The Australorp is a chicken breed of Australian origin.
It is a large, soft-feathered bird, with white toenails,
black legs and beak, and a moderately large and upright single comb, with five
distinct points. The Australorp is hardy, docile, and a good egg-layer, as well
as a meat bird.
Contents:
History
Australorp hen.
The original stock used in the development of the Australorp
was imported to Australia from England out of the Black Orpington yards
of William Cook and Joseph Partington in the period from 1890 to the early
1900s with Rhode Island Red. Local breeders used this stock together with
judicious out-crossings of Minorca, White Leghorn and Langshan blood
to improve the utility features of the imported Orpingtons. There is even a
report of some Plymouth Rock blood also being used. The emphasis of
the early breeders was on utility features. At this time, the resulting birds
were known as Australian Black Orpingtons (Austral-orp).
The origin of the name "Australorp" seems to be
shrouded in as much controversy as the attempts to obtain agreement between the
States over a suitable national Standard. The earliest claim to the name was
made by one of poultry fancy's institutions, Wiliam Wallace Scott, before the
First World War. From 1925 Wal Scott set to work to have Australorp recognized
as a breed with the Poultry Society as he developed the breed. Equally as
persuasive a claim came in 1919 from Arthur Harwood who suggested that the
"Australian Laying Orrington’s" be named "Australs". The
letters "orp" were suggested as a suffix to denote the major breed in
the fowl's development. A further overseas claim to the name came from
Britain's W. Powell-Owen who drafted the British Standard for the breed in 1921
following the importation of the "Australian Utility Black
Orpingtons." It is certain that the name "Australorp" was being
used in the early 1920s when the breed was launched internationally. In 1929,
the Australorp was admitted to the Standard of Perfection.
