wanted to add this..you can compare this and see the differences APA VERSION BELOW
BRITISH POULTRY STANDARD
ORPINGTON LARGE FOWL
Origin: Great Britain
Classification: Heavy, Soft feather
Egg colour: Brown
In the Orpington we have an English breed named after the village in Kent where the originator, William Cook, had his farm. He introduced the black variety in 1886, the white in 1889 and the buff in 1894.
Within five years of the original black Orpington being introduced exhibition breeders were crossing Langshan and Cochin and exhibiting the offspring as black Orpingtons, the birds fetching high prices, and attracting many for their immense size.
But this crossing at once turned a dual-purpose breed into one solely for show purposes, and it has remained so until today. A late introduction, the Jubilee Orpington, is now rarely seen.
General characteristics: male
Carriage: Bold, upright and graceful; that of an active fowl.
Type: Body deep, broad and cobby. Back nicely curved with a somewhat short, concave outline. Saddle wide and slightly rising, with full hackle. Breast broad, deep and well rounded, not flat. Wings small, nicely formed and carried closely to the body, the ends almost hidden by the saddle hackle. Tail rather short, compact, flowing and high, but by no means a squirrel tail.
Head: Small and neat, fairly full over the eyes. Beak strong and nicely curved. Eyes large and bold. Comb single, small, firmly set on head, evenly serrated and free from side sprigs. In the
black variety, comb may be single or rose, the latter small, straight and firm, full of fine work or small spikes, level on top (not hollow in centre), narrowing behind to a distinct peak lying well down to the head (not sticking up). Face smooth. Wattles of medium length, rather oblong and nicely rounded at the bottom. Ear-lobes small and elongated.
Neck: Of medium length, curved, compact and with full hackle.
Legs and feet: Legs short and strong, the thighs almost hidden by the body feathers, well set apart. Toes, four, straight and well spread.
Plumage: Fairly profuse but close, not soft, loose and fluffy as in the Cochin, or close and hard as in the Game Fowl
Handling: Firm.
Female
The general characteristics are similar to those of the male. Her cushion should be wide but almost flat, and slightly rising to the tail, sufficient to give the back a graceful appearance with an outline approaching concave.
Colour
The Blue
Male plumage: Hackles, saddle, wing bow, back and tail dark slate-blue. Remainder slate-blue, each feather to show lacing of darker shade as on back.
Female plumage: Medium slate-blue, laced with darker shade all through, except head and neck, dark slate-blue.
In both sexes: Beak black. Eyes black or very dark brown, black preferred. Comb, face wattles and ear-lobes bright red. Legs and feet black or blue. Toenails white.
The Black
Male and female plumage: Black with a green sheen.
In both sexes: Beak, etc. as in the blue. Soles of feet white.
The Buff
Male and female plumage: Clear, even buff throughout to the skin.
In both sexes: Beak white or horn. Eyes red or orange colour. Comb, face, ear-lobes and wattles bright red. Legs, feet and toenails white. Skin, white.
The White
Male and female plumage: Pure snow-white.
In both sexes: Beak, legs, feet and skin white. Eyes, face, ear-lobes and wattles red.
Weights
The Blue
Male 10-14 lb. when fully matured.
Female 7 ½-10 ½ lb.
The Black
Male 10 lb.
Female 8 lb.
The Buff and White
Matured cockerel 8-10 lb.
Female 6-8 lb.
Old birds sometimes a little heavier
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APA Standard of Perfection for ORPINGTONS
The plumage of Orpingtons is important in order to maintain the ideal type of the breed. The feathers should be broad and smooth-fitting on the deep and massive body of the fowl. The appearance of great massiveness, however, should not be secured by developing extreme length of feathers in the plumage. The sides of the body (defined in Nomenclature of male and female as portions of the breast, lower thigh feathers or plumage and rear body feathers) sometimes erroneously referred to as the fluff should be comparatively straight with full but not profuse feathering. (Fluff is shown defined as the feathers directly below the vent and continuing down to between the legs.)
Economic Qualities
A general purpose fowl for heavy meat production and for eggs. Color of skin, white; color of egg shells, light brown to dark brown.
Disqualifications (DQs)
Yellow beak, shanks, feet or skin. (See General DQs and Cutting for Defects.) Note: As the DQs and Defect Cuts lists are extensive, serious breeders will need to refer to the A.P.A. Standard of Perfection (SOP). However, a specific defect cut for Orpingtons is 1 to 2 points for Fluff within two inches or less of ground.
Standard Weights
Cock
.10 lbs. Hen
8 lbs.
Cockerel
8½ lbs. Pullet
.7 lbs.
Shape Male
COMB: Single; of medium size, set firmly on head, perfectly straight and upright; with five well-defined points; those at front and rear smaller than those in the middle; fine in texture; blade closely following shape of head.
BEAK: Short, stout, regularly curved.
FACE: Clean-cut and free from coarseness.
EYES: Large, round, prominent.
WATTLES: Medium in size, well-rounded at lower edges.
EAR-LOBES: Medium size, oblong, smooth.
HEAD: Medium in length, broad, deep.
NECK: Rather short, slightly arched, with abundant hackle.
BACK: Broad, flat at shoulders, rather long, width carried well back to base of tail; rising with a slight concave sweep to tail.
Saddle Feathers of medium length, abundant.
TAIL: Moderately long, well-spread, carried at an angle of twenty-five degrees above horizontal; forming no apparent angle with back where those sections join.
Main Tail Feathers broad and overlapping.
Main Sickles of medium length, spreading laterally beyond main tail feathers.
Lesser Sickles and Coverts of medium length, nicely curved, sufficiently abundant to cover main tail feathers.
WINGS: Of medium size, well-folded, carried horizontally.
Front well-covered by breast feathers. Points well-covered by saddle feathers.
Primaries and Secondaries broad and overlapping in natural order when wing is folded.
BREAST: Broad, deep, well-rounded and well-filled in all parts.
BODY AND FLUFF: Body broad, deep, moderately long, straight, extending well forward. Lower body feathers not too profuse.
Fluff moderately full, showing profile of hocks.
LEGS AND TOES: Legs set well apart, straight when viewed from front.
Lower Thighs large, moderately short, well feathered.
Shanks moderately short, stout, smooth.
Toes four on each foot, of medium length, straight, well-spread.
Shape Female
COMB: Single; of medium size, set firmly on head, perfectly straight and upright; with five well-defined points, those in front and rear smaller than the middle ones; fine in texture.
BEAK: Short, stout, regularly curved.
FACE: Clean-cut and free from coarseness.
EYES: Large, round, prominent.
WATTLES: Medium in length, fine in texture, well-rounded.
EAR-LOBES: Medium in size, oblong, smooth.
HEAD: Medium in length, broad, deep.
NECK: Rather short, slightly arched, nicely tapering to head, having moderately full plumage.
BACK: Broad, rather long, width carried well back to base of tail; rising with gradual incline to tail.
TAIL: Moderately long, well-spread, carried at an angle of fifteen degrees above horizontal.
Main Tail Feathers broad and overlapping.
Coverts abundant.
WINGS: Of medium size, well-folded, carried horizontally, fronts well covered by breast feathers.
Primaries and Secondaries broad and overlapping in natural order when wing is folded.
BREAST: Broad, deep, well-rounded; well-filled in all parts.
BODY AND FLUFF: Body moderately long, broad, deep, straight, extending well forward; lower body feathers, not too profuse.
Fluff moderately full, showing profile of hocks.
LEGS AND TOES: Legs set well apart, straight when viewed from front.
Lower Thighs large, moderately short, well feathered.
Shanks moderately short, stout.
Toes four on each foot, of medium length, straight, well-spread.
See Interpretation of Standard Quality of Feather. This states: Feathers should be moderately broad and long, fitting fairly close to the body.
BUFF
Color Male and Female
COMB, FACE, WATTLES AND EAR-LOBES: Bright Red
BEAK: Pinkish white
EYES: Reddish Bay
SHANKS AND TOES: Pinkish white
PLUMAGE: Surface throughout an even shade of rich golden buff. Definition of color buff: A medium shade of orange-yellow color with a rich golden cast; not so intense as to show a reddish cast, nor so pale as to appear lemon or light yellow.
BLACK
Specific DQs
More than one-half inch of positive white in any part of the plumage, or two or more feathers tipped or edged with positive white.
Color Male and Female
COMB, FACE, WATTLES, AND EAR-LOBES: Bright red.
BEAK: Black.
EYES: Dark brown.
SHANKS AND TOES: Black in young, shading to dark slate in adults; bottoms of feet and toes, pinkish white.
PLUMAGE: Surface lustrous greenish black.
Undercolor dull black.
WHITE
Color Male and Female
COMB, FACE, WATTLES AND EAR-LOBES: Bright red.
BEAK: Pinkish white.
EYES: Reddish bay.
SHANKS AND TOES: Pinkish white.
PLUMAGE: Web, fluff, and shafts of all feathers, in all sections, white.
BLUE
Specific DQs
Red, yellow or positive white in plumage.
Color Male and Female
COMB, FACE, WATTLES AND EAR-LOBES: Bright red.
BEAK: Horn.
EYES: Dark brown.
SHANKS AND TOES: Leaden blue.
PLUMAGE, MALE
HEAD: Glossy black.
NECK: Hackle an even shade of clear bluish slate, distinctly laced with glossy black.
Front of Neck same as breast.
BACK: Back and Saddle an even shade of clear bluish slate, each feather distinctly laced with glossy black.
TAIL: Main Tail, Main and Lesser Sickles, Coverts an even shade of clear bluish slate, each feather distinctly laced with glossy black.
WING: Fronts and Bows an even shade of clear bluish slate, each feather distinctly laced with glossy black.
Coverts an even shade of clear bluish slate, each feather having a sharply defined lacing of black.
Primaries an even shade of bluish slate.
Secondaries lower webs, an even shade of clear bluish slate; upper webs, clear bluish slate, each feather distinctly laced with black.
BREAST: An even shade of clear bluish slate, each feather having a sharply defined lacing of black.
BODY AND FLUFF: Body an even shade of clear bluish slate, each feather having a sharply defined lacing of black.
Fluff clear bluish slate, laced with black.
LEGS: Lower Thighs an even shade of clear bluish slate, each feather having a sharply defined lacing of black.
UNDERCOLOR OF ALL SECTIONS: Bluish slate.
PLUMAGE, FEMALE
HEAD: Bluish slate.
NECK: Hackle an even shade of clear bluish slate, distinctly laced with black.
Front of Neck same as breast.
BACK: An even shade of clear bluish slate, each feather laced with black.
TAIL: Main Tail and Coverts an even shade of clear bluish slate, each feather laced with black.
WINGS: Fronts, Bows, and Coverts an even shade of clear bluish slate, each feather having a sharply defined lacing of black.
Primaries an even shade of clear bluish slate.
Secondaries --- an even shade of clear bluish slate, distinctly laced with black.
BREAST: An even shade of clear bluish slate, each feather distinctly laced with black.
BODY AND FLUFF: Body an even shade of clear bluish slate, each feather distinctly laced with black.
Fluff an even shade of clear bluish slate, laced with black.
LEGS: Lower Thighs clear bluish slate, each feather distinctly laced with black.
UNDERCOLOR OF ALL SECTIONS: Bluish slate.
Here's another great page of interest for all of us Orpington Fancers
William Cook's original recipe is here for the black Orpingtons before other breeders added cochin blood is the way i understand it, They were good winter layers of brown eggs and excellent table birds. They where easy to breed and grew fast.
Their show career resulted in their appearance being altered, they were chosen for plumage and lack of visible shanks, this resulted in them becoming lethargic and unfertile. edit to add his original recipe reminds me more of are modern day Australorps..When the Australorp was returned to England the Poultry Club refused to recognise it as a separate breed in 1923, claiming that it was a branch of Black Orpington.
More info on Austral Orpington aka the Australorp after the name of the company that exported it
http://www.orpy.demon.co.uk/The Orpington Breed of Fowl.htm
~Wilds~
