Orpingtons - An ocean apart??

[rarely bored]

A Place to Compare and Contrast the Orpingtons developed in the United Kingdom and continued in the Americas, and how their location has affected their characteristics.

The Orpington vortex is a powerful and difficult force to deny in the land of the Chicken Lovers. Many people grab a hodge podge of chickens only to have the Orpington personality and physical characteristics pull them in deeper. As the new Orpington lovers discover there is much to learn, the teachers are full of passion and there is much debate - which is overwhelming! How can a simple egg machine cause so much consternation??

And so I ask, with many curious on-lookers (and, ahem, potential clients of beautiful birds...) If you breed Orpingtons can you tell us what the differences are between an American bred Orpington and an Orpington which was bred in the United Kingdom?? One of the problems us newbies have, who do not have any connections to the bird world, is we can't call up a friend and drive to their barn to look at their birds. We can't pick up a bird and feel its weight or build or ??, we must milk as much information from a statement or a picture as we can.

Off of the top of my head, I'd love to have answers to the following questions:
Is one bird heavier than the other? Is there less genetic dilution in one line over the other? Are the standards that much different?? What are the goals of each group? What are the advantages of breeding the two lines together?
but would hate for the forum to become a dry place of people answering questions. Let's make this a dynamic discussion of the qualities that make us love the Orpingtons!! So, if you are breeder, could you also tell us why you enjoy the Orpingtons? and what characteristics do you personally breed for?

Thank you!

 

[tennesseeckn]

Great thread!

I have so much to learn. I am really looking forward to this discussion.

 

[fifelakelooper]

I'm interested too. Regardless of the fact that some may think one superior to the other....I believe that each have great qualities that deserve their own recognition.

I THINK they have differed SOP's??? If so....would like a comparison of those. Anyone?? I actually have American/Uk mixed 2 1/2 month olds in my coop right now!

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

This subject was closed by the moderators due to conflict. Hope this one stays open.

Perhaps if everyone stays friendly and avoids conflict it will be fine. We get a lot of emails and phone calls asking what the difference is.

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

An American Standard of Perfection (SOP) Buff Orpington in Large Fowl and Bantam

Nicole with her watermelons:

Okay, that is not about Orpingtons. But is still cute!

I have adored the Buff Orpington since I was 11. Have raised these huge Buffs since 12. That was 35 years ago. The American SOP Orpingtons we now have will actually top the scales at 11 plus pounds. Thankfully the judges no longer carry scales with them. We have the large fowl (LF) in Buff, Black, Blue and Self Blue (Lavender). We have large fowl White Orpington eggs set. The SOP only recognizes in both Bantam and LF the Buff, Black, Blue and White varieties. The SOP calls for NO more than 2" of "fluff" so as not to look like a Cochin. The British Standard allows slots more fluff. The Orpington should be massive, but because of weight, not fluff. At least from the SOP view point. Our lines included: LF Buff - Bacon, Britt; Blacks - Cecil Moore; Blue - various, including Moore; White - Hincjc (various East Coast lines); Self Blue - Hnkjc/Moore. Bantams: Buff - Anderson/Brazelton; Blue - Dick Horstman/Autry.

Cecil Moore line Blacks:

Self Blue Orpington:

Blue Orpington:

Splash Orpington Bantam:

Buff Orpington LF:

Breeding pen of Buff Orpington Bantams:

There is also another Orpington..... Developed by Mr. Cook in Orpington, England...

Sadly, the SOP Committee chose to delete its breed name and call it simply Buff Duck. But it is still an Orpington at heart!

There are also two American Orpington Breed Clubs. The American Orpington Poultry Fanciers (AOPF) promotes all American SOP Orpingtons including the Buff Duck. The United Orpington Club is older, but just promotes chickens. Membership is FREE in the AOPF. The UOC has a $10 yearly fee.

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

Here is another "type" of Buff Orpington. This male was from a commercial hatchery and acquired by a friend of mine at a feed store. It does not meet any Standard. But is very pretty in a backyard flock. It would be safe to say that most Orpingtons in the USA are of this type to some varying degree.

 

[justuschickens59]

Well, this is my opinion only. I love Orpingtons - both American and English, but I much prefer the UK Orps. I've said many times over that seeing my big English birds strutting around the yard makes me happy. They make me smile. They are so big, they can't run - they hop. They just make me laugh, and that, for me, is one of the biggest reasons I have them. They are just a pleasure to have as pets. I love the body style of the English Orp, the hugeness of them, the broad heads, the back and tail angle, and all that FLUFF. The regal carriage of the English Orp is second to none. Though some try to insist that the English Orp is nothing but a clean-legged cochin, all one has to do is look at a picture of an English Orp and a picture of a Cochin to see this statement is far from fact.

I have had both American Orps and English Orps and this is my experience only. My English Orps are far larger and heavier than my American Orps. No idea about the genetic dilution of either American or English lines. To be honest, I don't show my birds, so I'm not up on all the American Standards. I do, however, breed to the British Standard. I would say the advantages of breeding the two lines together would be for size and type. Julie has been breeding the two together for a number of years and her birds are just exquisite and exceptional !!

For me, the qualities that I love about the Orpington breed, be they American or British, is their sweet dispositions, their beauty, and their insatiable curiosity. They are good layers, they make good broodies, they tolerate the heat and cold well, and they are just such sweet pets. I've yet to have a mean or nasty Orpington rooster, either American or English.

So even if I couldn't have my English Orps, I'd definitely go back to keeping American Orps.

 

[lildinkem]

This is a Book written over 100 years ago. I think the description of differences in these chapters can apply to this discussion.

Here is a pic of my APA style Black Orp.

 

[justuschickens59]

Bill - Great information. Thanks for sharing. Nice looking black boy !!

I've posted a few pictures of my original English Orpington pair, Winston and Clementine, and their direct offspring.

Here is a picture of my original English Orp pair, Winston & Clementine.

Sirius - Black cockerel, offspring of Winston & Clementine, age approximately 7 months old in both pictures.

Octavia - black pullet, offspring of Winston & Clementine, approximately 8 months old in this picture

Hagrid - Blue cockerel, offspring of Winston & Clementine, approximately 7 months old in the photo.

 

[fifelakelooper]

Quote:
Bill (?) is it?? Thank you for sharing that....I like especially the diagram chart showing the evolving of the body of the Orpingtons. It sounds like the American bodies were developed to be longer...where the English shorter and more of a U back??
In both the American and English....I'm assuming that there can be no speck of white on a black Orpington? I have a 2 1/2 month old English /American mix Black roo who looks quite nice so far in my unexperienced opinion...but he has a dot of "white" at his wing. I assume also that as he ages it won't disappear?? I don't show but would like to breed towards a good looking Orpington that adhears loosely to the "standard".