Black Australorps are known for their excellent egg laying capabilities as well as being fast growing for meat purposes. As chicks they are mostly black with white patches on their belly and wing tips. As they mature, they will grow solid black feathers that will have green and purple sheens in them when in direct sunlight. These birds make excellent winter and summer layers. They can go broody from time to time and make great mothers when they do. Hens lay about 260+ brown eggs per year.