Orpingtons
The Black Orpington, produced in 1886 at Orpington, County Kent, England, from a Black Langshan—Black Minorca—Black Plymouth Rock cross, is the original Orpington. The Buff and White varieties were produced from crosses other then those which were used to make up the Black Orpington. That Cochin blood was introduced into some of the earlier strains of Orpingtons is evidenced by some of the more loosely feathered specimens exhibited. The original Black Orpington came to America in 1890 and was first exhibited at the Boston Show the same year. It was in 1895, however, that the originator of Orpingtons made a large exhibit of Black Orpingtons at Madison Square Garden, New York, and this new breed became popular.
The Black and White 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 sometimes erroneously referred to as the “fluff,” should be comparatively straight with full but not profuse feathering.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
Yellow beak, shanks, feet or skin. (See general Disqualifications and Cutting for Defects.)
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 and 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 (25°) above horizontal, (figs. 10-11): 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 to 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 at front and rear smaller than those in the middle; fine and 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 tape ring to head, having
moderately full plumage.
BACK: Broad, rather long, width carried well back to base of tail; rising with a
gradual incline to tail.
TAIL: Moderatly long, well-spread, carried at an angle of fifteen degrees (15*)
above horizontal, (figs. 10-11).
Main Tail Feathers – broad and overlapping.
Covers – 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.
Note—See interpretation of Standard – “Quality of Feather.” Page 29
BUFF ORPINGTONS
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—and even shade of rich golden buff.
Male -- head, neck, hackle, back, wing bows and saddle showing greater luster.
Female – hackle, some luster.
Undercolor – matching surface as near as possible.
Definition of 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. The term is generally used in referring to the plumage color of all Standard “Buff” varieties of poultry.
BLACK ORPINGTONS
DISQUALIFICATIONS
More then one-half inch of positive white in any part of the plumage, or two or more feathers tipped or edged with positive white. (See General and Orpington Disqualifications and Cutting for Defects)
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—(except where otherwise specified) dull black in dark-legged varieties; slate in yellow legged varieties.
WHITE ORPINGTONS
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 ORPINGTONS
DISQUALIFICATIONS
Red, yellow or positive white in plumage, (See General and Orpington Disqualifications and Cutting for Defects.)
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.
WINGS: 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.
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 distinctly laced with black.
TAIL: Main Tail & Main and Lesser Sickles, Coverts – an even shade of
clear bluish slate, each feather distinctly laced with black.
WINGS: Fronts, Bows and Coverts – an even shade of clear bluish slate,
each feather sharply defined lacing of black.
Primaries – an even shade of clear bluish slate.
Secondaries – an even shade of clear bluish slate, each feather
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.
APPLIES TO: All blue varieties.
Note -- All blue varieties are considered parti-colored except self-blue.
Note – Blue Fowl, actually of a bluish slate color genetically are black fowl in which the black pigment granules are modified in shape and distribution on the surface of the feather, creating a dilution of black and causing the characteristic bluish slate color. This condition is the hybrid expression of two hereditary color factors, black and a form of white (usually with some splashing), neither of which is dominant over the other, but which are blending in character. Blue to blue will produce offspring one-half-blue, the other half evenly divided in black and splashed whites; and blue to black, and blue to splashed will produce the parent types equally, while black to splashed will produce all blues.
Orpington Bantams
DISQUALIFICATIONS
Shape and color disqualifications the same for
the corresponding variety of large Orpingtons. (See
General Disqualifications and Cutting for Defects)
STANDARD WEIGHTS
Cock...............38 oz. Hen............34 oz.
Cockerel.........34 oz. Pullet.........30 oz.
VARIETIES RECOGNIZED
Black Buff
Blue White
Shape and color descriptions the same as for the
corresponding variety of large Orpingtons.
*From the American Poultry Association "Standard of Perfection" 1998 edition. http://www.amerpoultryassn.com/
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