Avora Catalogue · Heritage
Orpington · Buff
Developed by William Cook in Orpington, Kent, England in 1886, with the buff variety standardized in 1894. Bred originally for both eggs and table — a true Victorian dual-purpose breed.
- Price
- $7.10/ chick
- Availability
- In Stock
- Type
- Heritage
- Origin
- Kent, England
3 chick minimum · Free live arrival guarantee · Ships USPS Tue/Wed
— Specification
Everything Avora knows about the Orpington · Buff.
- Temperament
- Gentle, calm, easily handled. The classic "kid's chicken." Often broody — they will sit on a clutch readily, making them excellent natural mothers.
- Production
- ~220 large light-brown eggs per year. Steadier in winter than Mediterranean breeds. Heavy carcass at 8 lb (hens) / 10 lb (roosters) with fine-grained meat.
- Climate Fit
- Excellent cold tolerance thanks to dense, fluffy plumage. Less heat-tolerant — provide deep shade and ample water above 90°F. The fluff that protects them in winter works against them in summer.
- Brooder Notes
- Brood at 95°F. Slower-growing than Leghorns; full size at 22-24 weeks. Watch for crushed chicks if a broody hen is in the brooder pen — Orpington hens are heavy.
- Best For
- First-time keepers, families with children, cold-climate flocks, anyone who wants natural broody mothers for hatching their own replacements.
