Orpington Chicken

A British chicken breed developed in the late 1800s by William Cook in Orpington, Kent, England, created by crossing Minorcas, Langshans and Plymouth Rocks, with black chosen as the original color because it hid London's soot and grime; intended as a dual purpose bird for eggs and meat, it soon became mainly a show bird instead. Orpingtons are substantial fowl, males weighing 3.6 to 4.55 kilograms and females 2.7 to 3.6 kilograms, with white skin, a medium single comb, and brown eggs at a rate of roughly 180 a year for standard birds; recognized color varieties include black, blue, buff, white and several others. Though bred originally for practical use, modern Orpingtons are kept chiefly for exhibition, and the breed contributed to the foundation of Australia's Australorp, which preserves its productive qualities; Orpingtons remain popular at poultry shows and among keepers of heritage breeds.