Australian Langshan: The Most Common Breed Down Under
The Australian Langshan or Australian Modern Langshan, is a compact angular bird with upright carriage, small head, and long legs. The standard hen lays large brown colored eggs much of the year. They are a soft feathered “chook” (Aussie for chicken) with tight plumage and a medium percentage of down. The breed is known as a good all-around utility type.
Australian Langshan, The Facts:
Class: Heavy
Size: Standard Male: 7 lbs. / Standard Female: 6 lbs. / Bantam Male: 32-36 oz. / Bantam Female: 26 -30 oz.
Comb, Wattles & Earlobes: Medium sized straight comb. Comb, wattles and earlobes red in both sexes.
Color: Black, Blue, White and most recently Splash.
Place of Origin: This breed was developed in Australia during the early 20th century from these Asian breeds: Croad Langshan, Orpington, Wakfer Chinese Langshan and Modern Langshan.
Conservation Status: Common (in Australia)
The Australian Langshan has been described as having a series of V’s in their confirmation, looking from most views. They are a smaller version of the Croad Langshan, but retain many of the fine qualities of that ancient Chinese breed. With minimally feathered legs, the outer toe of each foot should be feathered, the middle toe free of feathering.
The Australian Langshan has been described as having a series of V’s in their confirmation, looking from most views. They are a smaller version of the Croad Langshan, but retain many of the fine qualities of that ancient Chinese breed. With minimally feathered legs, the outer toe of each foot should be feathered, the middle toe free of feathering.
The Black variety is most common and popular. The Black is a glossy black with green sheen a dark beak, toe nails and legs.
The standard Blue variety should be solid blue-grey. Mature cock birds often carry darker tones on hackles and tails. White’s should carry no colored feathers. They are raised primarily for eggs and show.
The Bantams are one of the most popular of all Australian chickens. The standard size was developed first and bantams were bred down from these hearty and well established favorites. Bantams of this breed were developed mainly in N.S.W. and Queensland. The Black variety is most popular, then Blues. The Whites are not as common, though more and more of this beautiful type have been exhibited at large shows. The Splash variety for standard and bantams is in the early stages of development.
The Blue Australian Langshan Bantam has also been bred down from the large version, with out crosses to several other Bantam breeds to attain the color. The Blues in this breed are known as Andalusian. The back ground color is clear blue bordered with darker lacing. The hackles and the rest of the upper parts in the male are a rich slate, with a darker shade also being present in the neck hackles of females.
The Whites should be white throughout. Some males are often seen with golden iridescence, though this is not part of the standards for the breed.
An excellent exhibition bird, the Australian Langshan is also an outstanding backyard chicken, known as friendly and docile. They are a wonderful breed for children to raise. Maturing early, a very good laying hen with good feed to egg ratio, and well adapted to Australian climates, all make this hearty chicken an easy keeper and the most common breed down-under.
The Australian Langshan is very popular in the Australian show circuits, often winning out over other popular chicken and poultry breeds. High standards and a good disposition, coupled with long proven genetics have launched this unique Aussie breed from the early 20th century well into the 21st.
Though extremely popular and common in Australia, this Langshan chicken breed is little known around the world. Chinese Langshan breeds have traveled to most continents but are a rare breed, possibly due to their near giant size with the largest roosters tipping the scales at 10 pounds.
The breed was first admitted into the Australian Poultry Standard in 1998.
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