- Apr 5, 2013
- 56
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Orpington roosters: 8-10 lbs
Orpington Hens: 6-8 lbs
Orpington's are larger birds that tend to have a lower stance and fluffy feathers which make them look larger on the outside then they really are. Most also have a very curvy shape to them with fairly short backs and “a U shaped underline.” They have single medium to long combs and fairly large waddles followed by a smaller head. They tend to lay about 170-200 eggs a year usually a shade of light brown. The main colors of Orpington's consist of black, white, buff, blue, splash, and even though it is not in the standard there is also lavender. In Orpington bantams the general colors are black, blue laced, white, buff, red, buff black laced, barred, buff Colombian, and birchen. They have white skin and are in the English class of the APA. They are beautiful, and gentle birds that are more for show. Hens do often go broody though, but they are wonderful mothers.
My story starts with getting our first chickens. We had bought six chicks from Bowmans. Two New Hampshires, two Partridge Rocks, and two White Rocks. When they grew up, we realized one was not a New Hampshire, and was actually a Buff Orpington. We named her Katniss (big Hunger Games fans!) and she grew up peacefully. She was everyones favorite bird because of her sheer cuteness and curiosity. We soon inherited a Lavender Orpington and a Black Orpington and they were all very wonderful birds. We named them Cookie and Luna. Sadly, our little bantam Sebright rooster was eaten by a hawk so we set out looking for another one. A friend gave us her Blue Orpington rooster and we immediately got attached to him. We named him Draco, and he watched over the flock like a charm. Soon Katniss got a prolapse, which is a medical condition. She passed away and soon a dog came and killed our whole flock but four. A Orpington/Wyandotte cross rooster, a Sebright hen, the Black Orpington that we got after the first hen, and a Phoenix hen. The Black hen died a few days later and left us with the three. We refilled our flock by buying many more hens. We ended up getting one more Buff Orpington and named her Katniss JR. We took her to the 4H fair and she got second place and was the bird I used when I got Grand Champion Showmanship (chicken knowledge). She also has the same personality as the first Katniss.
Feel free to post any questions you may have for me in the comments and I will do my best to answer it. I will be posting these probably once a week or more.
That is the Black Orpington, Luna along with the Wyandotte hen.
The Blue Orpington, Draco.
The Lavender Orpington, Cookie, followed by the original Katniss.
Katniss JR.
Orpington Hens: 6-8 lbs
Orpington's are larger birds that tend to have a lower stance and fluffy feathers which make them look larger on the outside then they really are. Most also have a very curvy shape to them with fairly short backs and “a U shaped underline.” They have single medium to long combs and fairly large waddles followed by a smaller head. They tend to lay about 170-200 eggs a year usually a shade of light brown. The main colors of Orpington's consist of black, white, buff, blue, splash, and even though it is not in the standard there is also lavender. In Orpington bantams the general colors are black, blue laced, white, buff, red, buff black laced, barred, buff Colombian, and birchen. They have white skin and are in the English class of the APA. They are beautiful, and gentle birds that are more for show. Hens do often go broody though, but they are wonderful mothers.
My story starts with getting our first chickens. We had bought six chicks from Bowmans. Two New Hampshires, two Partridge Rocks, and two White Rocks. When they grew up, we realized one was not a New Hampshire, and was actually a Buff Orpington. We named her Katniss (big Hunger Games fans!) and she grew up peacefully. She was everyones favorite bird because of her sheer cuteness and curiosity. We soon inherited a Lavender Orpington and a Black Orpington and they were all very wonderful birds. We named them Cookie and Luna. Sadly, our little bantam Sebright rooster was eaten by a hawk so we set out looking for another one. A friend gave us her Blue Orpington rooster and we immediately got attached to him. We named him Draco, and he watched over the flock like a charm. Soon Katniss got a prolapse, which is a medical condition. She passed away and soon a dog came and killed our whole flock but four. A Orpington/Wyandotte cross rooster, a Sebright hen, the Black Orpington that we got after the first hen, and a Phoenix hen. The Black hen died a few days later and left us with the three. We refilled our flock by buying many more hens. We ended up getting one more Buff Orpington and named her Katniss JR. We took her to the 4H fair and she got second place and was the bird I used when I got Grand Champion Showmanship (chicken knowledge). She also has the same personality as the first Katniss.
Feel free to post any questions you may have for me in the comments and I will do my best to answer it. I will be posting these probably once a week or more.
That is the Black Orpington, Luna along with the Wyandotte hen.
The Blue Orpington, Draco.
The Lavender Orpington, Cookie, followed by the original Katniss.
Katniss JR.
