Orpington chicken: Difference between revisions

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|} The Orpington is a large bird from the English class of chickens. It is a bold, upright breed with a wide chest, broad back, and small head and tail. The Orpington was bred as a dual-purpose breed (meat production and eggs), but its popularity grew as a show bird rather than a utility breed. Their large size and soft appearance together with their rich color and gentle contours make them very attractive.

The original Orpington (the Black) was developed in 1886 by William Cook. He crossed Minorcas, Langshans and Plymouth Rocks to create the new hybrid bird. Cook named the breed after his home town in Kent. The first Orpingtons looked very much like the Langshan and were black. Between 1889 and 1905, Cook also created white, buff and blue colored Orpingtons. The breed was famous for its great egg-capacity.

Some characteristics of an Orpington are:

• Heavy (7 to 10 pounds),
• Soft, profuse feathering, which almost hides the legs of the bird,
• Curvy shape with a short back and U-shaped underline,
• A small head with a small comb.
• Large and usually tame
• Its fluffy feathers that makes it look distinctively large.

Besides the original colours (black, white, buff, blue), lots of other varieties exist today, e.g. porcelain ( = Jubilee, speckled), red, mottled and birchen. The original colors are still the most widely bred varieties. Many colors are still being thought of and bred today.

The Orpington chicken is a highly docile bird and is suitable for families with small children. They are very popular and their popularity is increasing. They also tend to be smarter than other breeds, some Orpingtons have learned tricks and they usually come when their name is called.They love to be handled, but need to get used to being touched from small chicks.

Orpingtons lay between 110 and 160 eggs a year. They do not stop laying in the winter. The eggs are a light brown to tinted white and range from small to large depending on the heredity of the breed. Hens tend to go broody more than other heavy egg breeds, which is to say occasionally.

Orpingtons are also great setters and mothers. They often will set and rear chicks on their own if allowed to do so. Not every bird will set but a large percentage will. Some hens never go broody.

• - Buff Orpington picture and Orpington breed information
• United Orpington Club
• Group of Orpington Enthusiast
• Photos of the different colours of Orpington Chickens on poultrykeeper.com