Chicken breed
Orpington (Lavender and other colors)
Also called Lavender Orpington, Black Orpington, Blue Orpington, White Orpington, Jubilee Orpington
Orpingtons are large, soft-feathered English dual-purpose chickens; Lavender and other newer colors share the breed's calm, friendly nature. Hens lay brown eggs and often go broody. They handle cold well and need help staying cool in summer.
At a glance
150–200eggs a year
4–6eggs a week
20–26weeks to first egg
8 lbhen weight
10 lbrooster weight
Largeegg size
Traits
- Cold hardyhigh
- Heat tolerantmedium
- Goes broodyhigh
- Egg colour
- light to dark brown
- Temperament
- docile, calm, friendly
- Good with kids
- Usually, yes
- Noise
- quiet
- Origin
- England (Orpington, Kent)
- Comb
- single
- Bantam size
- Available
- APA standard
- Recognized
- Conservation
- Graduated 2016 (no longer on the Conservation Priority List)
- Purpose
- dual, pet
Good for
- families with children
- beginners
- cold climates
- pets
Watch out for
- Lavender and Jubilee are not APA-recognized colors
- heavy feathering makes heat management important
- hatchery labels Lavender an advanced-care variety
Looks and feathers
Developed by William Cook in several colors. APA-recognized Orpington varieties: Black, Blue, Buff, White; Lavender, Jubilee and others are not APA-recognized colors.
Our drawing shows the most common US variety; colours vary.
Similar breeds
All breedsSources
- 1Orpington Chicken (breed facts)The Livestock Conservancy
- 2Lavender Orpington Day Old Chicks (product/breed profile)Meyer Hatchery
- 3Orpington (breed page)My Pet Chicken
- 4Accepted Breeds & VarietiesAmerican Poultry Association
- 5Lavender Orpington Chicken (product/breed profile)Cackle Hatchery
- 6Chicken Breeds & Varieties (A2880), incl. APA standard weightsUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension
Hatcheries often disagree on eggs a year; ranges span every source we read. How we check the facts.