Flock Insider: Orpington Chickens
- Rachelle Shepherd
- Jun 21, 2023
- 14 min read
Updated: Jul 10, 2023
No flock is complete without your favorite Buff Orpington or trouble-making Lavender!
When chickens come to the mind of many people, they picture something like a Buff Orpington - an orangish colored chicken that is friendly and lays an egg almost every day.
Buff Orpington? Lavender? White? Or perhaps Jubilee or Chocolate? What is YOUR favorite Orpington color?
Although there are many "fan favorite" breeds that have enjoyed their times of success, #Orpingtons are a breed that had remained true throughout its lifetime so far. Orpingtons have enjoyed great success since their birth in 1886 and have not much of a down time since. Most backyard flocks contain at least one Orpington - usually the Buff - if not more. Their success is due in part to their extreme reliableness as a layer but also because they are wonderful table birds and are a true dual-purpose breed, especially given their large size!
Not to mention, Orpingtons have personality PLUS! They enjoy following around their keepers and clucking happily as they search for worms or treats at your feet. They are large, fluffy and easy for kids to handle, so they make a great choice for a friendlier chicken also. Honestly, you cannot go wrong with adding an Orpington to your yard!
How Was the Orpington "Created?"
In the 1880s, a man in - yes, Orpington, Kent, England - named William Cook created the Orpington by crossing the Plymouth Rock with Minorcas and Langshans. Mr. Cook was attempting to create a dual-purpose breed that could outlay its competitors but still be a good table bird. Thankfully for us all, Mr. Cook succeeded by creating the Orpington!
Originally, the Orpington was black in order to hide any dirtiness that might be on them. At the time, London and England was well-known for its soot, and a black bird could hide smut much easier. The first exhibited Orpingtons appeared in 1886 in a Dairy Show followed by the Crystal Palace and Birmingham shows and it appeared in - you guessed it - Black with a single comb. In 1888, a Rose comb variety appeared at the Dairy Show in Islington.
However, the Buff quickly overcame the Black in popularity, especially here in the States! Buff varieties appeared in an 1894 Dairy Show and was immediately preferred due to its "original" appearance vs. the black color. In all varieties though, white skin, not yellow skin, is standard. This was specifically sought for by Mr. Cook due to the English preference at the time and distaste for yellow-skin. This also helped them rise to fame!
Orpingtons made it to the USA as early as 1890 and became an instant sensation! By 1903, Mr. Cook brought over a group of Orpingtons to the USA to exhibit them and spread them throughout the midwest. In fact, by 1909 there were 478 birds entered for exhibition in a single show in New York in an array of colors - from black and buff to diamond jubilee to spangled to white! They even were entered with two styles of comb - both single and rose! The Orpington craze was on and going strong.
Since Orpingtons made it to America before the 1900s, they are considered a "heritage breed" and are listed on the Livestock Conservancy page as "Graduated in 2016" (2023). This means that although they are a heritage breed, they are no longer considered at risk of becoming endangered so they have been removed from the priority list. This is great news and a win for the Orpingtons!
Even though the Black was the original color in the breed, Buffs were the first color accepted here in the USA in 1902, followed by both the Black and White in 1905 and the Blue in 1923. The Cuckoo and Blue varieties were created by Mr. Cook's daughter, Elizabeth Jane, and her husband, A.C. Gilbert, in the early 1900s. Unfortunately, the Cuckoo variety lost its fame and has basically died out since World War I. However, it is still listed on the official website and there are paintings of it that exist, but you would be hard-pressed to find one today.
In the early 1900s, the Orpington made its way to Australia where it was again readily accepted and distributed throughout the country. The Australians preferred a utility-type bird and changed it a bit for their preferences, making it produce even more eggs and leaning towards a commercial chicken. After they changed it a bit, it was renamed the "Australorp," which is now its own, separate breed that has gained popularity.
William "Bill" Cook contributed in many ways to the modern-day poultry keeping we see now. At a time when poultry keeping was still being learned and created, Mr. Cook was able to create the ultimate dual-purpose breed that fit his needs and his countrymen's needs perfectly - their color hid the soot that jotted the countryside, they were white-skinned instead of yellow which was preferred at the time, grew to table weight quickly, reliably laid 5 eggs or more a week, are winter hardy, broody, care for their young, and yet have friendly, docile personalities.
Aside from his contributions with Orpingtons, he also gave back to and taught his community about poultry keeping and kept journals which he published in the form of books for others to learn about poultry keeping techniques. He was known to speak publicly about chickens and the benefits of keeping them. As mentioned, he even traveled internationally with his Orpingtons to promote the breed and chicken keeping in general. Thus, Mr. William Cook is forever commemorated as a founder of poultry and poultry-keeping techniques.
Jubilee? Buff? Lavender? Are They the Same?
Orpingtons come in so many colors now that it is hard to keep up! As mentioned before, Single comb, Black was the original color of the Orpington but was quickly overcome by the Buff. However, #BlackOrpingtons are still easily found today from large and small hatcheries. They should be solid black with a green, blue to purple sheen and red wattles with red comb. Their legs, feet and beak should be a blue to black in coloring with dark, blackish colored eyes. They are reliable layers and loved for their temperament, meat quality and quick growth rates.
In 1894, Buffs made their first exhibition appearance at a Dairy show in England. Shortly after, the official Buff Orpington Club was started in 1898 in the UK. When you consider the commercial breeds available then, Orpingtons were the only one which could easily be found in the Buff variety, and farmers liked it! The average chicken-keeper or farmer seemed to take to the idea of a new, orange colored chicken that both laid eggs and could be easily fattened for the table. Thus, there are "commercial" varieties as well as heritage.
Today, #BuffOrpingtons should be orangish in color with red wattles and comb and white to peach-colored legs, feet and beak. Their eyes should be golden, orange or almost red appearing. They are well-known for being very broody and also really enjoy attention. They usually get to be the largest variety and they love snacks! Therefore, they are easily fattened for the table if that is your preference.
There is conflicting text regarding the beginning of the #WhiteOrpingtons. Some text state that they were created by Mr. Cook following the popularity of the Buff and Black. Others say that a man named Godfrey Shaw created them originally as "Albions" but then they became White Orpingtons. In any case, they grew in popularity pretty quickly and are still raised often as a commercial or utility bird due to their fast growth rates and large size. They should be solid white in color with red wattles, comb and eyes and white to peach colored legs, feet, and beak (not yellow!).
As mentioned above, there once was a #CuckooOrpington variety that was available before the World Wars. We can view paintings and artwork from the end of the 19th century to see that the Cuckoo was a beautiful black and white checkered pattern variety. According to the Orpington Club of UK a standard was established in which calls for the Cuckoo variety to have red wattles and comb like other varieties. Their skin would have been white as well as beak. They looked magnificent, in my opinion!
Like other chicken breeds, where there's a Black variety, a #BlueOrpington comes too! Blue did come later on in 1910, but is decently popular today and has helped to create the Chocolate, Lavender and other varieties. They did not start out very popular, but now have become fairly common! They have red wattles and comb with a black beak, black or blue legs and feet. Their soles of their feet and toe nails should be white.
In honor of Queen Victoria and her fiftieth year on the throne, the "Diamond"
#JubileeOrpington variety was created by Mr. Cook himself. It didn't debut in the US until Mr. Cook brought them over for a show in New York City between 1909-1910. The Jubilee is rare and expensive, but her beauty is worth it! Her pattern can be described as a Mille Fleur coloring with a mahogany background and white, black and shades of red and mahogany throughout. They are quite a beautiful sight! Our Jubilee was much quieter than our Buffs or Lavenders, though she was also broody and laid regularly.
In 1900, the #SpangledOrpington variety was created and they were as rare then as they are now! They are black on their body and neck with white tips and "spangles" throughout their from head to tail including their fluffy areas around their legs and underparts. The black changes colors in the direction of the sunlight, especially in the roosters, making them appear to have purple, green and blue shimmers throughout. The standard calls for their beak to be black, white or spotted in color itself! Their eyes, face and comb should be red as well as their eyes, which can also appear golden. Their legs and feet should also be spotted in black and white but their skin, nails and under feet should be white. They are beautiful in pictures, but good luck finding them (especially here in the USA!).
In America, we have only accepted White, Black, Blue and Buff in both Bantam and Standard or "Large Fowl" varieties. In the UK, they have listed the Blue, Black, White, Jubilee and Spangled varieties as well as Bantams of each. Notice that the #LavenderOrpington is not an accepted color of either the USA or UK?
There are many Orpington clubs, groups, breeders and owners online on social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram. Many of them are working towards special breed varieties. Lavender Orpingtons are much easier to find than Jubilee, Spangled, Black, White or Blue in general in our are, at least. We have had several Lavender and Orpington!
Other special colors and varieties that are being created according to Chickens and More - Chocolate, Partridge, Lemon Cuckoo, Gold Laced, Silver Laced and Ermine. (listed in order according to the website) I have also seen Cuckoo varieties being created. If you are interested in the "odd" colors, I suggest joining a few Facebook groups and monitoring them to see when someone has chicks or eggs available. You can also learn a lot, network, socialize and market through social media resources. Many big breeders and those that show appear on social media!
All Orpingtons should have a few things in common: they should regularly lay medium to large eggs, grow to be fairly large in comparison to most other breeds, have a high arched neck and tail with a medium-sized back and an arched tail, but not too large either (even in roosters). Their eyes should be large and bold in all varieties and they should be "fluffy." Their skin should always be white with red comb, wattles and face.
What Should You Expect From Your Orpington Chicken
Orpingtons are a fun chicken to have around! They love to eat... and eat... and eat some more! They never seem to be full or satisfied. At the same time, they are not the best foragers and much prefer to be given treats instead. Our flock all free-ranges throughout the day so that they can scratch, peck and nibble their way through bugs and plants.
We also keep a large compost pile that is rotated often, and when it is rotated, the members of the flock who love to forage for easy snacks pop out to "help me" rotate it. The Orpingtons are always there - watching me turn the compost and soil, searching for revealed bugs, roots or other fun grub, and talking all the white. "Brrup-Brrup? Brrup. Brrup. Brrrrrrrup? Brup? Brup?" she noisily asks me the whole time. "Okay, Mango. Okay!" I answer her. Which I am pretty sure is why they talk to me...
When we brought Mango home, we already had a well-established flock of senior ladies, including dominant breeds. Mango was given to us through a Facebook group who said she was too loud in the morning and their neighbors were complaining. I wondered, "Is Mango really a HE?" but we brought "it" home anyway. Mango came out of the carry cage and quickly established herself as one of the head flock members by challenging the senior ladies for their favorite nestbox. They weren't too happy with her new authority, but they quickly gave in. After a while, she became close with our other Buff Orpington, Drumstick. They became quite inseparable!
Drumstick on her own was a lot to handle - she laid a lot, but was extremely broody! I had to force her out of the barn and into food and water so she did not kill herself. She was extreme. She also was huge! Although yes, her "fluff" constituted quite a bit of her apparent size, once you picked her up, she easily was a good nine pounds. She loved her snacks and food and was a great hunter if given the chance!
One thing that is enjoyable about this breed is that they are winter hardy, which means that they do well in the wintery to cold conditions and some even lay eggs all winter long (though it drops off some)! During the warmer months, you can expect four to five medium to large eggs every week, consistently.
On the flip side, watch them in the hot months. Orpingtons' extra fluff that helps insulate them in the winter is a downside during the summer months when they become hot too easily. We have had them get sick from the heat before, so be careful!
Orpingtons are fairly laid back, until they are not. They are not generally bullies to other breeds, but some can be. They are not a "bottom of the pecking order" breed, but also do not generally start any fights.
Hens are generally pretty laid back, calm ladies who want to follow you around the garden and talk sweetly. Many of ours have enjoyed being held and allow the little girls to carry them around the yard.
If you want a hen that will raise eggs for you so that you do not need to worry about an incubator, the Buff Orpington is your chick! She will take care of any babies, any eggs, anything you give her when she is in the "nesting mood." This is fine, as long as you ensure she is getting some food and water. Personally, we bring her the dishes and stand there with her while she feeds her kids out of her nest box. It is up to you, but you do need to ensure she is getting enough nutrients for survival.
Have you ever seen a Lavender Orpington? If not, you are definitely missing out! Lavenders have a beautiful light gray to slate color to them. They are much lighter in color than a general Blue variety which can be dark colored, almost black. Lavenders should be light gray with black feet and legs and red face, wattles and comb. Our Lavenders have not grown to be as large as our Buffs have yet and have added a new layer to keeping our flock safe during free ranging time - they actually are quite good escape artists!
Supposedly, Orpingtons should not be able to fly well, if at all, due to their large size. Our Lavenders, as mentioned above, have not gotten as large as the Buffs or even the Jubilee. Instead, they hit at about a health six to seven pounds. They also have much less "fluff" to them than the Buffs. And they enjoy becoming criminals.
Our Lavenders are constantly hopping the fence and visiting the neighbors chickens! I have tried everything, including removing everything from near the fence line so they cannot use anything as a stair to get over the fence. I catch "Gray," our senior Lavender hen, constantly jumping over it. They must just be curious!
Konner, our eldest son, picked out two Lavenders to raise over the winter which he dubbed "Targaryen" and "White Walker." He really enjoys the curious, funny natures of the Lavenders and thinks that it is funny that they cause us so much headache - go figure! Whatever gets him to enjoy interacting with me at this age....
To sum it up, Orpingtons are:
Large birds - Hens should be 7 to 8 pounds and roosters should be 9 to 11 pounds!
They are a meat and commercial breed
They lay medium to large eggs regularly
Four to Five pink to brown eggs a week
Winter Hardy
Extremely friendly
Easy to manage and handle
Extra "fluff" to keep them warm
Susceptible to heatstroke
Fun colors and varieties!
Very beginner friendly!
So... What's the Catch?
You're probably wondering, "So, what's the downfall with this chicken?" Let me explain a few things...
Due to their size and excessive laziness, they can easily become obese and unable to move much. They also tend to hog the food bowl a bit more than other breeds, so you need to make sure they don't bully the others out of food. They love snacks, which can help you win their affections but you also have to monitor their weight gain.
Many homesteaders actually choose Orpingtons, especially Buffs, as their primary chicken breed because they are so versatile and handle the cold so well. Many breeds, like our heritage Barred Plymouth Rocks or Rhode Island Reds, are considered "dual purpose" breeds because they do well in both egg production and meat production. However, Orpingtons tend to excel above most other dual purpose breeds for both. On average, your commercial varieties from larger hatcheries will offer you 200-250 pinkish to brownish colored eggs a year. Heritage varieties, which are offered by smaller breeders, exhibitors and hatcheries, will lay less eggs a year and will take longer to grow, but they will be closer to breed standard and the original "Orpington" chicken.
Backyard chicken enthusiasts who live in cities or suburbs have no fear - Orpingtons tend to be quieter in nature. They do speak to you in little chicken sounds, but they are not loud enough to bother your neighbors. Generally speaking, the only time they get advertently loud is during their egg song. Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule, but they do tend to be a good choice for city-dwellers.
Additionally, they really like attention! They are another breed that allows the little girls to cart them around and they are easier for the girls to handle because they are larger. Due to their inquisitive personalities and general lack of fear of people, they often become your shadow while out in the yard. They will happily eat the bugs you reveal for them or munch on extra greens if you have any while they follow you around and "Bawk" at you quietly.
If you check out Instagram or other social media platforms, Orpingtons are pretty popular! People like to take silly pictures of their Buffs or show them off with their kids. They also love to raise your eggs for you and will gladly accept other chicken's eggs, ducks, geese, guinea fowl and more! They just love to mother.
Orpington roosters aren't too bad either. They tend to be calmer and less aggressive than many other breeds. They do protect their flock well though and they are large boys, so they will gladly take on a hawk or falcon to save the day. They are a good pick as a large rooster to protect your girls if they free range.
Orpingtons are pretty versatile and work well in many climates. If you offer them access to shade and cold water in the summer and give them a clean, dry, draft free shelter during the winter to get warm in at night, they will do pretty well for you.
Some take a while to top out at eight to twelve months, but that is more of a heritage version. The commercial version usually are full grown by six to eight months instead. Again, many of the commercial ones might be used for meat instead of eggs so it is better for them to grow quicker.
All of the colors and varieties tend to be fairly calm with handling. Note our Lavender babies above and their lack of need to flee - they were content in his hand!
Personally, I would love to find some Chocolate Orpingtons and start a small flock of them, or work on bringing back the Cuckoo pattern. Only time will tell!
Orpingtons love attention and snacks and pay you back by assisting you with gardening, weeding and ridding of pesky bugs (and even mice in some cases!) and a lovely egg every day or every other day. You cannot go wrong with an Orpington of any color!
#OrpingtonChicken #OrpingtonChickens #OrpingtonBreed #BuffOrpington #LavenderOrpington #ChickenBreeds #HeritageBreeds #BestEggLayers #BestEggLayingBreeds #BrownEggs #OrganicEggs #GrowYourOwnFood #DualPurpose #JubileeOrpington #BlackOrpington #Homesteadchicken
References
Adamant, A. (March 7, 2023) Orpington Chicken Breed Guide, Practical Self Reliance, https://practicalselfreliance.com/orpington-chicken/
American Poultry Association (2023) Accepted Breeds & Varieties, American Poultry Association, https://amerpoultryassn.com/accepted-breeds-varieties/
Arcuri, L. (March 9, 2023) All About Orpington Chickens (Buff Orpington), The Spruce, https://www.thespruce.com/chicken-breeds-orpington-or-buff-orpington-3016551
Lesley, C. (December 23, 2020) Orpington Chicken All You Need to Know: Color Varieties and More..., Chickens & More, https://www.chickensandmore.com/orpington-chicken/
The Livestock Conservancy (2020) Orpington Chicken, The Livestock Conservancy, https://livestockconservancy.org/about-us/conservation-successes/orpington-chicken/
The Orpington Club (2023) Home, Standard & History, The Orpington Club, https://www.theorpingtonclub.org.uk/
United Orpington Club (2023) Home & Breed Standard, United Orpington Club, https://www.unitedorpington.com/breed-standard
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