I caught the chicken bug. I'm adding 20 more laying hens. Black Australorps. This particular breed was developed in Australia, from Black Orpingtons imported from England, hence the name: Austral for Australia and Orp for Orpington. Before the name was widely adopted they were also called Australian Orpingtons and Australian Laying Orpingtons. Australorps are smaller than English Orpingtons and are more dependable layers.
They will lay in excess of 200 brown eggs each year, and some have been known to lay as many as 300. One hen set a record by laying 364 eggs in 365 days!
They are typically a docile bird that does well free-range. The ones I am getting are about 10 months old and have just started laying consistently.
I will pay $8 a bird (which is what he has into them) and reap the benefits of them already laying. I pick them up today! Now I need to get my crap together and go make a divider in my designated coop area (we are still working on out Pallet Hen House which has been delayed from snow and now rain) so they can be incorporated gently
