The Orpington is a large chicken. The word 'buff' refers to the colour. Orpingtons were originally black and were first developed in 1886 by William Cook, who crossed several breeds to create a new breed. There are now many colours of Orpington.

The breed was named after Cook's home town - Orpington - in Kent.

Orpingtons are cheerful birds, fluffy and docile. They are usually extremely broody and make excellent mothers.

Where do Orpingtons live?
Originally bred in the UK, Orpingtons were also taken over the seas to Australia by the early settlers.

Why do we keep Orpingtons?
The Orpington was originally bred for both meat and eggs. Their eggs are cream to light brown. Their meat is becoming popular, but until now the Orpington has mainly been used for eggs or as a show bird.

Lifespan
4 - 5 years, but sometimes up to 10 years.