Blue Orpington

[kacothran]

This is my little Sweet Pea. She's 8 weeks old today and has some pretty red waddle development. Should I be concerned that she's a roo? Our 20 week old buff doesn't even have waddles like this yet...

 

[Our Roost]

Your first photo depicts a silver belly. Based on the colors of the blue orpington, The rooster has a silver bottom side and a black saddle and neck line. His comb and waddles are very large. Watch closely as this bird develops more. Appears to be a rooster to me.

 

[athalia17]

Here's my breeding stock hen and rooster. The SOP states things about a swooping or concave back to the orpington breed (at least from the excerpt I read). English has practically a mound of feathers on their backs. My first two birds are the show quality apa sop, and the last one is english. I'm planning on combining their offspring with the english hen. I was told by multiple judges and breeders that English will never place as well against American standard bred birds. This was not me saying this, this was various people I contacted through the APA.


He is a little lean, he was not treated the best by the breeder.


Breeding apa sop hen


English Hen, she's huge. Typical English feathering.

 

[Duck Drover]

I have heard that the U shape of the English Orpingtons is the most desirable in show stock compared to the V shape of the American type but that the excess fluff of the English type can be a problem when showing if it is not at least 3 inches off the ground with no feather stubs on the legs (Cochin influence). The big bustles are desirable in both the English and American types, in my understanding. I have not attended bird shows myself so I have not spoken to judges who choose the winners. I don't know if the standards vary according to the preferences of local judges or if judges are in agreement across the country so winners could vary from show to show.

 

[athalia17]

This was copied and posted from another site.

American Poultry Associations "Standard of Perfection"



The feathers should be broad and smooth fitting on the deep and massive body of the fowl. The appearance of great massiveness, however, should not be secured by developing extreme length of feathers in the plumage. The sides of the body sometimes erroneously referred to as the “fluff,” should be comparatively straight with full but not profuse feathering.ECONOMIC QUALITIES
A general purpose fowl for heavy meat production and for eggs. Color of skin, white; color of egg shells, light brown to dark brown.DISQUALIFICATIONS
Yellow beak, shanks, feet or skin. (See general Disqualifications and Cutting for Defects.)

STANDARD WEIGHTS

Cock ……………. 10 lbs. Hen ………… 8 lbs.
Cockerel ………. 8½ lbs. Pullet ……… 7 lbs.

SHAPE--MALE

COMB: Single; of medium size, set firmly on head, perfectly straight and upright; with five
well-defined points; those at front and rear smaller than those in the middle;
fine and texture; blade closely following shape of head.
BEAK: Short, stout regularly curved.
FACE: Clean-cut and free from coarseness.
EYES: Large, round, prominent.
WATTLES: Medium in size, well-rounded at lower edges.
EAR-LOBES: Medium size, oblong, smooth.
HEAD: Medium in length, broad, deep.
NECK: Rather short, slightly arched, with abundant hackle.
BACK: Broad, Flat at shoulders, rather long, width carried well back to base of
tail; rising with a slight concave sweep to tail.
Saddle feathers – of medium length, abundant.
TAIL: Moderately long, well-spread, carried at an angle of twenty-five degrees (25°) above horizontal, (figs. 10-11): forming no apparent angle with
back where those sections join.
Main Tail Feathers – broad and overlapping.
Main Sickles – of medium length, spreading laterally beyond main tail
feathers.
Lesser Sickles and Coverts – of medium length, nicely curved, sufficiently
abundant to cover main tail feathers.
WINGS: Of medium size, well-folded carried horizontally.
Front – well-covered by breast feathers. Points well covered by saddle
feathers.
Primaries and Secondaries – broad and overlapping in natural order when
wing is folded.
BREAST: Broad, deep, well-rounded and well filled in all parts.
BODY AND FLUFF: Body – Broad, deep, moderately long, straight, extending
well forward.

And so on. The hen is similarly described. This is how i think they came up with this image...

I had spoken with apa judges and top breeders that had set quality standards in this breed- in such a manner that others are still talking about their birds lineage.

 

[Duck Drover]

Maybe I need to clarify that the U verses V shape I am refering to is the underside of the bird, not the back, in case there is any confusion.

 

[Duck Drover]

This was copied and posted from another site.

American Poultry Associations "Standard of Perfection"



The feathers should be broad and smooth fitting on the deep and massive body of the fowl. The appearance of great massiveness, however, should not be secured by developing extreme length of feathers in the plumage. The sides of the body sometimes erroneously referred to as the “fluff,” should be comparatively straight with full but not profuse feathering.ECONOMIC QUALITIES
A general purpose fowl for heavy meat production and for eggs. Color of skin, white; color of egg shells, light brown to dark brown.DISQUALIFICATIONS
Yellow beak, shanks, feet or skin. (See general Disqualifications and Cutting for Defects.)

STANDARD WEIGHTS

Cock ……………. 10 lbs. Hen ………… 8 lbs.
Cockerel ………. 8½ lbs. Pullet ……… 7 lbs.

SHAPE--MALE

COMB: Single; of medium size, set firmly on head, perfectly straight and upright; with five
well-defined points; those at front and rear smaller than those in the middle;
fine and texture; blade closely following shape of head.
BEAK: Short, stout regularly curved.
FACE: Clean-cut and free from coarseness.
EYES: Large, round, prominent.
WATTLES: Medium in size, well-rounded at lower edges.
EAR-LOBES: Medium size, oblong, smooth.
HEAD: Medium in length, broad, deep.
NECK: Rather short, slightly arched, with abundant hackle.
BACK: Broad, Flat at shoulders, rather long, width carried well back to base of
tail; rising with a slight concave sweep to tail.
Saddle feathers – of medium length, abundant.
TAIL: Moderately long, well-spread, carried at an angle of twenty-five degrees (25°) above horizontal, (figs. 10-11): forming no apparent angle with
back where those sections join.
Main Tail Feathers – broad and overlapping.
Main Sickles – of medium length, spreading laterally beyond main tail
feathers.
Lesser Sickles and Coverts – of medium length, nicely curved, sufficiently
abundant to cover main tail feathers.
WINGS: Of medium size, well-folded carried horizontally.
Front – well-covered by breast feathers. Points well covered by saddle
feathers.
Primaries and Secondaries – broad and overlapping in natural order when
wing is folded.
BREAST: Broad, deep, well-rounded and well filled in all parts.
BODY AND FLUFF: Body – Broad, deep, moderately long, straight, extending
well forward.

And so on. The hen is similarly described. This is how i think they came up with this image...

I had spoken with apa judges and top breeders that had set quality standards in this breed- in such a manner that others are still talking about their birds lineage.

In this picture you can see the U shape while the rooster pictured above has the V shape. His comb is very small so maybe he just needs to fill out more if he is just a juvenile. At first I thought he was a cross because his points are so small but he may just be at an awkward stage of development.

I think I understand what you are noting about the bustle. The splash hen has a high bustle that may not do so well for showing. It does give her an odd shaped profile.

 

[athalia17]

Yes, the traditional English shape.

 

[ewokeater86]

My first blue!

 

[Our Roost]

The Blue orpington is a beautiful creation within the orpington breed. By all means, they are not an aggressive bird and tend to blend well with other birds of the same nature. The wyandotte on the other hand can be more aggressive to other birds in the flock. Its called the pecking order and those new to the coop are not as welcomed by birds who have established this domain demanding rights within! New birds introduced are the new kids on the block and get bullied by aggressive bird breeds and are not always readily accepted. Sometimes it results in death if the new comer can't fend off the bully or find safe haven to avoid the onslaught. This is why it is so important to choose breeds that will gel together well without conflict.
Raising chickens is a learn as you go experience. We have sampled many breed types and have learned what to avoid and what to keep that molds well to our liking. Wyandottes are a good healthy bird and good dual purpose birds with an attitude in the coop with some but not all breeds. You cannot change a birds demeanor that is bred into the bird over generations. Sometimes seperate pens or coops for different breeds is necessary to keep peace. So be thoughtful which breeds to try to blend in with the neighborhood so to speak. They dont all gel together and there will always be a pecking order and rules within that newcomers must adapt to from older birds. If you really adapt to the "Blues" better than the wyandottes, then seperate or get rid of the wyandottes or orps to a new location or pen on your property until the orps are big enough to fend for themselves.