Orpington

Orpington
Origin	Category	Egg Colour	Sitter
Britain	Softfeather Heavy	Light to Dark Brown	Yes

Orpington Male by AO Schilling from American Standard of Perfection 1947

Orpington Female by AO Schilling from American Standard of Perfection 1947

The Single-Comb 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 than those which were used to make up the Black Orpington. That Cochin blood was introduced into some of the earlier strains of Orpingtons is evinced by the more loosely feathered specimens bred and exhibited today. The plumage of Orpingtons is all 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 profusely feathered. 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. Sitters.

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

THE MALE

Head Skull small, fairly full over the eyes but not beetle-browed. Beak strong and curved. Eyes full and bright. Comb (a) single or (6) rose: (a) small, straight and erect, firmly set and evenly serrated, free from side sprigs; (b) small, straight and firm, the top covered with small points of even height, narrowing behind to a distinct peak lying well down and not sticking up. Face smooth. Earlobes small, elongated. Wattles rather small and oblong, well rounded at the bottom.

Neck of medium length and abundantly covered with feathers reaching well on the back.

Body deep, broad, and cobby; broad breast well rounded ; wide and slightly rising saddle, which, with the long and profuse neck-hackle, gives the back a short and somewhat concave outline ; rather small wings carried closely, the ends almost hidden by the saddle hackle ; compact tail, somewhat short and high, but by no means "squirrel."

Legs short, strong, and well apart. Thighs almost hidden by the body feathering. Shanks stout and straight, free of feathers. Toes (four) straight and well spread.

Carriage erect and graceful, that of an active bird.

Plumage fairly profuse but close, not as soft, loose, and fluffy as that of the Cochin nor as close and hard as a Game fowl.

Handling firm.

THE FEMALE

The general characteristics are similar to those of the cock, allowing for the natural sexual differences. (Note.—The hen's cushion should be wide but almost flat and slightly rising to the tail, sufficient to give the back a short and graceful appearance with an outline approaching concave. A very full, round and "ball"-shaped cushion, as in the Cochin, is not desired, although it is generally seen on hens with loose, soft, and "hollow" plumage.)

COLOUR

THE BLACK

Beak black. Eyes black, with dark brown iris. Comb, Face, Wattles and Earlobes bright red. Legs and Feet black. Toe-nails, Soles of Feet and Skin white. Plumage black with a green sheen.

THE BLUE

Beak blue. Eyes black, or very dark brown, black preferred. Comb, Face, Wattles and Earlobes bright red. Legs and Feet black or blue. Toe nails white.

Plumage of the Cock - Hackles, Saddle, Wingbow, Back and Tail dark slate-blue. Remainder medium slate-blue, each feather to show lacing of darker shade as on the back.

Plumage of the Hen - Medium slate-blue, laced with darker shade all through, except head and neck, a dark slate-blue.

THE BUFF

Beak white or horn. Eyes red or brown, red preferred. Comb, Face, Wattles and Earlobes bright red. Legs, Feet and Skin white. Plumage clear, sound, even buff throughout to skin.

THE CUCKOO

Beak white. Eyes red. Comb, Face, Wattles and Earlobes red. Legs and Feet white, or white mottled with black, white preferred. Toe-nails and Skin white.

Plumage blue-grey (light shade) ground, each feather barred across with blue-black (dark shade), the markings in keeping with the size of the feather.

THE JUBILEE

Head points, Legs and Feet as in the Buff.

Plumage of the Cock- Ground colour mahogany of a bright shade, and not dark nor maroon. Hackles and Back mahogany, with black centre stripe, mahogany shaft, and white tip. Breast, Thighs and Fluff mahogany, with black spangle and white tip, the three colours clean and distinct and showing in equal proportions, avoiding a ticked effect on the one hand, and a blotchy effect on the other. Wings: bow similar to hackles; bar, black ; secondaries mahogany, black, and white ; primaries similar, but more white allowed. Tail sickles white, or black and white, or black, white and mahogany ; coverts, black edged with mahogany and tipped with white.

Plumage of the Hen - Hackle to match that of the cock. Body, Thighs and Fluff mahogany with black spangles and white tips, similar to the breast of the cock. Wings as body, but with primaries to match those of the cock. Tail as in the cock.

THE SPANGLED

Beak black, white, or slightly mottled. Eyes red or brown, red preferred. Comb, Face, Wattles and Earlobes red. Legs and Feet black and white, mottled as evenly as possible. Toe-nails and Skin white.

Plumage of the Cock - Hackles black with white tips. Back black, slightly ticked with white. Breast, Thighs and Fluff black with white spangles, the two colours showing in equal proportions, avoiding a ticked effect on the one hand, and a blotchy effect on the other. Wings: bow similar to back ; bar, black ; secondaries and primaries black and white, but more white allowed in the primaries or flights. Tail black and white; the sickles and the coverts black with white tips.

Plumage of the Hen - Neck, Wings (flights only) and Tail similar to those parts of the cock. Remainder the same as the breast of the cock, the effect to be uniform throughout the bird. (Note - In both sexes the black should have a bright gloss (beetle-green), and the white should be pure and bright, the two colours distinct and not running into each other.)

THE WHITE

Beak, Legs and Feet, and Skin white. Head points and Eyes red. Plumage pure snow-white.

SERIOUS DEFECTS

• Side spikes on comb;
• White in earlobes;
• Feathers on shanks or feet;
• Long legs;
• Any deformity;
• Yellow skin or yellow on shanks or feet of Blacks, Blues, or Cuckoos;
• Blue shanks in Buffs or Whites;
• Other than black and white feathers in Spangled;
• Any yellow or sappiness in Whites.

SCALE OF POINTS

THE BLACK

Item	Points
Body	15
Breast	10
Saddle	5
Carriage	10
Comb	7
Skull	5
Face	5
Eyes	5
Beak	3
Colour and Condition	10
Size	10
Tail	5
Legs and Feet	5
Skin	5
	100

THE BUFF AND THE WHITE

Item	Points
Type	30
Colour	20
Head	15
Legs and feet	10
Size	10
	100

OTHER VARIETIES

Item	Points
Type	25
Colour and marking	25
Size	15
Condition	15
Head	10
Legs and feet	10
Size	15
	100

APPROXIMATE WEIGHTS

• Cock 10 lbs (4.5kg)
• Hen 8 lbs (3.6kg)
• Cockerel 8 1/2 lbs (3.9kg) '
• Pullet 7 lbs (3.2kg)

BPS 1923 gives weights as:

• Male: 9 lb (4kg)
• Female: 8 lb (3.6kg)

Bantam weights to be approximately one third of standard weights.

SOURCES

• The American standard of perfection, illustrated. A complete description of recognized varieties of fowls, as revised by [the Association at its 62d-67th annual meetings, 1937-42.] Public Domain accessed from: https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/009169004

• The Poultry club standards, containing a complete description of all the recognised varieties of fowls, ducks, geese and turkeys, ed. by William W. Broomhead. https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/009202629