The breed of Australian chickens: description and photo. Meat-egg breed of chickens

The breed of Australian chickens refers to the universal. From birds of this breed, you can expect a high yield of meat and excellent egg production.

Australian breeders used in the breeding of egg hens. Thus, the user qualities of the breed were significantly improved.

History

Australorp is a meat-egg breed of chickens. The history of its origin began in 1890 with the importation to Australia of black English orpingtones. Their deduction was handled by William Cook in Kent.

A beautiful breed with the highest genetic potential has entered the country. In it, the genes of Cochin, Black Plymouth, and Minor were collected.

The main task for breeders was to significantly increase the productivity of eggs from one layer. For this, such recognized egg-laying hens as langshan and white leggorn were used. Such introduction of fresh blood allowed to somewhat reduce the plumage of the feathering and slightly reduce the live weight of the bird.

They achieved the set goal - the breed of Australian chickens shook the world with a record egg-laying capacity. On the average, from the laying hen, 309 eggs were received in the year under natural conditions of maintenance (without artificial increase in daylight hours and various additional fertilization).

Already in 1921, the British standard recognized the breed as an Australian black universal orpington. But Australia's poultry farmers offered their option - Australian. Later, the addition of "-orp" appeared, which made the final official name of the breed - Australian.

In 1929, the breed was recognized on the American continent. Currently, amateurs of Australian black are united in clubs of different countries of the world - Australia, USA, Germany.

Black australpus

The bird is calm, but mobile. Full, with a massive body, a medium-heavy chunky chicken. Luxurious plumage, exceptionally black, fluffy, leather - white.

The head of the bird is small, with a leaf-shaped 5-toothed scallop, a short beak of black color. Eyes are brown, lobes red. Neck with a rich plumage of medium length.

The breed of black Australian chickens is distinguished by the carcass made and the excellent taste of meat. Birds have a broad, bulging chest, a round, dense body, a wide long back. The tail is not distinguished by its splendor, with a slope of 45 ⁰ relative to the back line. Legs are thick, short, dark in color.

What features do chickens have? Australothers-babies are distinguished by a living temperament, high energy of growth and strong health, the survival rate of young animals is up to 99%. The live weight of the males at the age of eight months can reach almost 4 kg.

For the correct development of a bird that grows without walking, it is recommended to give fish oil at a rate of 0.1 grams per chick (from the five-day age). It is useful to introduce in the diet (from the tenth day) wheat bran, vegetables, chopped beef, fish (boneless), crushed grain.

The breed of Australian chickens refers to early ripening. Kurochki begin to be carried already from the 135th day of life and in the first year give an average of 200 eggs. From the second year of life, egg production begins to decline.

Australian marble (black and mottled)

When breeding the breed, black-motley Australophores focused on reducing the age of puberty of the bird and increasing the mass of eggs.

Australophorus black-mottled, or marble (photo on the left) was bred in the All-Union Institute for the farming of farm animals. The basis was the descendants of the chickens of the original breed (black Australian), which was injected intramuscularly with blood of the striped plymutrok. Peculiarity of the breed is its resistance to pullorosis. The main plumage is black with a small depigmentation, giving the bird a motley color.

Breed is considered to be egg. Its representatives are somewhat smaller than the birds of the original breed. Young growth at the age of 150 days reaches a living weight of 1.3 kg, adult cocks - 2.6 kg, chickens - 2.2 kg.

Sexual maturity of birds occurs in 5.5 months. The eggshell has a creamy hue. Eggplant - 220 pieces per year with an egg mass of 55 grams.

Chickens are perfectly adapted for cell and group maintenance. They are primarily valued as carriers of the gene "st" - a recessive gene responsible for clarifying the color of the cover and improving the presentation of the carcass.

In addition to the black and motley Australian there are also white and blue. White has a yellowish shade of feathering in the neck area, reddish eyes and dark blue metatarsus. Australian blue has feathers of a gentle gray-blue color. Plumage in chickens - with a black border, the males have a rim on the chest. Both subspecies are smaller than the black Australian, the weight of eggs is up to 55 grams.

Characteristic

Australian black description:

• Egg production - up to 220 pieces;
• The weight of the egg is 62 grams;
• The color of the egg is brown;
• Weight of hens -2.8 kg;
• Weight of cocks -3.8 kg;
• Comb - with five teeth of leaf shape;
• Safety of young animals - on average 95%;
• Temperament - balanced;
• Color plumage - black with a greenish tint;
• Productivity is meat-egg.

To unacceptable vices include:

• A narrow and short body;
• Too long pointed tail;
• The narrow and long teeth on the crest;
• Clarified metatarsals;
• Yellow soles;
• Purple or bronze shade of plumage;
• Brown feathers;
• Red or light eyes;
• Presence of white coating on the lobes.

Care and maintenance

Australian black is a breed of chickens that does not require special conditions of detention. An important factor is the plus temperature in the henhouse. When flooring the best litter is peat. It absorbs moisture well, preventing reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms. The timely replacement of litter material will avoid disease.

To prevent parasitic infestations, chickens should be allowed to take "baths" from a mixture of ash and dry sand.

Australorp black breed is used for crossbreeding, this significantly increases egg laying in hybrid layers.

In the diet, the bird is no different from other chickens. Adults should receive a balanced diet for all nutrients. In summer, green grass is introduced, in the fall - vegetables and fruits. In winter, the eggshell is added (as a source of calcium) . To normalize digestion - coarse-grained sand and fine gravel.

Benefits

The advantages of this breed include:

• Calm and balanced nature, birds perfectly get along with other pets and never provoke conflict situations;
• Quick adaptation to the conditions of detention;
• The possibility of using the breed as an improving for the increase of egg production hybrids;
• Chickens do not cease to be carried in the winter;
• High egg-laying is combined with excellent meat qualities of the breed.

Rooster - pedigree signs

When describing the rooster, we can note the following pedigree signs:

• Head . Broad, low, medium, proportionally rounded. The beak is medium, strong, black in color. Eyes are brown, alive. The comb is medium, erect, simple with five uniform teeth. It does not adhere to the back of the head, although it continues its line. "Face" is smooth, red with coarse skin. The lobes are medium, red, elongated.
• The neck . Slightly more than average length, with a volume mane falling to the back.
• Breasts . Obviously it protrudes forward, convex, well rounded, deep and wide.
• Back . From the shoulder and waist - evenly wide. Lumbar plumage is plentiful with long and wide feathers.
• The abdomen is round, wide, full.
• The tail . Opened, rather long, wide at the base.
• Wings . To the body fit tightly.
• Body . Supplied almost horizontally, long.
• Shins . Strong, widely set.
• Plyusny . Widely delivered, dark, smooth, medium length. The claws are light, the sole of the legs is white or light pink.
• The feathering . Adheres tightly, deep black with a clear green tint, fluff is dark, the skin is white.

Chicken - pedigree signs

Chickens have similar signs, except for those responsible for sexual difference. The comb is smaller, the body is slightly longer. Very well expressed abdomen. Bird with proper care looks strong, well-fed.

Universal productivity makes it quite justified the choice for breeding in the private economy of chickens of the Australian breed. The responses of happy bird owners confirm the urgency of using the breed.