Russian Orloff Reviews

These curious birds are generally non-aggressive towards other breeds including the human variety!   As chicks they will mother or protect smaller or larger chicks of other breeds if incubated and brooded.  They will go broody and are good mothers as well as foragers and winter producers of brown eggs.  The males can be protective but typically not aggressive with just one in the flock.

Other than size, a difference between the LF and bantam is the ability to be shown as their own breed.  They are in the ABA Standard, not in the APA Standard.

My own flock consists of four white females and a crele male along with spangled.  There are several varieties that can be shown.    

As starts, when handled frquently, they learn, like most breeds, being held can be an enjoyable, "warm fuzzy", experience and will often seek you out by standing in wait to be held or rushing to the front of the pen in an attempt to grab your attention.

The bantams are rarer and even harder to locate, than the LF.   Make sure your breeder has a fresh line and gets good hatch results. 

These fine, rare ornamental and friendly specimens, should be given an opportunity in your chickening future.   

Russian Orloff chickens are one of those breeds that captivates those of us who raise them. They are very alert and active, the hens are friendly and calm natured, the roosters are non human aggressive and look after the hens to a degree you seldom see in other breeds. 

Although most think they are from Russia, they most likely originated in the mid-east. I have seen news footage from Afghanistan and Turkey that showed some excellent stock running wild in the background. They were perfected, like many birds, by breeders in Germany and introduced in the 1800's to America by a Count Orloff, from whom they take their name. They were dropped from the Standard Of Perfection in the early 1900's due to lack of interest, but a few dedicated breeders have kept the breed alive over the years, and they now seem to be on the upswing again, although still considered rare and endangered. 

There are a few good breeders of Orloffs in the USA and if you are considering raising these delightful breeds, I'd highly suggest buying from a breeder. Most hatchery Orloffs have been crossed at some point with speckled Sussex, so you will get some throwback traits such as straight combs, white legs and skin and white eggs from most hatchery birds. A good specimen is impressive, with even spangling on hens  and yellow feet, muffs, beards, a ruffed neck and deep-set eyes on both hens and roosters. Roosters should have a very upright stance, and have the most amazing mahogany color of any chicken. 

Besides the spangled birds which are more common although still fairly rare, Orloffs are also available in other super rare colors I have seen such as black, white, mahogany and cuckoo. Breeders are also working on adding additional colors.

Laying ability seems to vary by strain. One of our strains is excellent, laying all year and seldom missing an egg a day although most eggs are too light in color. Another strain we work with are poor layers and have fertility problems and smaller, weaker chicks but are larger at maturity and somewhat better in coloration and lay a darker egg. 

In my opinion, the perfect specimen is yet to be breed, but with several serious breeders working with them now, that goal comes closer every year.

All in all, I highly recommend Orloffs to anyone with at least a little room to free range.

Russian Orloffs are a great breed to keep. Their history dates back to the 1700s when they originated as a farm fowl in Persia. Since then, they have been bred with Malays and muffed fowl from Europe to produce the beautiful bird they are today.

Russian Orloffs are quite rare in the United States due to breeding Sussex blood into the Spangled strains, thereby producing a mutt offspring instead of the real deal. The main sign of Sussex breeding in Orloff strains is white-colored legs. Purebred Orloffs have yellow legs. Orloffs are in need of preservation due to their rarity, and there has been a rising interest in this breed over the past few years.

Orloffs are extremely cold hardy and are known to lay straight through the winter. They are disease-resistant, gamey-looking fowl with a stance similar to many Oriental gamefowl. Males are good defenders of their flocks. The Orloff's unique appearance and simple beauty make them a must-have for your backyard flock.

My dad likes how this breed looks. I think it is interesting.  It does well in our colder climate. The small comb and the beard help minimize frostbite. I plan to get more of this breed. Mine is more red with the speckles on it. It does talk alot, so it is not the best choice for urban coops. The hen has done well free ranging.

I love there birds. They are resilient, healthy and intelligent. Even at night they are alert and hard to sneak up on. Their coloring allows them to hide easily from predators, and they are great foragers. My birds tear apart fire ant hills and eat the eggs and love to snatch up any muscadine that happens to fall to the ground.

They are easy to train, easy to handle, and down right stunning birds. 

Of all the breeds I have had, these are by far my favorite!

There is a need to help these gorgeous & rare chickens. Some people are breeding mottleds and calling them spangled...others are working on different colors, too....but you have to build the barn before it's painted! Find a reputable breeder and breed towards the standard! Yes, I know there is no current APA Standard for these guys but there is an ABA Standard to work towards.