Russian Orloffs

Hello again, fellow Orloff fans,

I have discovered some photos on the German Orloff Club website that I believe are invaluable in showing American breeders what their stock ought to look like. To put it bluntly, I think the American Orloff is FAR removed from the Oriental posture it ought to have. From looking at some of these German photos, I am realizing this fact more and more. Of course, I know each country may have a slightly different "style" it promotes, but I do believe the Orloff in America needs to look more like an Oriental gamefowl in build than it does.

Here are two links to show what I mean (the first link especially shows a particularly Oriental-looking cock):

http://www.sv-orloff.de/html2/orloff1.htm
http://www.sv-orloff.de/html/fotoarchiv.htm

Even the black-and-white sketches at various points on that website seem to show birds with tighter feathering, longer legs, and a more muscular build than I have seen in some American examples. What do you all think?

God bless,
~Gresh~
I agree, I prefer the more gamey looking fowl as seen in those links. I actually kept one cockerel for that exact reason, he is currently lacking in chest and somewhat loose feathered, but has a more upright station and longer neck and legs than my other cockerel. He is also very slowly filling out his frame as he matures, so giving him a solid year to see how he matures. But it's one of the issues of being without a standard, currently it's personal preference/interpretation.
 
Glad y'all liked the photos. I hope they can be of help in future breeding work.

I have another thought that I realize might meet with some opposition, but I'm proposing it because I feel it is worth discussing.

It is this: I don't think the Orloff should be admitted to the APA Standard of Perfection.

My reasoning?

1) Breeds admitted to the SOP are required to be admitted in at least one standardized color.
~ What's wrong with that?
Many experienced, respected, and long-time chicken breeders agree that type (i.e. body structure, comb, wattles, etc.) is infinitely more important than color. But the SOP, as I understand, often has color standards that, in the case of a complex color like Spangled, are so picky that they will disqualify birds of excellent type just because they have too much or too little Spangling, not enough black here, not enough white there, blah blah blah. In other words, birds that are excellent in type and are Orloffs in every sense of the word are disqualified, and therefore APA Orloff breeders may be tempted to cull good birds in favor of weaker, poorer-typed birds because of color.
2) Breeds admitted to the SOP may undergo a gradual devolving in disease resistance, hardiness, laying ability, and muscle mass.
~ How so?
If a bird is admitted to a poultry club with an overly-strict standard (even a standard that focuses on type instead of color), breeders of that bird may be tempted to cull disease-resistant, hardy, good-laying, and "meaty" birds in favor of birds that are less disease-resistant, less hardy, poor-laying, and underweight, simply because the standard was too strict on how much fluff the beard has, on whether or not there should be even the smallest sprig of a feather on a foot or leg, or on the fact that the tail angle was 5 degrees too low. In short, in order to show their birds, APA Orloff breeders may be tempted to cull superior birds in favor of the inferior, "picture perfect" birds.

Please don't get me wrong. THE ORLOFF NEEDS A STANDARD! But the standard should NOT be too strict. If we do that (as the SOP seems to do, from what I have heard...though I could be wrong), we will do the Orloff a disservice, and the supposed "Orloffs" shown at the APA shows may be nothing more than weak, inferior individuals that should've been chicken soup years ago.

I get some of this thinking from a book by British poultry expert Fred Hams entitled "The Complete Guide to Raising Chickens, Ducks, Geese, and Turkeys," and also from an article by Laura Haggarty--well-respected breeder of Buckeye chickens--in the June/July 2013 issue of Backyard Poultry Magazine, entitled "Build the Barn; Then Paint It." I think one could also say I have heard this from gamefowl breeders. Perhaps even more important (to Orloff enthusiasts), I derived this from the UK Standard for the Orloff, which says that bird type is more important than color.

What do you all think? Is the APA SOP really as overly-strict as I think, or am I incorrect?

God bless,
~Gresh~
 
Last edited:
Mine are 28 weeks old and still not laying. I have heard light beige also. Can't wait till they start producing.
yippiechickie.gif
 
The following link is quite important to every American Orloff breeder. If this USOC Forum member is uploading a legit letter, it could be the biggest Orloff news in America in years.

Its content? THE RUSSIAN ORLOFF WAS NEVER IN THE AMERICAN STANDARD OF PERFECTION.

http://usorloffs.freeforums.net/thread/24/mail-sam-brush-president-apa


If this is so, than the "old standard" should NOT be followed for breeding Orloffs in the U.S. and should be dropped in favor of either the German or British standard, or a combination of both.
 
Last edited:
I have to update my post on the "eggless orloff's" after six months. We got home last night to a little excess noise and one of our "girls" first egg. We felt like celebrating? I think we are weird.
 
Gresh you are making some important and great observations! I need to think about this some. I think the goal of APA recognition has two points: one it makes the bird easier to promote and it gives those who keep them and raise great ones incentives= rewards come show time. I like how you are thinking though and fear this is always is the risk with getting any bird admitted.
 
@Mcclucks: Congrats on the first egg! Can you post a picture? And no, you're not weird in your celebration. Any chicken owner in their right mind celebrates when the first egg comes!

@Ashandvine: Thanks, I hope the things I say can be helpful to other Orloff enthusiasts.
 
The following link is quite important to every American Orloff breeder. If this USOC Forum member is uploading a legit letter, it could be the biggest Orloff news in America in years.

Its content? THE RUSSIAN ORLOFF WAS NEVER IN THE AMERICAN STANDARD OF PERFECTION.

http://usorloffs.freeforums.net/thread/24/mail-sam-brush-president-apa


If this is so, than the "old standard" should NOT be followed for breeding Orloffs in the U.S. and should be dropped in favor of either the German or British standard, or a combination of both.
I have read this before as well, that the origin Orloff in the old SOP was not the same bird as the Russian Orloff.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom