English Black Orpingtons

 

 

Black is the oldest color of the Orpington breed which can be traced back to 1886 when a poultry man called William Cook who resided in Orpington in Kent decided to create a new utility chicken.  The first Orpingtons were the result of mating Black Minorca cocks with black Plymouth Rock hens, then mating the black offspring from these birds with the Black Langshan.  Apparently Cook selected a black bird that would exhibit well by hiding the dirt and soot of London.

 

These utility egg / meat birds bear very little resemblance to the Black Orpingtons we see today.  Orpingtons are now bred as much for their looks and temperament as for their egg laying capabilities. A healthy Black Orpington hen should lay 120 – 200 eggs per year and achieve a weight of between 8-10lbs and a cock bird should achieve a weight of between 10-12lbs. A striking feature of the Black Orpington is the vivid beetle-green sheen across the feathering which is indicative of good health and purity of color.

-Information Courtesy of Essex Orpingtons

 

 

Our breeding pen contains stock purchased from The Fancy Chick and EWE Crazy Farms.