Russian Orloffs

[RhodeRunner]

Lovely pictures taprock!

I have some largefowl and bantam eggs in the incubator now, and definitely intend to be breeding them this spring. I really need to get out and take some recent pictures, as the largefowl sure have grown.

The Bantams



The Largefowl

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

Lovely pictures taprock!

I have some largefowl and bantam eggs in the incubator now, and definitely intend to be breeding them this spring. I really need to get out and take some recent pictures, as the largefowl sure have grown.

The Bantams



The Largefowl

Beautiful birds!

 

[ashandvine]

I have some largefowl and bantam eggs in the incubator now, and definitely intend to be breeding them this spring. I really need to get out and take some recent pictures, as the largefowl sure have grown.

The Bantams



The Largefowl

Your bantam hen's color should be darker. If you can breed them toward the dark color you have on the LG cockerel that would be best. She also has a very sussex shape according to this picture, as opposed to the standard's game shape. Its common. Both males look nice, esp the large fowl and I like the full beard you have on the LG hen. Her color is also a little light though. Its so tough to judge by one photo but that's my two cents.

Next month I get my NPIP and right before that... my new Orloff Rooster. This boy is established and I'm excited. I have days when I am ready to sell off all the other chickens and just work on Orloffs. But then I would never have an egg I would eat.

Haven't seen NC for a while. My computer isn't reminding me when folks post in here either so I am missing you all. Literally and figuratively. Hope the holidays were warm and safe.

 

[RhodeRunner]

Your bantam hen's color should be darker. If you can breed them toward the dark color you have on the LG cockerel that would be best. She also has a very sussex shape according to this picture, as opposed to the standard's game shape. Its common. Both males look nice, esp the large fowl and I like the full beard you have on the LG hen. Her color is also a little light though. Its so tough to judge by one photo but that's my two cents.

Next month I get my NPIP and right before that... my new Orloff Rooster. This boy is established and I'm excited. I have days when I am ready to sell off all the other chickens and just work on Orloffs. But then I would never have an egg I would eat.

Haven't seen NC for a while. My computer isn't reminding me when folks post in here either so I am missing you all. Literally and figuratively. Hope the holidays were warm and safe.

Thank you for the advice!

Good luck with your NPIP testing, and new rooster!

 

[AraucanaAnnie]

Did black orloffs once have an APA standard?

 

[ashandvine]

Black, White, Cuckoo and Spangled all have the same standard for type etc and then variety had its own notes.

 

[Chris09]

Did black orloffs once have an APA standard?

Russians (Black) where in the APA Standard not the Orloffs/ Russian Orloffs, the biggest difference other that the name is that the Russian had a true Spikeless Rose Comb and the Orloffs has a Strawberry Comb.

Spikeless Rose Comb --

Strawberry Comb --

Pics above are not my birds..

Chris

 

[ashandvine]

I am sorry but I don't agree that these are Russian Orloffs at all. Please don't take offense, but, according to the research I have done Russians (Chlianskia) are Russian Orloffs and what you have shown pics of are Games. While Game birds are clearly referred to in the type and historical creation of the RO the name Russians and RO mean the same breed.

This discussion was partially had previously here: start with post #422
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/421549/rarest-breed-of-chicken-in-the-us/420
You will find standards which are similar the ones we are using now.

The difference between those in EU and here is minimal, as opposed to the pics you have shown which are distinctly different. The Russian Orloff was unlisted because there were not enough breeders and thereby showing of the breed. The last variety listed before they were dropped in the SOP is black. Page 173 of the APA SOP. A distinct difference between what is listed and what exists now is in things like combs and leg color. Legs have been listed in different countries as being dark, willow and yellow. Those of us currently keeping RO, Mahogany, Spangled or otherwise, have birds with yellow legs. There is discrepancy in the comb preferences, strawberry, walnut or cushion depending on sex, country and time period. EU varieties of birds do have different combs than USA birds, in history. as well as today, despite being the same breed. Polish Caps are a very good example of this (they can have leaf or V comb but in other non English speaking countries they have something of a composite between the two even).

Almost all the information to be had on the internet is from the same limited sources who are all parroting each other. I recommend looking at pictures already posted in this thread and following the links to the European sites, historical and current.

Here is a copy of a translated German SOP for the breed which most of us are using as one line on the road as we move toward readmittance to the APA:

TRANSLATED ORLOFF STANDARD FROM GERMAN
OVERALL IMPRESSION:
Good, medium-sized, heavily muscled, broad-bodied, crude middle form between Landrace and Malay type with fairly robust bone structure, medium high build, erect posture, bearded, partially abundantly feathered, despite wild appearance, very tame character.
BREEDING CHARACTERISTICS - COCK:
Body: strong, erect posture
Neck: long, straight erect, with full hackles, not covering the shoulders, puffed up in the nape, distinctly separated from back.
Back: medium length, broad, flat, sloping
Shoulders: broad, distinctly separated (**from body?)
Wings: medium length, close to body, slightly protruding wing bow
Saddle: broad, with full, medium length saddle hackles
Tail: relatively short with moderately long, flowing sickles, fairly broad, and carried erect to right angled
Breast: broad; not protruding (**flat front)
Belly (**Body and Fluff): broad and well developed
Head: medium-sized; front very broad; moderately arched; with overhanging eyebrows
Face: red; partially covered by beard
Comb: Walnut** comb, partially covered with feather bristles, sitting tightly on skull (**stated as "comb with ridges"-this is my wording - CJC)
Throat **Lobes (**wattles): stunted, covered by beard
Ear Lobes: insignificant, covered by beard
Eyes: large, pearl to orange-red colored; they seem smaller because of the protruding eyebrows; dark/gloomy and wild looking
Beak: short, strong, slightly bent; yellow, or **light yellow with a dark ridge (**horn)
Beard**: heavy cheek beard, as well as a full chin beard on the lower beak (**Beard and Muffs: Beard - large, elongated. Muffs - full, feathers projecting from face, extending to and covering ear-lobes. I used the Faverolles description here because I think it may be more appropriate than the Americauna, or other, descriptions - please debate this - CJC )
Thigh: medium length, protuberant; tightly feathered
Feet: medium length, smooth, lemon to orange-yellow
Toes: strong, medium length, well spread
Plumage: tightly feathered head; moderate neck feathering, "puffed up", down to the shoulders, but doesn't cover them; saddle hackles full, but without cushion; full and moderate length on the tail; chest feathering relatively short so underfeathers emerge when crop is full

BREEDING CHARACTERISTICS - HEN:
The hen is essentially similar in characteristics to the cock, however;
- the posture is less erect
- the belly has a fuller development
- the comb is almost not developed and partially covered with feather bristles
- the neck feathers (ruff, neck frill, collar) are heavily puffed up

BAD BREEDING CHARACTERISTICS (**DISQUALIFICATIONS or MAJOR FAULTS):
Narrow, thin trunk; underdeveloped belly; very narrow breast; arched or very narrow back; leg position too high; not enough beard; foot feathering.
MAHOGANY:
COCK: Basic color is like dark, polished mahogany wood with a lot of luster. Beard, front of neck and breast appearing black, the remaining plumage more or less mahogany. Tail brilliantly black with green iridescence.
HEN: Similar essentially to the whole plumage of the basic color of the cock with a little less shine. Single black spots are permitted on the wing coverts and in the beard.
Major Faults: Dull plumage; black wing triangle with the cock; spangle markings in the plumage of the hen; a lot of bright or very irregular basic color.

WHITE:
COCK: White, ornate plumage with some creaminess allowed.
HEN: Cream-white; underplumage white.
Major Faults: Too strong yellow plumage; different-colored feathers.
BLACK:
COCK and HEN: Abundant black with green iridescence. Underplumage in the cock somewhat whitish. Somewhat dark **extensive base (angelaufene Lauffarbe) color in the hen is to be judged mildly.
Major Faults: Matte plumage; (**shafting) reedy; irregular ground color.
**CUCKOO (**originally Gesperbert - "European Sparrow Hawk" colored):
Every feather has numerous changes from black with light blue light arching bands; in the cock, the bands are the same width: in the hen, the black bands are wider than the light blue. The markings are not sharply defined, Underplumage only weakly marked . Beard cuckoo. Somewhat dark **base color (angelaufene Lauffarbe) in the hen is to be mildly judged.
Major Faults: Absolutely blurred markings; total absence of barring in tail feathers and sickle feathers;
Reedy (**shafting); yellow plumage.

MOTTLED (**originally Schwartz-Weissgescheckt - black-white spotted):
Basic color abundant black with green iridescence. The feather ends with white tips. Beard black with white feather tips. In the cock and young birds, the basic color in the general view prevails. With the hen, the markings are very evenly distributed. Up to two white primary feathers on either side are permitted. In older birds, the white markings increase in size.
Underplumage in the cock ranges from the base color to whitish.
Major Faults: Rusty or gray-black base color; white unterplumage in the hen; lacing, missing or very
coarse markings; too much white in tail feathers and sickles; white around vent plumage.
WEIGHTS:
Cock 3 - 3.5 kg (6 lb. 10 oz. - 7 lb. 11 oz.)
Hen 2.25 - 2.75 kg (4 lb. 15 oz. - 6 lb. 1 oz.)
Brood eggs-least weight: 53 gs (1.87 oz.)
Egg color: white to brownish
Ring dimensions: Cock 22 Hen 20
COLORS:
*SPANGLED (**originally rotbunt - red-multi colored):
COCK: Basic color like polished, dark mahogany wood, the neck and saddle hackles being a little lighter than on the back, shoulders and wing covers. The markings are irregularly 3-colored with brown basic color, black in the middle section before the white feather tip and the single color fields are distinct. The beard is primarily white. Breast and thigh black with brown deposits (**patches?) and white feathering. Wing bands black with bluish green iridescence and more or less white feather tips. Secondary feathers are more brown towards the ends of the wing and more black towards the body with black and white markings at the feather tips. Primary feathers are brown with black and white markings, pure white primaries are permitted. Tail feathers black with irregular white tips. Sickles black with green iridescence.
HEN: Basic color red-brown, like a freshly shelled horse chestnut. The pattern resembles brown-porcelain-colored markings with brown basic color and black spot with white pearl at the feather tips, nevertheless, it is not exactly precise. The beard is primarily white. Wings similar to the cock. Tail brown with isolated black and white markings.
The white markings increase in size with the age of the hen.
Major Faults: Cock too dull, matte or too bright in the base color; a lot of brass in the hackles; a lot of brown in the tail.
Hen too bright or very irregular base color; a lot of mossiness in the basic plumage. In both the cock and the hen very washed out or blurred markings; predominantly brown or black feathers in the beard; pure white secondary feathers in young birds.

Here is another set of EU images which are very straight forward
http://fjerkrae.dk/leksikon/pmwiki.php/Racebeskrivelser/Orloff

 

[Chris09]

Quote ashandvine If you are referring to the pictures that I post I didn't say that they were Russians or Russian Orloffs. I was using the pictures to show comb type since a lot of people don't understand what a Spikeless Rose Comb (as the U.S. SOP called for) looks like and they seem to confuse it with a Walnut Comb, Straberry or even at times a Cushion Comb..

Chris

 

[AraucanaAnnie]

Thanks!