About the Americana, Black Australorp, & Buff Orpington....

Sorry, three days late on our Chicken Breed Post...

So we are going to go over three chicken breeds... the Americana, Black Australorp, and the Buff Orpington!

The Amerucana/Americana/Easter Egger:

Easter Eggers are not a breed per se, but a variety of chicken that does not conform to any breed standard but lays large to extra large eggs that vary in shade from blue to green to olive to aqua and sometimes even pinkish. Easter Eggers vary widely in color and conformation and are exceptionally friendly and hardy. Since they are usually quite friendly to children and humans in general, they are a great choice for a family flock. Most hatcheries mistakenly label their Easter Eggers as Ameraucanas or Araucanas (or various misspellings thereof). True Ameraucanas and Araucanas are currently only available through breeders. Easter Eggers do not qualify to be shown since they do not conform to a breed standard.
The Ameraucana breed are still quite rare and only available through breeders at this time. They should not be confused with Easter Eggers, which can lay blue and green eggs, and do not conform to any breed standard. However, many hatcheries continue to call their Easter Eggers "Americanas" (and other various misspellings).If you are interested in showing your birds, make sure that you have true Ameraucana or Araucana.

Origins/History:

Class: All Other Breeds
Type: Large Fowl 
Size: Medium (6-7 lbs)
Rarity: Rare
Purpose: Egg-laying
Recognized Varieties: Black, Blue, Blue Wheaten, Brown Red, Buff, Silver, Wheaten, White

Egg Facts:

Egg Laying: Good (3/wk)
Americana, Egg Color: Light Blue 
Easter Egger, Egg Color: Green/Blue/Pink/Multi
Egg Size: Large

Fancy Features:

Comb Type: Pea Comb
Crested: No
Feathered Legs: No
Number of Toes: 4

Suitability to Backyard Life:

Cold Hardiness: Hardy in winter
Heat Tolerance: Tolerates heat well
Bears Confinement: Bears confinement well
Especially Docile: Yes
Setter/Broody: No
Personality: Fun

The Black Australorp:

Australorps are the Australian take on the Orpington breed. They are calm and friendly, and excellent layers of light brown eggs. The Australorp's exceptionally soft, shiny black plumage has hints of green and purple in the sunlight. Peaceful and dignified, Australorps are an absolutely delightful bird which we highly recommend to anyone who wants a pet chicken that lays dependably.

Origins/History:

Class: English
Type: Large Fowl & Bantam
Size: Heavy (7-8 lbs)
Rarity: Common
Purpose: Dual
Recognized Varieties: Black

Egg Facts:

Egg Laying: Excellent (5/wk)
Egg Color: Brown
Egg Size: Large

Fancy Features:

Comb Type: Single Comb
Crested: No
Feathered Legs: No
Number of Toes: 4

Suitability to Backyard Life:

Cold Hardiness: Hardy in winter
Heat Tolerance: Not especially heat hardy
Bears Confinement: Bears confinement well
Especially Docile: Yes
Setter/Broody: Yes
Personality: Sweet and shy

The Buff Orpington:

Orpingtons are big, friendly dual-purpose birds originally developed in the UK, and for many small farms Orpingtons are the only way to go! They're friendly and cold-hardy due to their fluffy plumage. The Buff Orpington is the most popular and all varieties, especially the black and blue, are rare.