chickens, were bred by Australian ornithologists at the beginning of the 19th century, by crossing aboriginal birds with the British Orpingtons, from where they quickly became famous and spread throughout the world.
In the 20s of the last century at the World Congress, the delegates of this family were nominated and received wide recognition in the category of the most useful crosses. Further, already in the 50s. This magnificent beauty was brought to the USSR and started to be bred as is, and also based on its genetic features, an independent direction - the black-and-white population.
Australia was not destined to become an industrial category, moreover, they could not even enter the category of farmer poultry due to significant costs for proper maintenance. Now Australians are distributed by VNIIZHRZH RF, in private poultry farms or are purchased as imports.
Product orientation
Due to the fact that the selection has undergone distribution on utility (meat-egg) and decorative exhibition areas, the characteristics of these subgroups can vary. The prerogative remained for the combination of meat and egg benefits.
Very tasty meat of hens, similar to beef, has dark red color. Egg production is kept within the limits of the relevant standards
180-200 eggs per year (actual figures are given in the article).
Appearance description
Australorp breed of chickens - strong, stocky bird with a dense body weight: male
3 kg. Birds of this family adorn the original colors - black and emerald tint.
Eyes with brown outline and dark brown iris. By half a year the weight of the male is
2.2 kg of pure meat, gutted adult carcass weight
- Hocks are dark (gray, sometimes black),
- Male scallop leafy, five-tooth,
- The claws and fingertips are light, the sole is white,
- Coloring of scallops, lobes, earrings and beards - bright scarlet,
- Deviations from quality are considered white or with a partial whitish pigment of the lobe.
Subsequently, the following varieties were bred:
In addition, in addition to the Australian, there are several standards:
The undoubted advantage of the bird is its remarkable nature, balanced by nature. She is able to get along remarkably with the relatives of other crosses, not conflict, friendly to the owners.
Black Australian chicks perfectly accustomed to the conditions of individual, herd or cellular content. Due to this universality and non-conflict, they do not take care of their owners.
Sexual maturity and egg production
An Austrilop breed of chickens, the description of which suggests that it is quite advantageous in its content. The bird reaches its reproductive capacity at the age of six months, this factor is directly dependent on the lighting mode.
According to numerous reviews of the owners of this wonderful feathered beauty, there are data on her egg production, which reaches
250 eggs per year, with standard
200 and fixed record
309. The mass of eggs is average,
55-65 gr., To old age, the hen can give two yolk eggs.
Mommies usually work up to 4 days in a row, then rest one day. Chickens are able to nest in cold winter conditions, bringing 5-8 eggs from 10 layers.
Breeding characteristics
A family of Australian chernushki formed from the main male and 10-15 females, it is sometimes recommended to keep one or two alternate leaders separately. Referring to the information about the calm character, it is worth remembering - the heads of the families are distinguished by a greater weight and much more active girlfriends.
Experienced poultry houses are advised to leave a flock of a late-ripe cockerel that meets the standard — sometimes with low reproductive capacity of the main forwards, they have to be replaced.
In the absence of candidates for replacement, roosters are used for up to 5 years, systematically conducting control corrections and analysis of the percentage of insemination. To breeding allow genetically pure bird with all signs of exclusivity.
Although among the quotas there are excellent hens capable of hatching twice in the summer, artificially incubating in incubators has an unchanged tendency of demand. But, despite the presence of natural maternal instinct of layers, if incubation breeding is planned, poultry farmers recommend reconsidering the issue of fertility - eggs will have to be collected more often.
A unique incubation instinct increases hatchability by up to 100%, shifting the sex ratio of young stock: samochek / males - 70/30%.
From the question of egg production, it is logical to proceed to discuss the characteristics of the offspring. Chickens are distinguished by precocity, an excellent state of the immune system, and exceptional adaptability to environmental conditions.
The temperature regime is also key for them, which should be kept moderate without turning into a mild one.
It is not necessary to increase the dose of lighting for chicks, as this provokes the intensification of the process of transporting glucose into tissues, leading to premature development - such a bird will not be able to produce high quality offspring in the future.
Another noteworthy detail that requires close attention is late culling. It is characterized by white plumage, which almost always disappears at the end of the juvenile molting stage, and by the lighted iris with faded metatars, which darken with age in the chicks.
Feeding and walking chickens
The menu for fluffies begins with the feeding of ground egg yolk when adding ground grain. Weakened newborn chicks should be fed with a mixture of milk and chicken yolk. If, for any reason, walking of young animals is impossible or limited, then from five days of age, the nestlings are recommended to have fish oil (in the dosage
0.1 g per chick).
At the end of the first decade of baby life, it is recommended to inject wheat bran into their top dressing, as well as, if possible, chopped beef and bones, diversifying with carrots, beetroot and potatoes. When growing up, you can expand the diet of chopped greens. In the second month of life, corn is allowed in feed substitutes.
Content, diet, place of stay
In the diet, representatives of the Australian chicken class are not whimsical and do not differ much from their relatives. The main menu of the feathered animal contains the same feed mixtures, greens, root crops, etc. In the food set of an adult livestock should be present in abundance:
- Beet,
- Greenery,
- Carrot,
- Cereals,
- Dairy products,
- Potatoes and its boiled peelings,
- Fish waste, released from the bones.
In winter, pets should be supplied with eggshell, a source of calcium, and sand should be provided to aid digestion. Arrangement of the habitat of chickens - at the request of the breeder, in our articles there is a description of the cellular, captive and other types of content of the feathery family.
When the floor content you need to monitor the moisture litter, keeping it in a dry state. This is extremely important because, if the moisture content is exceeded, the litter contributes to the development of microorganisms harmful and dangerous to the bird.
It has a remarkable ability to absorb moisture and eliminate unpleasant odors - peat, because it is considered the best option for bedding. This natural material has antibacterial properties and dries the legs of birds, so chickens avoid colds.
Chickens also love to take regular baths from a mixture of fine dry sand and ash. This mixture helps to prevent parasitic invasions.
As it is known, Australorp breed of chickens is perfectly adapted to low temperatures, but despite this, the climate control above zero degrees Celsius should be observed in the hen house.
Description of advantages and disadvantages
Representatives of selection differ from their modern relatives by the almost complete absence of typical defects. Australorp breed of chickens is not problematic in breeding, always prepared for breeding and can boast the ability to stable breeding with subsequent exceptional survival of offspring.
Mummies of this species reach reproductive condition early, and do not cease to nest under any weather or climatic conditions (see Sexual maturity and egg production).
Opinion of poultry farmers about the shortcomings.
There is a feature that can be attributed to the negative, and the owners of black Australians learn it in practice. Many of the breeders, impressed by the high characteristics of pets, subject this bird to gene modification by crossing with other genealogies. And this is not a good and productive solution, because it does not live up to expectations - mixed species come out with impaired and poor vitality of the fetus.
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The origin of the australorps
At the root of this breed were two Australian breeders - William Cook and Joseph Partinton. In the 1890s, they began experiments on the breeding of chicken with high rates of meat productivity and egg production. English orpingtons, langshans, minores, white leggornas and other breeds were used for selection and crossing.
The work of breeders very quickly bore fruit, but at first no one perceived the chickens bred in Australia as a new breed. They were considered a local variation of the British Orpingons, so the term Australian Black Orpington was applied to them. However, over time, the situation has changed, and chickens were called Australorps, which is a combination of the words "Australia" and "Orpington."
The Australorps quickly gained popularity in Australia itself and attracted the attention of US farmers, but the rest of the world simply ignored it. International interest in Australian orpingtons began to grow rapidly after the world record for egg production was set in 1922. Six australorp hens per year demolished 1,857 eggs, that is, an average of 309 pieces each. Moreover, the record was set without the use of special stimulating feed or artificial lighting.
Since then, black Australian orpingtons have spread throughout the world, even reaching the USSR. These birds were brought to our country in 1949, though not from Australia, but from the USA, where the breed was also very popular. Although the poultry industry over the next decades has made a huge step forward, the Australorpas are now widely used to create highly productive crosses with high egg production rates.
Australorp breed chickens - description
Australorps have a typical exterior for meat-egg chickens: medium body size and fluffy plumage. The overall constitution of the body is dense. The roosters have a small head, topped with a straight, five-pronged, leaf-shaped scallop. Wide chest and abdomen give a good meat productivity of poultry. Wings with wide feathers fit snugly to the body. The legs are of medium length, widely spaced, black or dark gray. In the lush tail many crescent feathers. The Australorp chicken breed differs from the rooster only in its sexual characteristics and slightly smaller sizes.
When breeding the first black chickens were obtained, which became the main type. In this variant, both hens and roosters are completely covered with black feathers, which give a rich dark green glow.
In the United States, only this black color is permitted by standard. In Australia itself, the standard allows for three types of color: black, white and blue. Most colors allow the standard in force in South Africa. In addition to the above, four colors are also recognized: dark yellow, pockmarked, wheat lace and gold. Outside the standard, amateur poultry breeders often use more rare, but “defective” color variants, for example, Australorp is variegated.
In addition to several color options, the breed also has a dwarf type, recognized at the standard level.
As for the character of the Australorps, these are very calm and balanced birds.
Australorp productivity
Chickens of this breed are considered to be moderately productive for meat products and well productive for egg production.
The average number of eggs from one layer reaches 160–180 pieces per year, although the established records exceed 300 pieces. The average egg weight is 58 g, the color of the shell is creamy brown. It is noteworthy that the high egg production is maintained throughout the year without a sharp winter subsidence, which the vast majority of other chicken breeds have. Chickens begin to sweep already at 135-140 days of life.
Australorps are characterized by an average growth rate. The bird gains its maximum weight by the 8th month: 2.7–2.9 kg (hens) and 3.6–3.9 kg (roosters). The mass of the dwarf subspecies is about 0.9 and 1.1 kg, respectively.
The diet and conditions of chickens Australorp
The Australorp breed is undemanding to the composition of the feed and may well cost even the pasture when fodder content. However, in order to achieve the high rates of productivity indicated above, it is necessary to deliberately feed the chickens with nutritious foods. In general, australorps give adults grain, chopped greens, roots and other vegetables, meat and bone meal, bran, etc. In a words, the diet is fairly standard for this type of poultry.
Also, do not forget about mineral supplements: chalk, ash, bone meal, eggshell, etc. All of them are rich in calcium, and therefore have a very positive effect on the formation of bone tissue and eggshell. In addition, we should not forget that for normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, chickens need fine gravel or sand.
As for the conditions of the maintenance of Australorps, they are also quite standard. The optimum temperature in the hen house will be at 12-15 ºС, although in the summer, of course, it will be almost impossible to achieve this. However, given the origin of the rock from the semi-desert hot Australia, the high temperatures are quite familiar to them, although not so favorable. But in the winter time, it’s absolutely impossible to allow the temperature in the hen house to drop below 0 ºС.
The internal structure of the chicken coop is quite standard: perches, nests, feeders and drinkers of any suitable design and configuration. If ground maintenance is used, it is advisable to use a dry litter. As usual, straw, wood chips, sawdust, etc. are excellent for this role. You can also use peat bedding, which, if desired, is allowed to mix with other types of litter.
Для нормального самочувствия и хорошего развития курам необходима выгульная площадка. In it, or in the hen house you need to organize dust (ash) bath. Mixed in equal proportions wood ash and fine sand poured into a basin or another wide low capacity, in which chickens will easily climb. Bathing in such a “bath” is a natural way to prevent and combat parasites living on the skin and feathers of birds.
Prospects for breeding Australorp hens in Russia
Due to the fact that the breed of chickens Australorp black is well adapted to any conditions of detention and is not demanding at all to feed, it is loved by novice farmers and simply amateur breeders. Also, the certain popularity of these birds ensures their ability to maintain high egg production in the winter.
On the other hand, Australian chickens are not very adapted to the real cold, so in the northern regions with very cold winters they can only be kept in heated or very warmly insulated coop. Given that there are more adapted to the cold of the breed, the appropriateness of breeding Australorp under such conditions is questionable.
And in terms of productivity, as evidenced by reviews, australp chickens are well suited primarily for amateur poultry farmers. When breeding chickens with a non-commercial purpose, that is, primarily for the needs of their own family, the Australorps coped well with the tasks of providing their masters with eggs and meat.
Small farmers also often use Australian chickens for the same reasons - versatility and unpretentiousness. However, not very high rates of productivity separately for meat and separately for eggs force the majority of farmers to give preference to more productive, albeit highly specialized breeds.
Although it has already been said above that the mixed progeny of the Australorps and other breeds often turn out to be low-productive, this is true only if the crossing is done not by technology and with non-optimal partners. In the conditions of industrial poultry farms, the Australorp are not so rare, because there they are used precisely to produce highly productive hybrids - crosses.
Advantages and disadvantages
Chicks of Austrolorp black breed have a huge number of positive characteristics and conditional disadvantages:
- the birds have a calm, balanced character, they are not shy and not snooty,
- birds adapt perfectly to the new conditions of detention, thereby achieving year-round egg production,
- the breed is versatile - the chickens not only carry well, but also have excellent meat characteristics,
- Chickens are unpretentious to the conditions of detention and nutrition.
Conditional disadvantages include the fact that the breed is not productive for breeding hybrids: even if the species obtained show quite good results (both in meat indicators and egg production), then by the age of four months the classic Austrolorp significantly overtakes the hybrids in all indicators .
Breed productivity
Chicks of Austrolorp breed sweep throughout the year, while the average egg production of one hen is about 200 eggs. The eggs are quite large - each about 60 g. The productive period of the hens begins from 135 days of life and lasts until the age of two. Next, the egg production is preserved, but its pace gradually begins to decline.
If we talk about meat indicators, the young rooster, on reaching the age of eight months, gains about four kilograms, and the chicken - about three. Survival rates are also high: for young stock, the percentage is 95%, for adults - about 88%.
Austrolorp is the best suited for maintenance in private households, they are picky, well carried and give good meat.
