Orpington chicken (Orpington) It is a breed of chicken from England. Developed in the late 19th century by William Cook in Orpington, Kent, England, with the goal of creating a chicken that could produce both meat and eggs in one. (Dual-purpose breed)
The first Orpington to be developed was the Black Orpington in 1886, crossing several breeds including Minorca, Langshan and Plymouth Rock, before other colors were developed such as Buff, White, Blue and Jubilee.
Features
🐔 Big, strong body
Males weigh about 4-4.5 kg.
Females weigh about 3-3.5 kg.
The body is wide, the chest is deep, and the fur is dense and fluffy, making it look extraordinarily large.
🥚 Give good eggs
Give brown eggs
Productivity is approximately 180-280 eggs per year, depending on breed and rearing.
❤️ Docile and friendly temperament
Gentle, easy to handle
Not aggressive, suitable for beginners
Gets along well with people and other animals.
🌡️ Resistant to cold weather conditions well.
The fur is thick, so it can withstand cold well.
You should be careful of extremely hot weather. Because heat stress may occur.
🥚 Mother chickens are good at raising children.
Has a high instinct to hatch eggs and raise young.
Suitable for those who want to breed themselves.
popular colors
The most common colors include:
Buff Orpington (golden yellow) ⭐ most popular
Black Orpington
White Orpington
Blue Orpington
Lavender Orpington
Jubilee Orpington
strength
✅ Tame, easy to raise.
✅ Provide both meat and eggs.
✅ Good at hatching eggs and raising young.
✅ Beautiful shape Suitable for raising as beautiful animals.
weakness
❌ Eat more food than general laying hens.
❌ Doesn't tolerate hot weather very well.
❌ Thick fur must be kept clean during the rainy season.
For raising in Thailand Orpington chickens, especially the Buff Orpington, are a very popular breed. Because of the docile nature Gives beautiful brown eggs and has a beautiful appearance similar to "Soft fur dolls" are suitable both for raising eggs and for raising them as beautiful animals. 🐓🥚
How to raise Orpington chickens (Orpington)
Orpington chickens are easy to raise, docile, and produce good eggs and meat. However, due to their large size and thick fur, Therefore, special attention must be paid to space and heat.
1. Greenhouse
The house must be airy. Good ventilation
There is a roof to protect from sun and rain.
The floor is dry, clean, and not damp.
An area of at least 0.3-0.5 square meters per animal.
There is a nest and a perch raised high from the ground.
2. Food
Chicks (0-6 weeks)
Use chick food with 20-22% protein.
Keep the water clean at all times.
Young chicken (6-18 weeks)
Protein food 16-18%
Occasionally supplement with green leafy vegetables.
chicken eggs
Layer chicken feed protein 16-18%
Calcium supplements such as crushed seashells or rock flakes.
3. Water management
Change the water every day.
The water container should be clean.
During hot weather, consider adding multiple watering points.
4. Thermal protection
This is because Orpingtons have thick fur. Therefore it gets hot easily in Thailand.
Plant trees to provide shade.
Install a ventilation fan if raising a large number of plants.
avoid congestion
Provide enough clean, cool water.
5. Giving eggs
Start laying eggs when they are about 5-7 months old.
Productivity is approximately 180-250 eggs per year, depending on breed and management.
Medium to large brown eggs
6. Hatching
Orpington hens are good at laying eggs.
The incubation period is approximately 21 days.
Make sure there is food and water near the hatching nest.
7. Basic vaccination program
Newcastle (ND)
Infectious bronchitis (IB)
Chicken smallpox
Gamboro (IBD)
A local veterinarian or livestock farmer should be consulted to determine an appropriate program.
Who is it suitable for?
✅ Beginners raising chickens
✅ Small farms and sufficiency agriculture
✅ Those who want brown eggs
✅ People who like chickens that are docile and easy to raise.
If raised in Thailand It is recommended to let the ferret walk in the morning or evening. and avoid the strong sun during midday It will help the orpington to be strong, grow quickly and produce eggs regularly.