Contents
The Orpington chicken breed was bred in England, in Kent, by William Cook. It takes its name from the city of Orpington. William Cook decided to develop a breed of chickens that was supposed to become universal, and, most importantly, the presentation of the carcass should be liked by English buyers. And in those days, chickens with white skin were very much appreciated, and not with yellow.
These are the selection tasks set by this man. And we must give him his due, these goals were achieved. A bird was bred that quickly gained weight, had a high egg production, was undemanding to the conditions of detention, and could find food for itself while on the run.
Performance
The Orpington chicken breed has high production characteristics. The excellent quality and attractive appearance of the meat is especially appreciated by breeders.
- Weight of chickens 4-5 kg, roosters 5-7 kg;
- Egg production 150-160 eggs per year;
- The mass of eggs is up to 70 g, the shell is dense beige;
- High fertility of eggs;
- Chick hatchability up to 93%;
- The hens have not lost their incubation instinct.
Thanks to a combination of the above qualities, Orpington chickens are gaining popularity in our country. In fact, the breed is universal, which especially attracts domestic poultry farmers.
Breed description
Roosters and hens of the Orpington breed look very massive because of the abundant plumage. The head is small, the neck is of medium length. It forms a single whole with the head, it seems that the head is set low. The chest of Orpington chickens is highly developed, voluminous, but low. The wide back seems short, as it is hidden under the rich plumage. The back and saddle immediately pass into the tail. Although it is short, it is very wide, there are a lot of feathers on it. The wings of the birds of the breed in question are, as a rule, small in size and strongly pressed to the body. The leaf-shaped comb is erect, red in color, with 6 clearly cut teeth. Ear holes are red. The legs of chickens are strong, widely spaced. The thighs are covered with plumage, the legs are bare. Look at the photo what the orpington rooster looks like.
A feature of the breed is that the hens look even stockier than the roosters. They also have a more pronounced dorsal arch. The tail is very short, but due to the width of the back and the abundant feather, it looks quite large. What Orpington chickens look like, look at the photo.
All of the above features are breed standards. In most cases, the bird is culled if it does not meet all the declared characteristics. The reason for culling may be: high chest, high set, long tail, white or other colored ear holes.
Types of coloring
The Orpington breed is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful among chickens. To date, 11 colors of orpingtons are known. Some are rare and found only in amateur farms. See photos and descriptions of the most famous varieties used for breeding and growing.
black orpingtons
The ancestors of the breed are black orpingtons. It was these chickens that William Cook bred by crossing Spanish black Minorocs, Plymouth Rocks and black Chinese Langshans. The new breed quickly became in demand in small farms. Many farmers have made attempts to improve the properties of the breed. Luck favored Farmer Partington. He crossed black orpingtons with black cochinchins, which gave rich plumage. So the hereditary signs of the Orpington breed were fixed, which were somewhat different from the parent breed, but became its standards.
white orpingtons
Here, the following breeds of chickens participated in the creation of a new color: white cochinchin, white leghorn and dorking. Dorkings gave the orpingtons the necessary fleshiness. The white color of the skin improved the presentation of the carcass. Due to the optimal combination of various qualities, white chickens have become no less in demand than the black variety of the breed.
Fawn orpingtons (gold, yellow black-edged)
The fawn orpington was bred with the participation of dark dorkings, fawn cochinchins and hamburg hens. Hamburg chickens brought good adaptability to external living conditions to the breed. Fawn chickens are the most sought after variety, surpassing black and white in popularity. This is due to the fact that they have a white carcass, gain weight well, are resistant to adverse environmental conditions and at the same time maintain a fairly high egg production.
red orpingtons
Red orpingtons were first presented at an agricultural exhibition in 1905 in Munich. More intensely colored yellow orpingtons have been crossed with red sussexes, red rhodes and wyandots. This type of breed, like those described below, is not as common as fawn, black or white orpingtons.
blue orpingtons
A feature of blue orpingtons is the presence of a characteristic and original blue-gray color. The blue color is as if covered with dust, it is not bright. Each feather is edged with a dark slate-colored stripe. The absence of spots of a different color, uniformity of color, dark eyes and beak indicate the purity of the breed.
Porcelain (porcelain, tricolor, chintz)
They appeared in the process of crossing motley Dorkings, fawn Cochinchins and golden Hamburg chickens. The main color of chintz chickens is brick, each feather ends with a black spot, inside of which there is a white spot. That is why another name for chickens is tricolor. The tail feathers and tail feathers are black, the tips of which end in white.
Deviations in color are not allowed. For example, the predominance of white in the tail or fading in plumage.
Striped Orpingtons
The base color is black with light stripes. The light stripes are wider than the black ones. Each feather ends in black. The beak and legs are light in color. A distinctive feature – down is also striped. Striped chickens are sometimes called hawks.
marble orpingtons
The main suit is black, turning into green in bright sunlight. The tip of each pen is painted white along the edge. Beak and legs are white.
The presence of a different color and even low tide is not allowed.
Features of the content
Representatives of this breed are very fond of walking. Be sure to organize an aviary for them next to the poultry house. Enclose with a fence or a net, at least 1,5 m high. Although the bird is heavy, it is better to immediately stop attempts to leave the allocated territory.
If you want to keep a purebred bird, keep Orpingtons separate from other chickens.
The presence of a purebred active rooster in the herd is mandatory. Usually they keep one rooster for 10 hens. But it’s better if there are two of them.
Chicken breeders characterize as gluttonous. Therefore, they must be limited in nutrition in order to avoid obesity, which, in turn, leads to a decrease in egg production and egg fertility. The quality of the meat also suffers.
It is better to feed the bird with at least 5 types of grain. It is better to avoid compound feed. Feeding regimen 2-time. Early in the morning and at 15-16 hours.
Other requirements for keeping orpingtons do not differ from the conditions for keeping other breeds: the presence of fresh water in drinking bowls, clean bedding on the floor, equipped perches and nests.
To ensure high egg production, calcium must be present in the feed. Additional sources of calcium: shells, chalk, limestone.
A clean, spacious chicken coop, fresh air and lighting are essential conditions for the life of chickens. The lack of fresh air, especially in winter, leads to temporary sterility in roosters.
Conclusion
English orpingtons are quite capable of taking their rightful place in any household plot. The versatility of the breed, which is expressed in excellent productive characteristics, attracts many poultry farmers. The original appearance and a large number of different colors of orpingtons will decorate your farmstead. You can watch the video about the breed:
