If you’re dreaming of a backyard flock that’s both productive and easy to manage, the Austra White chicken is a breed worth getting to know. This clever hybrid blends the best of White Leghorns and Black Australorps, giving you hens that consistently lay large, creamy white to light brown eggs often topping 220–280 per year while staying calm, friendly, and resilient.
From caring for day-old chicks to harvesting your first eggs, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know to make the most of your Austra Whites.
Breed Overview and Origin (The Why and What)
What is an Austra White Chicken?
The Austra White is a hybrid or “designer” chicken breed, specifically developed to combine the best traits of its parent lines. It is the result of crossing a Black Australorp rooster with a White Leghorn hen, creating a bird optimized for egg production while maintaining a calm, manageable temperament. Often referred to as an “egg machine,” Austra Whites are prized for their ability to lay consistently large, light brown to off-white eggs throughout the year, making them a favorite among backyard keepers and small-scale producers alike.
History and Popularity
Austra Whites were first developed in the early to mid-20th century in the United States, with the goal of creating a dual-purpose bird that excelled at egg-laying without sacrificing hardiness or temperament. Their popularity skyrocketed due to their hybrid vigor, which gives them improved health, growth rates, and egg-laying efficiency compared to many purebred lines. Additionally, their excellent feed-to-egg conversion ratio makes them economical to raise, further contributing to their widespread adoption among homesteaders, backyard flocks, and small poultry farms.
Austra White vs. Parent Breeds
- Black Australorp Comparison: Austra Whites inherit the calm, friendly temperament and heavier build of the Black Australorp, making them easier to handle and less flighty than many other layers. They also gain resilience to colder temperatures and an impressive foraging ability from this lineage.
- White Leghorn Comparison: From the White Leghorn side, Austra Whites inherit exceptional egg-laying capacity and early maturity. However, unlike pure Leghorns, Austra Whites are less nervous and noisy, striking a balance between production and manageability, which makes them ideal for backyard and family-friendly environments.
Egg Production: The Heart of the Breed (The “White Gold”)
1. Laying Performance and Volume
Austra White chickens are renowned for their remarkable egg-laying consistency, earning them the nickname the “egg machine” among backyard keepers. These hens typically begin laying around 4 to 5 months of age, making them an early-maturing breed that delivers results quickly. Once established, they can produce 220–280 large eggs per year, maintaining steady output throughout the seasons. Even in cooler months, while production may dip slightly due to reduced daylight, Austra Whites continue to provide a reliable, year-round supply of eggs, making them ideal for both home flocks and small-scale egg production.
2. Egg Quality and Appearance
Austra Whites lay large to extra-large eggs, prized for their uniform size and appealing appearance. Egg shells range from creamy white to very light brown, depending on the individual bird and diet, and are typically strong and durable, which reduces breakage during collection. These high-quality eggs are not only perfect for consumption but are also attractive to buyers for home egg sales or farmers’ markets. The combination of size, shell strength, and consistent laying is a key reason Austra Whites remain popular among hybrid egg-laying breeds.
3. Broodiness (Or Lack Thereof)
Austra Whites are rarely broody, a trait inherited from their White Leghorn ancestry. This non-broody nature means hens focus their energy on egg production rather than sitting on nests, allowing for a more consistent output and making management simpler for owners. While this breed can occasionally exhibit motherly behavior if left with chicks, most Austra Whites will prioritize laying over hatching, which is a highly desirable trait for commercial or backyard egg producers who want steady productivity without interruption.
Temperament and Flock Dynamics
Austra White chickens are known for their friendly, calm, and approachable demeanor, making them an excellent choice for mixed backyard flocks. Hens are generally docile yet active, striking a balance between energy and manageability. Roosters can sometimes become assertive as they mature—around 18 months—so monitoring their interactions in a mixed flock is advised.
These chickens integrate well with other breeds, avoiding unnecessary aggression while still holding their own socially. They are not overly dominant, which makes them ideal companions for gentler breeds like Brahmas, Orpingtons, or Easter Eggers. Austra Whites are also quite social and adapt well to flock hierarchies, so new members typically settle in without conflict.
Despite their calmer personality, Austra Whites retain some of the alertness inherited from Leghorn genetics. They are active foragers and curious birds, keeping busy during free-range time but generally remaining friendly toward humans and flock mates alike.
Austra White Chicks: Hatching and Brooding
Austra White chickens are a hybrid cross between a Black Australorp rooster and a White Leghorn hen, celebrated for their prolific egg-laying abilities and calm, friendly temperament. While they are primarily bred for egg production, raising Austra White chicks can be a rewarding experience for backyard poultry enthusiasts due to their adaptability and generally docile nature.
Hatching Austra White Chicks
As a hybrid breed, Austra Whites are not naturally reproducible by mating two Austra Whites. To produce more chicks, a Black Australorp rooster must be paired with a White Leghorn hen. Eggs from these matings can be incubated naturally by a broody hen or artificially using an incubator. Fertile eggs typically hatch after 21 days of proper incubation, maintaining consistent warmth and humidity.
Chicks are fast-growing and hardy, making them suitable for both free-range and confined setups. They usually start laying eggs at around 4–5 months, producing large, cream-white to light brown eggs consistently. Early socialization and gentle handling help reinforce their calm demeanor, which is especially beneficial if they will join a mixed flock.
Brooding and Care
Austra White chicks require careful attention during their first weeks of life. They thrive in a brooder with controlled heat, clean bedding, and easy access to fresh water and high-quality starter feed. Chicks should be monitored for signs of distress or illness, though Austra Whites are generally robust and disease-resistant when given proper care.
Interestingly, while most Austra Whites are not naturally broody due to Leghorn genetics, some hens may display broodiness, sometimes sitting for extended periods even without eggs. Experienced keepers have reported success in using broody Austra White hens as surrogate mothers for day-old chicks. The key is careful supervision, especially when introducing multiple chicks, to ensure they are accepted and protected. Daylight introductions allow for close monitoring, reducing the risk of rejection.
By combining proper hatching techniques with attentive brooding practices, Austra White chicks can thrive in a backyard flock. Their fast growth, friendly temperament, and reliable egg production make them an ideal choice for both beginner and experienced poultry keepers looking for productive, low-maintenance birds.
Complete Care Guide for Austra White Chickens
1. Housing Requirements
Coop Size and Space: Austra White chickens are medium-sized, active birds that thrive in both free-range and confined setups. A general rule of thumb is at least 4 square feet of indoor coop space per bird and 8–10 square feet per bird in the outdoor run. Providing enough space reduces stress, prevents feather pecking, and supports consistent egg laying.
Roosting Space and Height: Roosts should be sturdy and placed 4–6 feet off the ground to mimic natural perching behavior. Each bird should have 8–10 inches of roosting space. Austra Whites are active roosters and hens alike, so stable perches help reduce aggression and provide comfort at night.
Ventilation and Protection: Proper airflow is essential to prevent respiratory problems. Ensure the coop is well-ventilated but draft-free, particularly in winter months. Roof and walls should provide shelter from rain, snow, and extreme sun, as Austra Whites tolerate cold well but are sensitive to heat stress due to their white plumage and medium comb size.
Nest Box Recommendations:
- Size: Each nest box should be 12×12 inches, comfortably accommodating a hen.
- Material: Durable, easy-to-clean materials like plastic or treated wood.
- Placement: Elevated 18–24 inches above the floor, in a quiet, dimly lit corner to encourage consistent egg laying. One nest box per 4–5 hens is ideal.
2. Nutritional Needs
Layer Feed: Austra Whites are prolific layers, producing 220–280 large eggs per year, so a nutrient-dense diet is essential. Provide a commercial layer feed with at least 16–18% protein and adequate calcium (3–4%) to support strong eggshell formation.
Grit and Calcium Supplementation:
- Supply oyster shells or crushed eggshells free-choice to ensure proper calcium intake.
- Provide grit to aid digestion, especially if hens forage outdoors or eat whole grains.
Treats and Dietary Balance: While Austra Whites enjoy scratch grains, greens, chopped vegetables, and occasional nuts or mealworms, treats should not exceed 10% of total daily intake to avoid nutritional imbalance.
3. Health and Wellness
Hardiness and Disease Resistance: Thanks to hybrid vigor from the Black Australorp and White Leghorn cross, Austra Whites are generally robust and resistant to many common poultry diseases. With proper care, they adapt well to a variety of climates and maintain high productivity.
Cold Tolerance: Austra Whites can tolerate cold reasonably well, but their medium-sized single combs are prone to frostbite. During freezing temperatures, consider applying petroleum jelly to combs or providing additional insulation in the coop.
Common Health Issues:
- Parasite Management: Regularly inspect for mites, lice, and other external parasites. Clean and rotate bedding, and use safe poultry dusting powders or sprays when necessary.
- Soft-Shell Eggs: Young or stressed hens may occasionally produce soft-shelled eggs. Ensure adequate calcium, vitamin D, and low-stress conditions, especially around mating or changes in flock dynamics.
- General Preventative Care: Deworm annually, maintain clean water and feed, and check for signs of illness regularly.
Preventative Care Schedule:
- Daily: Feed, water, general observation.
- Weekly: Clean waterers, inspect for mites and lice.
- Monthly: Check for coop cleanliness, bedding replacement.
- Seasonally: Deworming, vaccination if recommended, frostbite protection in winter, shade and hydration in summer.
Austra White chickens combine exceptional egg-laying ability, hardy health, and calm, friendly temperaments, making them an ideal choice for backyard flocks. Understanding their housing, nutrition, and care requirements ensures strong, healthy birds and consistent, high-quality eggs throughout the year. With proper attention to their needs—from brooding to adult management—Austra Whites thrive as productive, rewarding additions to any home flock.