Russian Orloff

From now on whenever I see someone asking for breed recommendations I jump up and shout "ORLOFFS!" I have a lot of friendly breeds (silkies, cochins, OEGB, d'Anvers, modern game, etc) but none are as all-around, overall friendly as my Russian Orloffs. The one I hatched from an egg is the most affectionate bird in the world, she's more cuddly than my cats, and follows at my heel more loyally than the dogs. If I crouch she launches into my lap and burrows her head against me. Those I didn't raise as early on follow me around and beg for attention like puppies. My roosters jump onto my shoulders and preen my hair. Even the hen I just recently added comes running to me and runs around under my feet. I cannot say enough good about them. They're so easy-going and gentle. My big 6 pound cockerel is as gentle as can be with newly hatched chicks, and all my boys love to find special treats and safe nest spots for the hens. Not to mention they are stunning with their intense eyes, bodacious beards, massive size, and eagle beak. They're a favorite of any visitors. Mine live very peacefully in a mixed flock including teeny tiny d'Anvers and massive Langshans. They're not pushovers at all, but they're far from bullies.
The hens are infrequent layers of medium, light-brown eggs but production increases gradually with age. Right now I'm getting three eggs a week from each pullet. They are slow-growers. My 6 months old range in weight from 4 to 6 pounds and my biggest boy, 24" tall, is far from done growing. Very muscular, impressive birds that carry themselves proudly. They're also very playful and goofy. Most roosters are probably going to challenge me if they coming running up behind me, but not the Orloffs. If I hear the distinct thud thud thud of my Orloffs coming up behind me I can expect to hear some very insistent "honking" shortly demanding that I scratch under their beards.
I really cannot say enough good about Russian Orloffs.

I will be honest with my cons:
-They are big birds so they eat a lot. Not as much as production hens, but obviously more than the bantams.
-This is a cull-heavy breed with an active breed group working hard on getting them APA accepted, don't expect a warm welcome if you're purposefully breeding birds without paying any attention to the proposed standard.
-Right now crooked toes and cross-beak is somewhat common, most good breeders have weeded these defects out of their lines, but it still crops up and these birds need to be culled (meaning kept from breeding) for the breed to progress.
-You will fall in love with them and become desperate for more.

I ended up with three Spangled Russian Orloff hens after ordering a chick assortment from Sand Hill Preservation center. I love my three girls so much I am now embarking on starting a breeding program. These are amazing birds. They are so calm and gentle they may be picked on in a mixed breed flock, but give them room and they will find a way to avoid the more aggressive birds. They love to forage even in the middle of winter. When the other birds are drinking from a heated water dish these guys would be outside eating snow. If you live in a cold climate you need these birds. These birds need more people passionate about preserving their breed and I promise you if you give these birds a chance they will win you over. I've had a lot of breeds over the past few years and these, by far, are my favorite.

We got a pair of Orloff hens to add to our flock because we heard they would cheerfully eat fire ant colonies. Well, add centipedes and earwigs to the list, among others. They love to free-range, and can be picked up and carried back to the coop, but are also easily trained to return for a treat. They are gentle and friendly. They get along with our mixed flock of gentle breeds (Ameraucana, Orpington, Silkie, Polish, Australorp, Welsummer), many of whom are quite small; they don't pick on anyone. They will fly up to eat from your hand on your lap or to ride on your forearm like a falcon. They have very pretty voices and are unafraid of cats. Their eggs are somewhat small but they taste good! I am a big fan, and hope to get an unrelated rooster to breed them to soon.

I have a Rosecomb x Orloff, her name is Marsha and she has a great temperament for a Rosecomb. I think it's because of that 10.8% of Orloff in her. She is a great broody and a purposefull layer. She runs fast for a chicken and is overall just very sweet. I love her SO much.

This is one of my girls, she is so friendly. She is the first to greet you and is wonderful with my daughter. Out of the 5 that I got from Welp two years ago, I still have 2 hens and 1 rooster. I shared the other two with a friend of my husband who wanted to get started with his own backyard flock. The are decent layers and average size. I highly recommend this breed!

The paper was put down to reflect the light for the photo ..








Nice lady .





More chicks hatching




These little guys are so energetic A healthy and happy chicks make for a good chicken


Here in Death Valley California the temps get up to and over 120F degrees and stay there for weeks at a time but I have been doing a lot of reading and come to find out that the Russian Orloff is also doing well in Siberia so this feathered friend goes from one extreme to another amazing not a lot of chickens can say that .
The Russian Orloff has a tendency to be underfoot as it has a natural curious side .......

Will Easley take on the roll of a segregate parent .....

Will go broody ........

Protects it's young .......

Easley aroused .......

Not a hard egg to incubate even for the beginner .....

Great birds! Mine are not old enough to lay yet. Very friendly even the roos. Do GREAT in cold. Will sleep outside in winter. No comb or wattles to freeze. Very unique and beautiful. Striking look. They resemble eagles.

Will update as my breeding of this breed progresses

Love my Orloffs. I have had several go broody without any hatches. I have bought birds from Ideal and Welp hatcheries with good luck.

I have 4 hens. These have to be the sweetest chickens I have had so far. If I am stationary for more than 60 secods, they run up my back and perch on my shoulder or head. If I am sitting down, it is a competition between them to see who can crawl into my lap first and get pet/cuddled. They have a great little happy chirp. They are very inquisative and easy to get along with. They don't start fights with other birds and are just nice. They don't grow as fast as some of the more common breeds. I would recommend these to anyone. Mine are not old enough to lay yet, so I can't speak to that.

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.

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.

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.