MALE CHARACTERISTICS

Carriage              Erect and graceful, denoting an active fowl,  the head being carried well                                                              above the tail line. The bird MUST be balanced.

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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.

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                            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. 

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                            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 & 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.

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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

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Freedom               A):Shanks strong, as differentiated from either extreme coarseness or fineness of bone.
From                      B):Pelvic Bones strong at the baselong and straight to be as free as possible from gristly Coarseness                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

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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. 

 

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WEIGHTS 

 

LARGE AUSTRALORPS

Cock       3.60  -  4.10 kg
Cockerel  3.20  -  3.60 kg  
Hen       2.750  - 3.10 kg  
Pullet     2.25  - 2.75 kg

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BANTAM AUSTRALORPS

 Cock        1.00  -  1.230 kg
Cockerel  .960  -  1.190 kg  
Hen          .850  - 1.040 kg  
Pullet       .790  - 1.020 kg