Russian Orloffs

[ashandvine]

NC! Great to see you!

Got questions while this thread is convened with great minds.

Opinions/preferences on standards with this site used as a guide:
http://www.kippenencyclopedie.nl/php/index.php?title=Orloff

Tails/carriage degree- That black and cuckoo have very round sickles (even the mottled a bit) where the others have tails more like the hens and carried lower. What is prefered?

Type on the black and spangled (love the red porcelain in translation) is different from the upright stance of the others. I understood that we were looking for a more upright posture. Additionally, the black red and mottled appear to have a prominent breast (don't know the terminology so feel free to teach) whereas the white, cuckoo and I suspect the Spangled have more of a flat chest. Again, what is the preference here?

I noticed that the Spangled cock has very little visible spangling and he does have white in his wing and saddle. Where shall white be acceptable? (It was my understanding that there should be no solid white feathers on Spangled outside of the face and first two-four primaries, with primaries only being allowed on the Spangled cocks.)

Beards/buffs: should they be three visible sections of the face, and if so should the beard extend down the neck like the Mottled and White cocks are or should they be all one unit tucked up around the face? IMO those blacks and even the cuckoo don't have nearly full enough beards/muffs.

Combs: Does the comb on that red cock bother anyone else?

 

[ashandvine]

Got my first Orloff egg for the year this morning!

 

[NCSprout]

Awesome! Congrats!

My girls are still holding out for whatever reason.

I believe the breast should be rather full/prominent. It may be a fuller crop that skews the view of the breast. Tail of medium size with fairly narrow sickles. It seems that some of them are not totally developed in the sickles. Carriage should still be rather low but slightly above horizontal.The angles on some of those pics seems weird to me, making them hard to judge. Overall I like the posture of the white and cuckoo cocks. The red and white hens look nice, but I'd rather see the tail a little lower. All I can say about color is that we need to work on it. The hen looks like she's getting there, but I think I remember some of MFB's hens having better spangling. I prefer the fuller beard like the mottled and white. StarBright's birds have this kind of great full beard, as do some of the ones from Charlie.

 

[SugarRidgeFarm]

I just bought 12 Russian orloffs and does anyone know if they are good mothers and layers. I've seen websites saying yes and some saying no.

 

[NCSprout]

I have found that it depends on the individual bird. Most of mine have gone broody at some point and all but 1 of them have successfully raised a clutch.

 

[RiddleMe]

Got my first ROs yesterday. I'm hoping to get some birds from breeders later this spring but just in case... Ordered 25 chicks fom Whelp hatchery. I'm not expecting SOP birds, won't be surpprised if they all go in my layer flock. Not sure what happened in transit, one arrived DOA and I've lost 8 more, just never perked up after arrival. But the rest are doing really well, they are the cutest chicks, much more upright than I'm used to seeing, makes them look like they are walking on little stilts. And the down colors are all over the place, ranging from pale yellow with no stripe to chipmunk to dark chocolate. Looking forward to seeing how they turn out.

 

[ashandvine]

I am sorry to say that Orloff Dreams here have come to a halt. I hope it is only temporary. Mites took my cock here. I treated and he lasted a few days after treatment but I think between his one eye, the cold and his chivalry (letting the hens eat first) he died. I am really really bummed.

 

[BlackPanther]

That's terrible. I'm so sorry.

 

[ashandvine]

I have come into possession of copies of 1905 pages regarding the Orloff. If anyone were interested pm me and I will be happy to share

My recent loss has created a stir on my homepage thread. I will certainly have to chase eggs if I can not hatch my own but for now I am attempting to gain another cock/erel... or two just in case!

Does anyone know who keeps cuckoo or black etc? I believe there are two sources for them in the US and one woman who I already contacted would not share. Thoughts on how to recreate their colors here??

 

[RiddleMe]

Just thought I'd post a few chick photos of my hatchery ROs for general cute factor. These are all sexed pullets, 1 week old. I also have 3 cockerels.