Buff Orpington experts...

[galanie]

Just to assist those unsure of what an Orpington should look like. Here is a painting by Schilling of the breed. It has been altered here to be B&W and most of the background taken out to highlight the shape and build. Note the deep rounded chest.

I had a flock of birds that originated from a breeder and they were great layers (local wildlife decided they needed dinner). All this mess about show birds not being good layers isn't always true. In maintaining a breed that is supposed to be good layers, decent breeders take this into account with their programs. Same with temperament.

Also my avatar is my original trio from that breeder.

Schilling is probably the best poultry artist out there and has been contracted to paint many breed ideal birds for the APA.

PS - you can view/buy prints of his work by searching Watt Media prints on google.

 

[FreedomLovinJenn]

The rooster pictured is a pure Buff Orpington. He is not very type-y though. What that means, is that if you compared him to the American poultry Association's Standard of Perfection (APA SOP) he has certain flaws. He has too many points on his comb, his carriage/body shape is not correct. That being said many people do not breed to the APA. That is why you hear terms like Production Rhode Island Red versus Show Quality Rhode Island Red. Pet quality is another common term.

Here is the APA's SOP on the Opringtons:

The Orpingtons are of English origin and, from their first introduction in their native land, have been one of the most popular breeds of fowls. Their large size, early maturity and winter egg production soon gained for them a reputation in all parts of the world, until today, they are the most popular breed ever originated on English soil.

The originator introduced them in several colors, but the Buffs, Blacks and Whites were, from the first, the most popular. In these three varieties we have nothing to select from except our choice of color, as all are alike so far as size and shape govern. They are large and stately in appearance with rather long, round, deep bodies, full breasts and broad backs; the abundance of hackle and saddle feathers on the male giving the appearance of a rather short back.

The legs are rather short and stand well apart. Shanks large and nearly round. The skin of the three varieties is white. The shanks of the Buffs and Whites are white, or pinkish-white. The Orpingtons have the distinction of being the only breed recognized where all varieties have solid color, and no one variety can claim any distinction over the other, as all are alike popular.

The fanciers of the varieties are striving to maintain the color and shape, and to hold the Buffs with rich, golden buff surface color that harmonizes in all sections, with under-color free from white or black. The Blacks, with their lustrous black surface, free from purple bars. The Whites, with pure white plumage in all sections, free from brassiness.

STANDARD WEIGHTS.

Cock 10 lbs. Hen 8 lbs.

Cockerel 8$ lbs. Pullet 7 lbs.

SHAPE OF MALE.

Head: Rather long, broad, deep.

Beak: Short, stout, regularly curved.

Eyes: Large, oval.

Comb: Single, rather large, set firmly on head, perfectly straight and upright; five well-defined points, those at front and rear smaller than middle ones; fine in texture; blades free from serrations.

Wattles and Ear- Lobes: Wattles of medium size, well rounded at lower edges. Ear-lobes, medium size, oblong, smooth.

Neck: Rather short, well arched, with abundant hackle.

Wings: Of medium size, well folded; wing-fronts, well covered by breast feathers; wing-points, well covered by saddle feathers.

Back: Broad, medium, flat at shoulders, rising with a full concave sweep to tail; saddle feathers, of medium length, abundant.

Tail: Moderately long, fairly well spread, carried at an angle of forty-five degrees from the horizontal, forming no apparent angle with back where these sections join; sickles, of medium length, spreading laterally beyond main tail feathers; lesser sickles and tail-coverts, of medium length, nicely curved, sufficiently abundant to cover the main tail
feathers.

Breast: Broad, deep, and well rounded.

Body and Fluff: Body, broad, deep; keel-bone, rather long, straight, extending well forward. Fluff, moderately full.

Legs and Toes: Thighs, large, rather short, covered with soft feathers; shanks, short, stout in bone, smooth. Toes, of medium length, straight, strong, well spread. Shanks and toes, free from feathers and down.

SHAPE OF FEMALE.

Head : Rather large, broad, deep.

Beak: Short, stout, regularly curved.

Eyes: Large, oval.

Comb: Single, of medium size, set firmly on head, perfectly straight and upright; five well-defined points, those in front and rear smaller than middle ones; fine in texture.

Wattles and Ear-Lobes: Wattles, of medium length, fine in texture. Ear-lobes, of medium size, oblong.

Neck: Rather short, well arched, nicely tapering to head, having a moderately full hackle.

Wings: Of medium size, well folded.

Back: Broad, moderately long, rising with concave sweep to tail.

Tail: Moderately long, fairly well spread, carried at an angle of forty-five degrees from the horizontal; tail-coverts, abundant.

Breast: Broad, deep, well rounded.

Body and Fluff: Body, rather long, broad, deep; keel-bone, rather long, straight, extending well forward. Fluff, moderately full.

Legs and Toes: Thighs, large, rather short, covered with soft feathers; shanks, short, stout, set well apart, smooth. Toes, of medium length, straight, strong, well spread. Shanks and toes, free from feathers and down.


BUFF ORPINGTONS.

Disqualifications.

Positive white in ear-lobes covering more than one-third of the surface; yellow beak or skin; shanks other than white, or pinkish- white. (See general disqualifications.)

COLOR OF MALE.

Beak: White, or pinkish- white.

Eyes: Reddish- bay.

Comb, Face, Wattles and Ear-Lobes : Bright red.

Shanks and Toes: White, or pinkish- white.

Plumage: Surface throughout an even shade of rich, golden buff, free from shafting or mealy appearance; the head, neck, hackle, back, wing bows and saddle richly glossed. Under-color, a lighter shade of buff, free from foreign color. Different shades of buff in two or more sections, is a serious defect. A harmonious blending of buff in all sections is most desirable.

COLOR OF FEMALE.

Beak: White, or pinkish- white.

Eyes: Reddish-bay.

Comb, Face, Wattles and Ear- Lobes: Bright red.

Shanks and Toes: White, or pinkish- white.

Plumage: Surface throughout an even shade of rich, golden buff, free from shafting or mealy appearance, the head and neck plumage showing a luster of same shade as the rest of the plumage. Under-color, a lighter shade, free from foreign color. Different shades of buff in two or more sections, is a serious defect. A harmonious blending of buff in all sections is most desirable.

Personally I would look for another rooster that better meets the Standard if that's what your goal is. If you're just looking to produce Buff Orpingtons and the buyers understand these birds are bred for their temperament and egg production for example versus their adherence to the breed standard set forth by the APA then so be it.

Thank you for this information!