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The Australorp was
developed in Australia from Black Orpington stock. It is smaller than the
Orpington (Australorp cocks weigh about 8 1/2 pounds compared to an
Orpington's 10 pounds) they still carry a fair amount of meat. Their skin
is white. They are one of the best dual-purpose
fowls, having gained attention in the 1930s and '40s by being one side of
the successful AustaWhite cross. This cross of Australorp x White Leghorn
became the successor to purebred breeds on many Midwestern farms.
Generally a very good egg producer with a fairly meaty body of
intermediate size.
Australorps are good egg producers and hold the world's record for egg production with one hen having laid 364 eggs in 365 days under official Australian trapnest testing. Standard Weights: Cock-8-1/2 pounds; hen-6-1/2 pounds; cockerel-7-1/2 pounds; pullet-5-1/2 pounds.
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