Varieties and description of the Orpington chicken breed, maintenance rules

Pedigree Orpington chickens are popular among breeders. Poultry farmers prefer the English breed because it is considered universal. Adults reach a weight of 5 kilograms and produce up to 180 eggs per year. At the same time, the bird is not too “picky”; it is kept in a chicken coop; cage-keeping of Orpingtons is also practiced.

Origin

It all started more than 30 years ago, when one breeder from England decided to breed a breed of chicken that would meet all the needs of gourmets. William Cook dreamed of white-skinned birds appearing in England.

But it cannot be said that he achieved what he wanted. Cook managed to breed a breed that was larger, but the characteristics of the individuals were not ideal. After the death of the breeder, work continued; thanks to bold experiments in crossing various breeds, it was possible to breed a bird that would meet all the necessary characteristics.

It is believed that it took at least 30 years to develop the breed, but in reality it all began much earlier. Thanks to Cook’s efforts, it was possible to obtain “material” for the work; after his death, scientists continued experiments, eliminating existing imperfections.

The result of the work was a universal breed with impressive size and good egg production.

Description and characteristics of Orpington chickens

According to classical descriptions, the bird meets the following characteristics:

1. It has a short neck, a straight and wide back, and a protruding chest.
2. The chicken's body is covered with loose feathers and has a cuboid shape.
3. Due to the large weight and the wings pressed to the carcass, which are also short, the bird actually does not fly.

Chickens are smaller in size when compared to roosters, but the difference is negligible.

Let's talk about the advantages of the breed:

• not demanding regarding conditions of detention;
• are distinguished by high, but not record, egg production rates;
• not quickly, but systematically gaining weight.

Attention! Breeders also note as an advantage the fact that representatives of this species are distinguished by their friendly character.They are phlegmatic and do not show aggression.

Orpington also has disadvantages that should be taken into account when breeding:

1. Chickens are prone to obesity, which affects egg production. Individuals that have gained excess weight reproduce slowly.
2. If you don’t take care of the chicken coop, don’t change the layers of bedding, and don’t monitor the birds’ diet, then they can get sick.

It is worth controlling the portion size in winter, when individuals move little.

Appearance and varieties

There are about 11 varieties of chickens of this breed. Birds differ in color, but not in behavior.

Black

The rooster, like the chicken, has a dark color; black feathers can have a greenish or even bronze tint. This is the founder of the breed, so the standards are strict. Chickens have dark or brown eyes. But the appearance of spots, white tint, and red eyes is considered unacceptable.

Black-edged

Color involves a combination of several colors: brown, black and white. The chicken is a golden-black individual in color. At the same time, the bird's chest or belly is black.

White

A large bird, absolutely snow-white, with the same beak. The eyes are orange. The appearance of spots on the body, change in plumage color, red eyes - this is the degeneration of the breed.

Marble

The main color is black, all feathers at the tip end with a white spot, the coloring is uniform. Reminds me of a pattern on marble.

Yellow

They appeared in 1894, when it was possible to cross the golden-edged Orpington with the dark Dorkings. Golden, red or fawn color does not affect its egg production, but among poultry farmers it is believed that the Bordered Orpington has increased egg production. He has white skin and a large meat carcass.

Porcelain

The plumage is tricolor, each feather has a “pearl” - a white spot. The eyes of the individuals are red-orange, but the beak is white or cream.

Blue

Interesting color of the bird; blue feathers have a dark, black edge. The beak is black or slate. Eyes brown or dark.

Striped

This color is also called “hawk” because the poultry looks like a hawk. Feathers of two colors, mostly black with a green tint.

Chocolate

A red-brown bird with distinctive white streaks on its feathers that merge into stripes. The wings are darker than the neck and tail, the chest is brown.

A bird of any color is subject to sampling if it has the following characteristics:

• long body;
• non-standard foot length;
• too long tail with fluffy feathers;
• yellow skin, sunken chest;
• The list also includes other defects.

Breed productivity

Orpington chickens have moderate egg production, which decreases over the years. In the first year of life, a chicken lays up to 180 eggs; in the second year, the figure drops and amounts to 140-150 eggs.

If the bird is obese, then the indicator decreases, but it can be restored if you pay attention to the diet: exclude compound feed, giving preference to sprouted wheat.

The average size of a bird depends on its gender:

1. Chickens, on average, weigh no more than 4 kilograms.
2. But roosters reach a weight of 5 kilograms.

Character of chickens

Such birds are phlegmatic, they do not show aggression, and are very friendly towards people.

Conditions and care

To keep birds of this breed, you will have to reconstruct the chicken coop to suit the needs of the Orpingtons.

Chicken coop requirements

By their nature, birds practically do not rise into the air - they are too heavy, and their anatomical structure is special. This means that the poles are placed close to the ground. The ideal option is the shape of the poles in the form of a ladder, along which the chicken can move freely.

Help: you can completely remove the roost by preparing bedding for the chickens.

How to make bedding, recommendations:

• pour lime;
• cover it with straw, hay or dry grass;
• the litter should be as dry as possible.

As soon as it gets wet, the risk of developing infectious diseases increases significantly. To prevent this from happening, change the top layer of litter regularly to keep it dry.

During the process of decay, bacteria warm the litter, which allows it to maintain a certain temperature in winter.

Walking yard

According to the rules, its size exceeds the area of ​​the chicken coop by 2-3 times. You can fence the yard using mesh or other material. It is advisable to prepare something like a pen where the birds will feel comfortable.

Feeders and drinkers

Poultry farmers often make a common mistake when keeping chickens - they pour feed on the ground. This leads to increased feed consumption.

It is better to organize feeders by adhering to the following rules:

The size of the feeder and drinking bowl depends on the number of chicken coops; it is necessary to provide individuals with free access to feed and water.

Diet

If we talk about the fundamental principles, then feeding Orpingtons is not much different from similar procedures carried out in relation to other chickens.But it is worth considering that representatives of the breed are prone to obesity, so their diet, like the serving size, is regulated.

Chickens

You should adhere to the following rules:

• up to the age of 2 weeks they are fed with compound feed;
• on the 3rd day, add a grated chicken egg;
• on day 5 – boiled millet and corn grits.

On the fifth day, you can give greens: onions, dandelions, young nettles. To prevent protein deficiency - low-fat cottage cheese.

Adults

You can use feed and vitamin mixtures. If the bird has significantly gained weight, then it is “put on a diet” - sprouted wheat is added to the diet, and the portion size is reduced.

How to propagate correctly?

To prevent them from mixing with other breeds, a separate enclosure is built for Orpingtons. One or two roosters are left for the winter so that the hens are not left alone in the spring.

Chickens of this species are good hens, but they crush the eggs in the nests due to their large mass. The poultry farmer will have to inspect the nests and clean them.

Common diseases

Chickens have good immunity; if the rules of care and feeding are followed, they rarely get sick. Some diseases cause concern due to a lack of vitamins. Also exclude contact between domestic birds and wild birds, as this may result in the death of the laying hen population.

Don't forget that pet Orpingtons require vaccination against diseases:

1. Tuberculosis.
2. Bird flu.
3. Marek's diseases, Newcastle.

Prospects for breeding Orpingtons in Russia

In our country, this breed is only gaining popularity. In England it is much more common. The advantages make its breeding promising, since as a result it is possible to get what you want: meat or eggs.

In addition to productivity, chickens are unpretentious; they do not require special conditions for keeping. However, there is one drawback - it is unlikely that you will be able to buy chicks and adults cheaply.

English chickens and roosters are considered the best option for keeping them at home. A small population of Orpingtons can easily overwinter in a chicken coop and produce offspring in the spring. By autumn, the poultry farmer will receive young individuals, which can be left for breeding or used for another purpose.