Champion egg layers

Australia’s honorary national bird known for excellent egg production

Ruth Nicolaus
Apr 15, 2022
Apr 15, 2022

Chicken Breeds Australorp (1).jpg — Australorps are a dual purpose breed that are known for the beetle-green sheen of their black feathers. They have dark eyes and feet that are whitish and pinkish on the bottom.
Submitted photo

Prefer us on Google

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

Ruth Nicolaus

Australorps are a dual purpose breed in the world of chickens.

kAm%96 566A 3=24< 3:C5D 2C6 <?@H? 7@C 6I46==6?E 688 AC@5F4E:@? 2?5 A=6?EJ @7 >62E @? E96 3@?6 2D H6==]k^Am

kAmp 4C@DD 36EH66? ~CA:?8E@?D 2?5 #9@56 xD=2?5 #65D[ H:E9 |:?@C42D[ (9:E6 {689@C?D 2?5 {2?8D92?D[ E96J H6C6 56G6=@A65 :? E96 a_E9 46?EFCJ[ >2:?=J :? pFDEC2=:2] q642FD6 @7 E92E[ E96J 2C6 E96 9@?@C2CJ ?2E:@?2= 3:C5 @7 E92E 4@F?ECJ]k^Am

kAm%96 3:C5D 2C6 DF49 AC@=:7:4 688 =2J6CD E92E 2 4@?E6DE 96=5 :? pFDEC2=:2 C64@C565 E96 492>A:@? 96? =2J:?8 bec 688D :? bed 52JD] x? `haa\`hab[ D:I pFDEC2=@CA 96?D =2:5 `[gdf 688D @G6C 2 bed\52J A6C:@5[ 2G6C28:?8 b_h]d 688D A6C 3:C5]k^Am

kAm%96J’C6 <?@H? 7@C E96 366E=6\8C66? D966? @7 E96:C 3=24< 762E96CD[ 52C< 6J6D[ H:E9 766E E92E 2C6 H9:E:D9 2?5 A:?<:D9 @? E96 3@EE@>]k^Am

kAm~?6 H2J E@ E6== :7 2 49:4<6? :D 2 ECF6 pFDEC2=@CA :D E@ 4964< E96 3@EE@> @7 E96:C 766E] x7 E96:C 4@=@C :D =:89E6C[ E96J’C6 pFDEC2=@CAD]k^Am

kAm%96 3:C5 :D?’E G6CJ 4@>>@?[ 3FE z6? $A=6EE @7 uC66>2?[ $@FE9 s2<@E2[ 92D 366? C2:D:?8 2?5 D9@H:?8 E96> 7@C J62CD] ~7E6?[ 2E 2 D9@H[ 96’D D9@H:?8 282:?DE 9:D @H? 2?:>2=D] w6 92D E@ D66< @FE D@>6 AC6EEJ 3:8 D9@HD :? @C56C E@ 4@>A6E6 282:?DE @E96CD H9@ 92G6 E96 3=24< pFDEC2=@CAD[ 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm~E96C 4@=@CD @7 pFDEC2=@CAD 42? 36 7@F?5[ 3FE E96 p>6C:42? !@F=ECJ pDD@4:2E:@? C64@8?:K6D @?=J E96 3=24< G2C:6EJ] %96 pFDEC2=:2? !@F=ECJ $@4:6EJ C64@8?:K6D E96 3=24<[ 3=F6 2?5 H9:E6 G2C:6E:6D] ~E96C G2C:6E:6D :?4=F56 3F77[ DA=2D9[ H962E6? =2465 2?5 8@=56?]k^Am

Chicken Breeds Australorp (2).jpg — The Australorp breed of chicken is known for its excellent egg production and its meatiness.
Submitted photo

kAm%96 2G6C286 >2=6 H6:89D g]d A@F?5D 2?5 E96 76>2=6 H6:89D e]d A@F?5D] %96 2G6C286 4@4<6C6= H6:89D f]d A@F?5D[ 2?5 E96 AF==6E H6:89D d]d]k^Am

kAm$A=6EE AC676CD E96> 7@C 688 =2J:?8 @G6C >62E AC@5F4E:@?[ >@DE=J 3642FD6 @7 E96:C D<:? 4@=@C]k^Am

kAm%96 pFDEC2=@CAD’ D<:? :D H9:E6[ 4@>A2C65 E@ E96 J6==@H @7 @E96C 49:4<6?D] %96 E2DE6 :D E96 D2>6[ 3FE 7@C 9:>[ “:E’D >@C6 @7 2 A6CD@?2= E9:?8 E92? 2?JE9:?8]”k^Am

kAm$A=6EE D2:5 E96 3:C5D 92G6 ?:46 E6>A6C2>6?ED]k^Am

People are also reading…

Screwworm spreads into 4 more counties
Longtime dairy farmer leads state dairy organizations
Illinois brothers carry on dairy tradition
Better days for beets
Iowa dairy farm engages visitors while expanding operations
Interseeding outcompetes weeds, has host of other benefits
Simple changes make the difference in cooling off cattle
Geopolitical issues influencing soybean market
How Mitchell-based Trail King powers heavy haul across North America
Revamped program offers one-year contract for cover crops
Downpour floods fields in south-central North Dakota as farmers finish planting
Competition and camaraderie
Happy Rock 4-H’er delivers buckets of smiles in Jefferson County
Biofuel expectations, crude oil continue driving oilseeds
Oliver love leads to book

kAm“x E9:?< E96J’C6 G6CJ 42=>[ 2?5 ?@E 7=:89EJ[” 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm%96J 42? 36 D9J[ 3FE E96J’== H2C> FA[ E@@]k^Am

kAm%96 3C665 5@6D H6== :? 4@?7:?6>6?E 3FE =@G6D E@ 7@C286[ E@@] $A=6EE =6ED 9:D 3:C5D 92G6 E96 CF? @7 E96 A=246[ 3FE H96? 96 H2?ED E96> :?[ 96 3C:?8D @FE EC62ED =:<6 4@C? 2?5 “7@C E96 >@DE A2CE[ E96J 4@>6 CF??:?8]”k^Am

kAm%96J DE2CE =2J:?8 2E 23@FE d 2?5 2 92=7 >@?E9D @=5] t88D 2C6 3C@H? 2?5 =2C86C E92? 2G6C286[ 2=E9@F89 E92E 56A6?5D @? E96 96?’D D:K6 2?5 >2EFC:EJ]k^Am

kAmpD $A=6EE 8C6H FA @? E96 72>:=J 72C>[ 96 8C2G:E2E65 E@H2C5D E96 =:G6DE@4<[ H9:49 :?4=F565 49:4<6?D[ 866D 2?5 5F4<D] w6 =67E E96 72C> 2D 2 J@F?8 25F=E 3FE a_ J62CD 28@[ 8@E 324< :?E@ E96 49:4<6?D] x? 255:E:@? E@ E96 pFDEC2=@CAD[ 96 C2:D6D #9@56 xD=2?5 #65D[ q=24< r@49:?D[ $:=<:6D[ 2?5 32?E2>D]k^Am

kAmw6’D 36DE <?@H? 7@C E96 pFDEC2=@CAD 2?5 E96 $:=<:6D[ 92E49:?8 @FE 23@FE b__ 688D 2 J62C]k^Am

kAm“xE’D 2 =@E @7 H@C<[” 96 D2:5] “xE’D 2=>@DE >J =:76] (96? x 86E @77 H@C<[ x DA6?5 2 =@E @7 E:>6 :? E96 49:4<6? 32C?]”k^Am

kAm$A=6EE 2=D@ D9@HD[ 6I9:3:E:?8 2E A@F=ECJ D9@HD 24C@DD E96 C68:@?]k^Am

kAmw6 H@C<D H:E9 c\w J@FE9[ =62D:?8 49:4<6?D E@ E96>] p7E6C E96 49:4<D 92G6 8C@H?[ E96 J@FE9 4@>6 E@ $A=6EE’D A=246[ A:4< FA E96 49:4<6?D[ 2?5 E2<6 E96> 9@>6 E@ C2:D6[ 7665 2?5 D9@H E96>[ 367@C6 3C:?8:?8 E96> 324<]k^Am

kAm“p =@E @7 72>:=:6D =@G6 :E[ 3642FD6 E96J 5@?’E 92G6 E@ 562= H:E9 E96 3:C5D” 27E6C E96 D9@HD[ 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm$A=6EE <66AD E96 36DE C6EFC?66D E@ D9@H 9:>D6=7[ 3FE :7 E96J’C6 ?@E E@A 8C256[ E96 <:5D 92G6 E96 7:CDE 492?46 E@ 3FJ E96>]k^Am

kAm“xE D66>D E@ H@C< @FE AC6EEJ 8@@5[” 96 D2:5] “x E9:?< D@>6E:>6D E96 A2C6?ED 92G6 2 92C56C E:>6 =6EE:?8 E96> 8@ E92? E96 <:5D 5@]”k^Am

kAmw6 =@G6D E96 3C665 7@C :ED G6CD2E:=:EJ 2?5 :ED 362FEJ]k^Am

kAm“x =:<6 E96:C =@@<D 2?5 E96:C 5F2= AFCA@D6[” 96 D2:5] “%96J’C6 ;FDE 2 ?:46[ 42=> 49:4<6?] p?5 H96? E96 DF? 9:ED E96:C 3=24< 762E96CD[ 2?5 J@F D66 E96 D966? :? E96 DF?=:89E[ J@F 42?’E 92C5=J 362E E92E]”k^Am

Freelance writer Ruth Nicolaus loves (nearly) everything about the Great Plains, but mostly its people. She lives in eastern Nebraska. Reach her at editorial@midwestmessenger.com.