Are you looking for a sweet, QUIET breed, that lays a ton of eggs that sometimes look pink and are gorgeous and friendly to boot?!  The Australian Orpington (Australorp) is a beautiful egg laying machine.The splash color is rare in this breed (you mostly see black) and is stunning.  These lovely girls are the #1 breed that check all the boxes.  The girls are so docile you can put them in with older hens and/or more timid breeds.  An extra benefit is that the girls are a QUIET breed, perfect for those with fussy neighbors, as they don’t make as much noise as other breeds. They are both cold and heat tolerant. For egg production they rank in the top. A well cared for hen may lay 260+ large brown eggs/yr! As an added bonus, they lay well into the WINTER months (Like all hens, they will stop laying in 6-10 week molt in the fall). These girls life expectancy is great, around 8 years. They usually start slowing down in egg production around 4 years old, but will continue to lay throughout their life. (unlike other breeds). The Australorp is easy to handle and a sweet bird that is friendly with humans, other chickens and other pets, this makes them simple to care for and a great and beautiful hen for beginners or families with children.