Russian Orloffs

[MustLoveHens]

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Mine were in a mixed flock and just like Haiku's they were not top birds but they were not on the bottom either. I had three hens (not raised as pets) and they stuck together and were every friendly and inquisitive. Quite smart and steady. I did not find mine to be flighty at all. (Im thinking flightly like a Leghorn is flightly) They can fly like Haiku stated but mine were not fliers. As far as foraging, I'd say their good. As far as being heat tollerant, they are cold weather birds and I have read that they are not very heat tollerant, however that being said I had mine when I lived in Southern California specifically in Santa Paula-(Ventura County). It was hot in the summer (80-100's consistantly) and cold in the winter (30-50/60/70-well you know how that goes in So Cal!). My girls did not seem to have any problems adapting to the heat. I would find various chickens using one of their big crock like water bowl as a wading pool to cool down, but the Orloffs were never among them. They did just fine as long as they had shade. They wintered the best out of all of the chickens.
As far as EE's (Amerucana's) go, I have not had them.
Hope this helps! Cheers!


@ Rare Feathers -if you read this: Have fun and good luck at the show next month with your Orloffs!!

 

[furryloo]

Has anyone gotten spangled russian orloffs from purelypoultry.com? I just ordered five hens and five roosters from them. Also, I am going to cull the roosters and only keep 1 or 2. What is the best way to tell at such a young age which one I should keep? Can you see if they have an upright carriage and other needed traits when they are that young?

I am hoping to breed them and would like to bring in more quality stock at some point. Any place recommended? Also, are they broody? I wasn't sure if I should raise a broody hen with the batch.

I am still reading through this thread but thought I would post my question. 58 pages is a lot to comb through at the moment. lol.

 

[shelleyb1969]

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Welcome furryloo!

I can't help you with the Purely Poultry question...I've never ordered birds from them at all. As for culling Orloffs....in my opinion, you shouldn't even think about it until they are several months old. The only thing you should cull for as young chicks is incorrect comb type...and POSSIBLY wrong leg color. The upright stature can take a while for the roosters to "achieve". Mind you, this is just MY opinion and not the golden rule for everyone.

Orloff hens can be very broody and are superb mothers. But again, it all depends on who/where your stock comes from. All lines are different and since hatchery Orloffs are primarily bred for egg production, I tend to think that hatchery stock will be less broody.

 

[Goose and Fig]

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Purely Poultry is a not a hatchery, they are a broker. The chicks probably came from Welp or Ideal. Does Sandhill haev them? I will have to look, btu they have a big minimum order....

I grew out 2 roosters and they got along fine- never a fight. The coons got my extra. I agree with Shelley though- don't cull too soon. Their feather color changes an awful lot as well as they grow up.

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

What about culling for size on a roo, if you need to narrow it down? All else being equal, going for the biggest bird?

 

[Goose and Fig]

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I used to think that that was a good idea, until I started seriously raising welsummers. Now I have seen it on more than one occasion that the less agressive roos in the bunch will actually have stunted growth- maybe as a natural defense mechanism.(?) And then when the "top roo" is removed from the premises, the less developed ones seem to mature overnight.

I found it interesting in one of the earlier posts where it said that Orloffs were known to taste like turkey. I wonder if that still rings true. Anyone?

 

[shelleyb1969]

Culling young birds for size can sometimes be a bad idea. As HappyMtn mentioned, the dominant roo of ANY breed will initially outgrow a less aggressive roo. But separation will almost always send the "wimpy" rooster's hormones into overdrive and he'll catch up in growth. As I said...ALMOST always, but not necessarily every time. And in every clutch of chicks, there's always some that are smaller than others in the beginning. But it's a good idea to wait...they might mature into better birds than their larger siblings. With Orloffs, it's a matter of patience

....LOTS of patience.

 

[OrloffTom]

I had read somewhere as well that orloffs had a similar taste to turkey

. My roo, (still unsure if he's one or not) is pretty laid back though. I can touch and pet him a little but he don't like being held really.

 

[mississippifarmboy]

Quote:
I used to think that that was a good idea, until I started seriously raising welsummers. Now I have seen it on more than one occasion that the less agressive roos in the bunch will actually have stunted growth- maybe as a natural defense mechanism.(?) And then when the "top roo" is removed from the premises, the less developed ones seem to mature overnight.

I found it interesting in one of the earlier posts where it said that Orloffs were known to taste like turkey. I wonder if that still rings true. Anyone?

Well, we've ate most of our culls and.....


Wait for it.....



They tasted like chicken.

Seriously, I didn't think they tasted like turkey but they do have a slightly different taste than the other breeds we raise. Can't describe it, but very good taste. Sorta like the difference in taste between a supermarket chicken and home grown... not a big difference, but definatly there.

 

[mississippifarmboy]

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I agree 100% here. And Orloffs change not only in size and temperment, but coloration is totally different at six months, one year, two years, etc.
I haven't raised any other breed that was so difficult to cull on coloration. It's very much a game of patience.