Orpington chicken
The Orpington is a big, soft-feathered English chicken kept for both eggs and meat. Hens weigh about 8 lb and roosters 10 lb, and the hens lay large to extra-large brown eggs. The breed is calm, friendly and built for cold winters, which is why Buff Orpingtons turn up in so many backyard flocks.
- Temperament
- Calm, Friendly, Gentle
- Cold tolerance
- Coop space per bird
- 3 sq ft
Is the Orpington right for you?
Good fit if
- You want one calm breed for both eggs and meat
- You have cold winters
- You want a hen that will sit and raise chicks
- You're new to chickens
Poor fit if
- You want white eggs. Orpingtons lay brown
- You keep pushy breeds. Oklahoma State says docile Orpingtons get bullied
- You want a small bird. Hens weigh 8 lb and roosters 10 lb
Appearance and varieties
An Orpington is a large bird that looks larger still, because its soft, loose feathering hides the true size of the body. It has a deep breast, a curved back and short legs, with thick feathering covering the thighs. The wattles are red, the earlobes white and the skin white.
The APA recognises four colours: Black, Blue, Buff and White, in large fowl and in bantam. Other colours exist. William Cook also bred Jubilee (speckled) and Spangled (mottled) Orpingtons and his son-in-law bred a Cuckoo, but none of those is on the APA list.214
| Variety | Notes |
|---|---|
| Buff | Recognised by the APA in 1902. Favoured by Midwestern farmers for its table qualities and colour.14 |
| Black | The first colour William Cook introduced. Recognised by the APA in 1905.14 |
| White | Recognised by the APA in 1905.14 |
| Blue | Created by Cook's son-in-law, A.C. Gilbert. Recognised by the APA in 1923.14 |
Temperament and handling
The Livestock Conservancy sums the breed up as having a calm, friendly disposition. Oklahoma State University calls it calm and gentle, active, and content either free-ranging or confined.
That easy nature has a cost in a mixed flock: Oklahoma State says Orpingtons get bullied by more aggressive breeds. Hens tend to go broody and are thought to be good mothers.12
Animals vary within a breed. Treat this as what to expect, not a promise, and meet the animal before you buy if you can.
Production numbers
What our sources report for the breed. If two sources disagree, you see the full range.
| Measure | Typical | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Eggs | Large to extra-large, light to dark brown1 | The Livestock Conservancy calls Orpingtons first-rate layers but gives no yearly figure, and we found none in a source we trust. |
| Broilers | 2–2½ lb at 8–10 weeks1 | The Livestock Conservancy gives this as a historical figure. |
| Roasters | Ready at about 5 months1 | Historical, from The Livestock Conservancy. |
| Market weight | 7–8½ lb1 | |
| Start of lay | About 6 months6 | University of Minnesota Extension's figure for hens in general, not for this breed. |
Housing, feed and health
Housing
University of Minnesota Extension gives a minimum of 3 to 5 sq ft of indoor space per bird, one nest box for every 4 to 5 hens, and a place to roost. That is for chickens in general.
Cold suits this breed. The same extension service names the Orpington among the heavy breeds that over-winter well and says its size is ideal for cold weather. It still advises supplemental heat when the coop falls below 35 °F, and good airflow, because damp air and cold together cause frostbite on combs, wattles and feet.
For poultry in general, birds start to pant and eat less as the air nears 85 °F, and need shade, ventilation and cool water.6510
Feed
Feed a prepared ration balanced for vitamins, minerals and protein. Laying hens also need crushed oyster shell for eggshells and grit for digestion. University of Minnesota Extension says a 6 lb hen eats roughly 3 lb of feed a week. Feed intake can rise by up to 25 percent in cold weather.
Keep clean, fresh water available all the time. Kitchen scraps and scratch grains are fine as treats in moderation.65
Health
University of Minnesota Extension describes a healthy chicken as active and alert with bright eyes, and says the easiest way to spot disease is to know what normal looks like for each bird. Clean the coop and run weekly, clean feeders and waterers regularly, and give the birds a dust bath.
This is a starting point, not veterinary advice. If a bird stops eating, wheezes or seems unwell, call a vet who treats poultry, or your county extension office.6
Price and where to buy
| Quality | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Day-old pullet | $4.12–$7.1578 |
| Day-old chick, unsexed | $2.92–$4.9578 |
| Day-old cockerel | $2.27–$3.8978 |
Prices are per Buff Orpington chick, read from two hatchery pages on 9 October 2026. Cackle's page carries customer reviews dated up to 18 January 2026; McMurray's carries a site notice dated November 2026. Both listed the chicks as unavailable or sold out for the season on the day we looked. The top of each range is for the smallest orders and the bottom for the largest. Other colours may be priced differently.
Where to look
Start with a breeder you can visit. Nobody pays to be on this list.
| Seller or directory | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cackle Hatchery | Hatchery | Pullets $4.12–5.99, unsexed $3.09–4.49, males $2.50–3.89; ships February to October |
| Murray McMurray Hatchery | Hatchery | Pullets $4.22–7.15, unsexed $2.92–4.95, males $2.27–3.85 |
Similar breeds
| Breed | Hen weight | Eggs per year | Beginner | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orpington (this breed) | 8 lb | $2.27–$7.15 | ||
| Plymouth Rock | 7.5 lb | 200–280 | $2.27–$7.15 |
History
William Cook, a coachman living in Orpington in Kent, England, made the breed. He crossed Minorca roosters with Black Plymouth Rock hens and bred the offspring to clean-legged Langshans. He wanted a hardy, fast-growing bird that laid well and had the white skin British buyers preferred.
Cook showed the Black Orpington to the public in 1886. White, Buff, Jubilee and Spangled followed. Within 10 years the breed was established in England and was being exported.
Orpingtons reached America by 1891, and in 1903 Cook brought over a large importation himself. Midwestern farmers took to the Buff in particular. The boom lasted until a poultry depression around 1912.
The APA recognised the Buff in 1902, the Black and White in 1905 and the Blue in 1923. The Orpington graduated from The Livestock Conservancy's priority list in 2016.12
Common questions
How big do Orpington chickens get?
The APA standard weights are 10 lb for a cock and 8 lb for a hen. Young birds are lighter: 8½ lb for a cockerel and 7 lb for a pullet.21
What colour eggs do Orpingtons lay?
Brown, from light to dark, and large to extra large.1
What colours do Orpingtons come in?
The APA recognises four: Black, Blue, Buff and White. Jubilee, Spangled and Cuckoo Orpingtons were also bred in England but are not on the APA list.41
Are Orpingtons friendly?
Yes. The Livestock Conservancy describes a calm, friendly disposition and Oklahoma State University calls them calm and gentle. The flip side is that more aggressive breeds may bully them.12
Are Orpingtons cold hardy?
Yes. University of Minnesota Extension names the Orpington among heavy breeds that over-winter well. Combs, wattles and feet can still get frostbite in a damp coop.5
Do Orpington hens go broody?
Often enough to plan for. Oklahoma State University says the hen tends to go broody, sits well and is thought to be a good mother.2
Where do Orpington chickens come from?
From Orpington in Kent, England. William Cook bred them from Minorca, Black Plymouth Rock and Langshan chickens and introduced the Black Orpington in 1886.1
Sources
The small numbers beside each fact point to one of these.
- The Livestock Conservancy, Orpington Chicken.
- Oklahoma State University, Breeds of Livestock: Orpington Chickens (archived copy).
- BreedBarn, Editorial rating, method on the editorial policy page.
- American Poultry Association, Accepted Breeds & Varieties.
- University of Minnesota Extension, Caring for chickens in cold weather.
- University of Minnesota Extension, Raising chickens for eggs.
- Cackle Hatchery, Buff Orpington Baby Chicks.
- Murray McMurray Hatchery, Buff Orpingtons.
- American Bantam Association, Active Breed and Variety List, March 2021 (PDF).
- University of Minnesota Extension, Preventing heat stress in poultry.
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