Austra White Chickens....a good choice for white eggs in a mixed flock?

[SD Bird Lady]

Would Austra Whites mesh well with my current birds? I currently have Brahmas, EE's, & an Orpington. I don't mind flighty but I want to avoid aggressive birds as the current group is very docile.

Do Austra Whites ALWAYS lay white eggs? I want to be able to tell them apart from my Brahma eggs for breeding purposes.

Are they generally cold hearty? It isn't brutal in winter most of the time but it is northern plains and can get down right nasty some winters.

Thank you in advance for any help!
JK

**They have them in stock at the feed store so I thought I may give them a try.**

 

[Bill Matthews]

Austra Whites are excellent layers of cream colored eggs....They were extremely popular in the 1940s and 50's.....grow quickly and make decent fryers of 2 to 3 pounds ......Hens are docile but active.....Males grow aggressive at about 1 and1/2 yrs....At least mine did...May depend on the strain....These are very beautiful chickens with their bright red combs and black patches on their solid white background....Their eggs are large soon after lay and will be easy to separate from your Brahma eggs.....Cackle hatchery has excellent stock in these crossbreds...Also,Sunny Creek in MN....Maybe Privett's in NM......One hatchery sent me California Grey Leghorn cross....They were great layers but almost all white....Good Luck.

 

[SD Bird Lady]

Thank you! I had almost given up hope of getting an answer

 

[SD Bird Lady]

Well went to the feed store and found they are actually California White (they had originally old me Austra White). So shouldn't have to worry about brown/cream eggs. The four fluffy butts are sleeping soundly. They are very sleepy babies but seem healthy

 

[informative]

Would be very interested to hear an update on how those White leghorn crosses turned out two years later?

 

[Sylvester017]

Would be very interested to hear an update on how those White leghorn crosses turned out two years later?

They must've had them for dinner?

Personally I've had to stay away from any Legs or Leg crosses - pure Legs of any variety get very assertive at 2 y/o. Therefore I've stayed away from anything that's a Leg cross as well. I have a mellow breeds flock and we've had to re-home Marans and Legs because of their aggressive behavior. They appear calm around humans but bully or cannibalize their flockmates. Legs or crosses belong in a flock of their own and not mixed IMO - just my own experience.

One BYC swears California Grays are a very mellow Leg/BR cross - my folks had them but I was too young to pay attention to the breed's attitude.

 

[Ljc01]

My leghorns were never aggressive. Got along well with everyone.

 

[Sylvester017]

My leghorns were never aggressive. Got along well with everyone.

My White Leghorn was always top hen in my flock and for the first 3 yrs she was independent but not aggressive. After my flock dynamics changed with new additions, she became too assertive and bullied to stay on top. I gave her a couple weeks to calm down since she had been nice for so many years, but her behavior did not change. I re-homed her into a friend's layer flock where she quickly worked her way to the top there. I also had Buff Leghorns and they were aggressive as soon as they turned a year old -- more aggressive than my White Leg ever was! I don't need to take chances with Legs to get white eggs since my gentle Breda give nice large white eggs and are excellent layers and are people- and flock- friendly birds.