The Standards

Australian Australorp Standards

On 14th May 2006, our Management Committee has recommended a slightly upgraded Standard for the Breed to the 2nd Edition Australian Poultry Standards Committee.

These current Standards are taken from the Australian Poultry Standards - First Edition 1998. An upgraded (2nd) edition is being devised by the Standards Committee, with representatives from each state of Australia. The Standards below are those that our club has submitted to the Committee in May 2006 and January 2007.

They also include the Recommended Standards for the White Australorp.

We envisage that the APSC will have the 2nd Edition of the Standards completed and published sometime during 2009 or 2010.

Copied with permission from the APSC:

Large Importations to Australia of William Cooks original strains of Black Orpingtons were made in the late nineteenth century. As the looser feathered exhibition-type Orpington evolved, the original birds were bred on in Australia as superior layers and meat birds and became known as Utility Black Orpingtons. Some Australian Langshan blood was infused. The early days of egg laying competitions in Australia saw these birds establish records un rivaled by any other heavy breed. In the 1920s, stock was exported back to Britain. The name Australorp was adopted in Australia by 1930. The Australian standard, agreed to in 1949, had ensured the breed retain its usefulness as a superior layer and table bird. Australorp bantams have been developed to a high standard. Like their large counterparts, they are useful layers, reliable setters and good table birds.

The Australian Australorp Standards - Australorp Club of Australia Inc.

standsausm MALE CHARACTERISTICS
CARRIAGE: Erect and graceful, denoting an active fowl, the head being carried well above the tail line. The bird MUST be balanced.

TYPE: Body deep and broad, showing somewhat greater length than depth.

Breast full and rounded, carried well forward without bulging, breast bone long and straight

Back broad across shoulders and the saddle, with a sweeping curve from neck to tail.

Tail full and compact, rising gradually from the sickles gracefully curved but not long and streaming.

Wings compact and carried closely, the ends being covered by the saddle hacks.

HEAD
Finely modeled and skull rounded

Beak slightly curved, strong and of medium length

Eyes large prominent and expressive; high on skull, standing well out when viewed from the front and back.

Face full, fine in texture, clean, free from feathers wrinkles and overhanging brows.

Comb single, medium in size, erect, evenly serrated [ 4 to 6 serrations ] and blade tending downwards without touching the neck, texture fine, but not of glace appearance

Wattles medium in size, rounded at the bottom and corresponding in texture to the comb.

Ear Lobes small and elongated

NECK Fairly long, fine at the junction of the head, with a gradual outward curve to the back, widening directly at the shoulders.

PLUMAGE Feathering soft, but close, with a minimum of fluff, only sufficient to cover the thighs.

SKIN Fine in texture

LEGS and FEET Medium in length, strong bayonet shaped, and spaced well apart. The hocks being nearly covered by body feathering and the whole of the shanks showing below the underline.
Shanks and feet free from feather or down.
Toes four, straight and well spread.

standsausf FEMALE CHARACTERISTICS
The general characteristics are similar to those of the male, allowing for the natural sexual differences. The pelvic bone should be more pliable, not showing an excess of fat or gristle; abdominal skin being fine and pliable, without an excess of internal fat. All these part to be of fine texture; any indication of coarseness should be discountenanced

FREEDOM FROM COARSENESS
A):Shanks strong, as differentiated from either extreme coarseness or fineness of bone.

B):Pelvic Bones strong at the baselong and straight to be as free as possible from gristly covering. Undue importance not to be attached to male birds.

C):Abdomen to be elastic, avoiding sagging down or hardness, indicating excess fat; skin to be fine and pliable

al2004-2 COLOURS:
BLACK
Male and Female:
Plumage : Black throughout with lustrous green sheen.
Beak : Black, with allowable gradation of white (horn)
Eye: Black or dark brown iris, black is preferred.
Comb: Face, ear-lobes and wattles bright red
Shanks and Feet: Black, dark slate permitted in adults.
Skin: White
Souls of Feet and Toenails: White

BLUE: Male Plumage: Hackles, back, tail, sickles, side hangers and wing-bow: Rich deep slate, the darker the better. Flights blue slate.
Remainder of Plumage; clear slate blue ground colour, each feature distinctly laced with dark slate. The contrast between ground colour and lacing to be well defined.
In Both Sexes: Beak, eye. Comb, face, wattles, ear-lobes, skin, shanks and feet as for the Black.

WEIGHTS: Recommended weights as proposed by our club to "2nd Edition Australian Poultry Standards Committee" for their Second Edition Upgrade.

LARGE AUSTRALORPS

Cock        3.90 - 4.70 kg
Cockerel 3.20 - 3.60 kg
Hen          3.70 - 4.50 kg
Pullet       3.30 - 4.20 kg