Category Archives: Australorps

The Australorp breed of chicken are an Australian breed originally derived from the black Orpington chicken breed.

Australorps Chicken Breed

Australorps originated in Australia in the late 1800s. The first Australorps were bred from Black Orpingtons and Rhode Island Reds. The resulting chickens (at the time known as Black Utility Orpingtons) were then further bred out with other breeds reportedly including Minorca, white leghorn, langshan, and plymouth rocks. The full name became Australian Black Utility Orpingtons and then by the 1920s had been shortened to Australorps.

Australorps are a dual purpose breed, smaller and trimmer than the Orpington they originated from. Although there have been records of australorps laying 300 or more light brown eggs a year, around 250 is more usual.

Top to bottom: Sussex, Australorp, Orpington eggs