Russian Orloffs

[shelleyb1969]

I've NEVER had a people-aggressive Orloff rooster. Wish I could say the same about some other breeds I HAD.

They are, however, very aggressive with one another if confined. My free ranging Orloffs have no aggression issues with each other...but they have 10 acres to roam...plenty of land for each of them to have their own "space".

The only hatchery Orloffs I've seen were from Nature's Hatchery and were all pullets...and I must say, they were quite nice.

I can't comment on the other hatcheries' quality as I haven't seen any nor owned any.

 

[Inkheart]

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Where did you get your start from?

 

[shelleyb1969]

My original birds, which I sold this past spring, came from a breeder here in Michigan who got his original stock from SC Bird Farm in Ohio. My current birds are several generations "out" from the original SC birds. There's been lots of culling and tears...and more to come.

 

[Celtic Hill]

Is there a standard somewhere?

so im thinking about starting my stock off with 10 ideal hatchery hens

and then hatch a dozen from a breeder ( Shelly

) so then i have atleast 10 hens and then add what ever i hatch into the flock, so i have separate lines. These guys would be more for egg production and breed preservation, and then if there are any individuals that "stand out" they would be used more for breeding quality...does that make sense or does it make me sound like a nut?

 

[shelleyb1969]

I believe somewhere in this thread there's an OLD standard posted.

Your plan sounds just fine.

No matter where you get your birds from (me included

), you're going to go through some culling for your breeding flock...if you're serious about it.

Not every chick that hatches from ANYONE'S eggs is going to be perfect...no matter what that "breeder" says/implies.

ETA: My free ranging Orloffs are "culls" that have some very slight "defect" that makes them unsuitable for the breeding pens. The Orloff rooster (free ranging) doesn't have the proper body carriage...but his color, beard, and overall "presence" is outstanding. In my area, it's very hard to sell Orloff roosters...and with this boy, I just can't bring myself to send him to freezer camp, so I chose to let him live out his days with my Easter Egger hens. He seems happy.

Not to mention that he's quite nice to look at.

 

[Chris09]

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My girls are excellent layers except when they're molting...then they stop for several weeks. Mine lay very well during the winter, too, with no supplemental lighting.

I figured they were good layers for the winter seeing that they are from Russia, lol. How manny eggs a week do you think you get from one bird?

Not trying to start anything but trying to help.
Germany was the land of the Orloff's, "perfection" -- not the land of its origin.
Persia (Iran) was the probable site of its development all though at one time the bred was wide spread in Central Asia and has been seen in footage on the war in Afghanistan.
The breed was known as the Chlianskaia before Count Orloff Techesmensky breeding and, "perfecting" them and then the name was changed to the Russian Orloff.
Orloffs were heavy boned, hard muscled, powerfully built fowl, capable of defending itself in the extreme and once was said to be originally a game fowl.. However, here in the U.S. and in Germany they were bred more along utility lines and height was reduced and egg production was improved.

Chris

 

[Celtic Hill]

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Gotchya, thanks! How do you have your "Breeding pens" set up? You said they do not like to be confined, so do you have large runs on them?

 

[shelleyb1969]

I didn't say they don't like to be confined...ROOSTERS don't do well confined together.

Right now, my Orloffs (except the free rangers) do not have access to "outdoor" runs and they won't until spring. During the winter, their individual breeding pens are plenty spacious enough for them and they have visibility to see the snow flying outside. LOL

 

[Celtic Hill]

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OHH! I feel that is true with most roosters, lol. I gotchya now! Thanks!

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

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It would be so incredibly awesome if you guys that have good birds could post pictures contrasting good body carriage and bad body carriage! As my girls develop, I'm starting to feel like it's their primary flaw, and that, to me, is the worse one they could possess!

It seems like most pictures of hens/pullets I've seen show birds that are not as upright as the roos. Is this typical even in strong lines, or is that incorrect no matter how you cut it?