Australorps Chickens

I have two beautiful girls, Rosie and Pineapple and Colin our cockerel. They are lovely big birds and real characters, especially Rosie. The smallest, but no means small, she loves to roam around and regularly escapes. She has now worked out where the food is kept and knows that at 5pm it's corn time so she wanders up the garden fearless of the dogs turning up to wait for me by the door to the food shed! She then sits on my lap for a stroke and eat some corn before running back alongside me to the run where the others wait. Colin is a great defender and when the girls got into the main garden with the dogs, he flew over the 3ft fence to their defence! Luckily know one was harmed, although I'm not sure left to their own devices who would have one out as Colin's has talons an eagle would be proud of! Pick him up for a cuddle though and he is a big softie. We are hoping to have chicks this year and extend our little brood. The eggs taste amazing with large orange yolks yummm...

I had four Black Ausralorps foxes or cyotes got three of them. I now lock her up wirh one other hen (breed unkown). The remaining hen has only layed about 6 eggs in the past three months and 3 of them were soft shelled. Their eggs were large brown eggs but the hens have a tendoncy to law thier eggs on the ground instesd of nesting and I have found broken eggs in the morning that were droped from the perch. I would guess that when I had four Australorps hens I got about 20 to 24 eggs a week. Australorps are Black and pretty, she's a large bird, they are not a friendly bird but you can walk around the pen they just keep thier distance. When I let her have free range I can herd her quit easly to the pen. I plan to get three or four within the next week or two and try again.

They are amzing pets. Got four for my friend's bday and she simply adores them

My Black Lorps are by far the friendliest chickens I've ever had. They are consistent layers of large brown eggs, good broodies, and great moms. They are curious and keep my huge yard free of ticks, bugs, and other pests. My roo, Zorro, was a brave defender and protector of the flock and kept my girls in line. He was very gentle and did not mind being handled. Zorro died this past winter of old age. Most of my Lorps eat out of my hand, and I've even had some who sat in my lap. They love free ranging, attention, and oats!

Alice is our Austalorp girl, black with that amazingly beautiful beetle green sheen. She's usually the one who discovers a new way to escape, closely followed by her Barnvelder 'sisters'. She is about 12 months old and is laying well, but she's not here as an egg machine; our girls are pets first and foremost. Today I discovered Sophie cat sat in their run, they were totally ignoring her, it was so funny. Edward cat likes to round them up and head them all back to where he believes they should be, oddly enough 9 times out of 10 he's right. Peter is 8 months old and still semi-feral, so he wants to play chase with them, not the best idea he's ever had, but I guess he thinks that since his brother plays chase, then the girls will too! (He'll learn one day.) Back to Alice, she is the leader in everything; loves to make everyone aware of her presence; shouts at passing dogs; and when her egg appears lets most of our neighbours - as well as us - know what a clever girl she has been! (Luckily the neighbours don't mind and the girls have quite a fan club in our area.)