Russian Orloffs

[NCSprout]

A few from the last hatch. Some are beginning with too much white for what I like. Going to see how they mature before I decide. Most of the ones with a lot of white on the breast hatched out with red down on the back and head with yellow bellies with little to no stripes on the back or head. The others had some form of chipmunk pattern. I also had one that hatched out totally yellow like a wheaten, but haven't been able to get a good shot of him yet.

 

[desertmarcy]

Here are a few photos of pullets I raised from this year. These were hatched Jan to Feb 2012:









I have one from this year and one original hen that looks like this (next pic): Almost half and half white and mahogany. I know that doesn't fit the standard, but I think that look is so beautiful, so I'm keeping them for layers.



Here is another one:



I have a few that don't have enough spangling, like this one: Sounds like people have found they get more spangling after a molt? Maybe I should hang on to the ones like this:

 

[ashandvine]

From what I've read they do develop more color patterning, especially the white, as they age. I'm seeing slight differences in body type on some pics here. Maybe its just picture day jitters but type has to be first IMO.

The Orloff Roos I'm looking to buy are from Red Rooster Farm... I think that's its name. I mention this because the breeding stock is limited here and I want to be a part of keeping track of that. I don't know where the Orloff hens I have came from. I am trying to find out. The woman I am buying from is in here as luvmygoats... just in case no one has reached her yet. Noelle. Nice gal.

If anyone else is interested enough I think Noelle is bringing these down from the edge of Maine/Canada soon. If someone in say... NH or MA was interested enough she is going all the way to the NH border (York Maine) to pick up a goat and would bring chickens. She has some other rare varieties too... just a thought. Might be a way to get a roo and save a longer trip at the same time.

 

[ashandvine]

Where did everyone go??? Did you all melt?
Here are a few pictures of my girls. Beards are growing back on all of them. Please give sound advice and educated opinions head shots first...

Chestnut.........................................Mahogany......................................Eagle with loose white feather.........


Chestnut.........................................Mahogany......................................Eagle Orloff.....................................




And two more of Mahogany cuz I liked the pics.

 

[desertmarcy]

Where did everyone go??? Did you all melt?
Here are a few pictures of my girls. Beards are growing back on all of them. Please give sound advice and educated opinions head shots first...

Chestnut.........................................Mahogany......................................Eagle with loose white feather.........


Chestnut.........................................Mahogany......................................Eagle Orloff.....................................




And two more of Mahogany cuz I liked the pics.

Yah got me! I thought I'd get comments about my pullets I posted a week ago, but nothing. I like the mahogany color the best. I have a few of the chestnut color like yours as well. I can't decide if I want to include them in breeding or not since I don't have a standard to go by. So I am using what appeals to me the most at this point in time. Yours look nice. The chestnut one could use a bit more spangling. Their head shape sure looks odd without the heavy muffs and beards like I am used to looking at on mine.

 

[ashandvine]

I was waiting for someone else to say something more educated and when they didn't I did make a few comments. I could make a few more comments if you don't mind.
You know they have too much white on their heads, as my Eagle Orloff does. Keep the ones without a lot of spangling that are young. Their Spangling should increase. I also noticed that a few have not enough spangling and a few were really white. If it were me I would breed those to each other where I could to see if they cancel each other out. Where is your rooster? As for type, so far they are okay but I don't know all of what to look for. They do have the nice long necks with thick feathered hackles. Good color over all too.

 

[NCSprout]

Color is secondary to type in the Orloffs. Spangled Orloffs tend to molt out into different degrees of white and black markings. At this point, color is more subjective. Very few birds here have good quality spangling, it is something we are working towards. Orloffs are not a quick maturing breed and take time to reach their peak color, so judging color before they have reached a year is not the best idea. IMO, for ashandvine's birds I would go with "mahogany" and "eagle" and I like the looks of the top 4 pics of desertmarcy's birds, the 6th may also feather out well, 5th has I believe to much white and 7th not enough spangled pattern. I must also mention that the term mahogany is used to describe a particular color variety of Orloff that has no spangling according to its description, it is allowed to have mottled flecks of black to a small degree. And it is accepted practice to breed light to dark in effort to work toward good spangled birds.
As far as standards go, there isn't one in existence for Large Fowl Orloffs in the US. Mr. Casper has sent copies of a translated German standard to everyone he has info for, which includes anyone on this board that has given me email addresses. I also sent out an email with a copy of the UK standard to everyone I have emails for. If you didn't get one or both of these, please let me know.

 

[desertmarcy]

Color is secondary to type in the Orloffs. Spangled Orloffs tend to molt out into different degrees of white and black markings. At this point, color is more subjective. Very few birds here have good quality spangling, it is something we are working towards. Orloffs are not a quick maturing breed and take time to reach their peak color, so judging color before they have reached a year is not the best idea. IMO, for ashandvine's birds I would go with "mahogany" and "eagle" and I like the looks of the top 4 pics of desertmarcy's birds, the 6th may also feather out well, 5th has I believe to much white and 7th not enough spangled pattern. I must also mention that the term mahogany is used to describe a particular color variety of Orloff that has no spangling according to its description, it is allowed to have mottled flecks of black to a small degree. And it is accepted practice to breed light to dark in effort to work toward good spangled birds.
As far as standards go, there isn't one in existence for Large Fowl Orloffs in the US. Mr. Casper has sent copies of a translated German standard to everyone he has info for, which includes anyone on this board that has given me email addresses. I also sent out an email with a copy of the UK standard to everyone I have emails for. If you didn't get one or both of these, please let me know.

NC Sprout, your eyes and mine are seeing alike. If you read the comments I made above the photos of my pullets, that is exactly what I said--the 5th one has too much white and 7th not enough spangling. I personally like the looks of ones that are mixed with more white, so I keep them for layers and eye candy, not for breeders. I think we are using the term mahogany to describe the background color of the bird, not as a variety description. I think I need to take good photos of each of my pullets so I can compare when they molt.

 

[NCSprout]

A couple of other things I think are worth noting; the legs on most of our birds need work. They are not as rich of a yellow as they should be. I know that they can vary in females depending on the laying cycle, but males should be a nice yellow for most of the year. I believe leg color will come with time and careful breeding, but we should keep it in mind. Also bear in mind that the color of the Spangled Orloff is the genetic equivalent of a mille fleur with the mahogany gene added, it is not a true spangled bird like the Hamburg, for example. It is unclear whether they are/should be pure at the e-locus or are splits. I am in the process of trying to find out, but it will take some time.


"I personally like the looks of ones that are mixed with more white"
I also like some of the ones with a lot of white. I think the ones that show a majority of white remind me of a splash coloring. I would like to develop that into a true breeding color variant at some point.

 

[ashandvine]

Yes, I was using Mahogany as the term for the base color as that was what I read in the information given to me and as a means to differentiating birds I didn't name. I wonder if the ones that are mostly white couldn't be carefully bred for all white? It is my hope to breed blacks back as I am still not finding the ones I really thought I saw here in Maine. Not too sure yet how I will but I think I might use black Ams. I haven't found another breed that is close but I am willing to learn. (hint hint)

There is some confusion on my part about the leg color. While I read both papers sent to me by Mr Casper I have not seen yellow legs and honestly hope not to. The yellow I am familiar with is on Leghorns and Comets-- bright, solid, crayola yellow (and rather unattractive to me personally). I like this wicker color on the ones I have. I will breed it up if I should but what color should it be like? I am rather visual, so a pic would be best. Please consult this page for leg confusion: http://www.ultimatefowl.com/viewtopic.php?p=1343

I've also read that the eggs are brown. Mine aren't. They are light brown, not medium at all. I have brown layers of a few types here and the ROs lay a beige/cream/nude colored egg. Is this something else to breed for? I know this is rather hard to breed for.

Another question: the muffs curl on one of the hens. Does anyone else see this in their birds? She is the only one so far but their beards are also growing back in after being with another owner before me.

Has anyone got a copy of this? "An Article by Will Hally (The Russian Orloff, Feathered World Year Book 1917-1919)