Breed: Orloff, also known as the Russian Orloff Chicken, is named after the Russian Prince Alexei Grigorievich Orlov-Chesmensky (1737–1808), who after retiring from military service. became a famous poultry farmer and breeder. Origin: In the 18th century, this type of chicken became famous in Russia. In particular, the Gilan breed (Gilany or Gilyanskaya) is described as a giant game and meat bird of Persian origin in G. N. Teplov’s 1774 book Poultry Yard (from the Gilan area, which was sometimes under the of Russia)
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Russian Orloff Chicken Differing Opinions over Origins
According to modern reports Count Orlov is the owner of the English game. Various species and the red kilan bird Russian poultry experts believe he has bred Gilan birds with other native and imported birds. to eventually create the breed that bears his name. Like Gilan chickens, native Russian Orloff chickens have red feathers. Edward Brown, English poultry breeder Abandon false beliefs About the different origins passed down from other poultry experts. especially in Europe and America After visiting the poultry exhibition at St… In St. Petersburg in 1899, he wrote a letter to the rancher and writer Lewis Wright. Brown attended a meeting where M. Houdekoff read an article stating that before Count Orlo. F will put Russian Orloff Chicken on the market. They are known in Russia under the name “Chlianskaia” which may be a synonym for Gilyanskaya, the idea being that Russian Orloff Chicken is actually Gilyan. And it comes from contemporary Iran, it comes from Brown’s letters. It is included in various editions of Wright’s Book of Fowls. According to Russian experts, the Album of Husbandry Poultry Breeds (1905), published by the Russian Imperial Poultry Society, shows that in the 18th and 19th centuries the Gilan and Orloff were recognized as separate breeds in Russia. Nowadays they are of different nationalities. When compared to Gilan chicken Orloff chickens are smaller. have a bigger head And they have different colored feet and mouths.
History of the Russian Orloff Chicken
This breed is widely bred in Tula. South of Moscow Starting at the end of the 18th century, it then expanded to neighboring districts. Russian scientists enthusiastically admired the bird as a large and elegant bird in the 1870s and 1880s. Some chickens weighed as much as 10 pounds (4.4 kilograms) and could climb high enough to Russian Orloff Chicken first exhibited in Moscow in 1881 under this name. The first white variety was shown in 1887, and in 1899 a breed standard was established. In addition, in 1901 the Moscow Agricultural Exhibition displayed a variety of colors. 1913 The Spangled debuted at the Second International Show in St. Louis. When that time comes Many farms have produced many different breeds, with northern breeds being calmer and having better coats. while southern varieties are more suitable for hunting. They are mostly ornamental birds. But it soon became clear that they could be productive birds too. After they appeared in 1906 and 1911 at exhibitions in Milan and Turin. However, they received increasing worldwide attention in the early 20th century. In 1884, the first shipments were sent to Austria and Germany. In 1912, they were sent to England. Germany experienced a breeding boom after its introduction to Dresden in 1910. German lines were created from this herd. And it was in the 1920s that the first Banten line was produced. Today’s successful Banten Line is the result of German work that began in 1947.
International Recognition and Local Decline Russian Orloff Chicken
When was this breed developed abroad? It is also less common in Russia. Due to the increasing popularity of other breeds, such as the Brahma and Cochin, famous breeder I. Abozin had difficulty finding herds in Tula and other districts where Russian Orloff Chicken was common. Even in 1899, he supported the restoration of the line. Bred using the small herd that Pavlovo had. world conflicts, revolutions, civil conflicts and social and political change Part of the 20th century brought the breed to the brink of extinction twice. Sometimes the herd is eaten and mating efforts are abandoned. Dedicated enthusiasts and two research facilities have been working since the late 20th century to restore Russia’s heritage birds to their original state. After World War II German supplies dwindled and standard banknotes were destroyed. Although it is different from the original Russian variety. But the herds still have a high value. Russian efforts to revive the German breed have benefited from the importation of German breeds. Flocks of both German and Russian types of sheep are kept. Although most of them are mixed herds. The date of arrival in America is uncertain. When author John H. Robinson saw the birds as a child in the 1870s, they were likely Russian blackbeards. It is a closely related species that is now very rare in Russia. They may be The “Black Russian Rooster” was listed in the 1874 Poultry World and the “Russian Rooster” was included in the 1875–1894 APA Standards of Perfection, but was removed due to unpopularity in 1924. Robinson included pictures of the Russian breed in his book Popular Breeds of Domestic Poultry American and Foreign. Mahogany Orloff is now well known in America.
A Varied but Endangered Gene Pool
Conservation Status: Threatened on the Livestock Conservation Priority List and globally threatened with extinction. Only about 5,000 are known. According to the FAO, there were 1,714 cases in the United States in 2015, 1,015 cases in Germany in 2020, and much smaller numbers in other countries. Geneticists in Russia estimate there are 2,000. Biodiversity: Foundations of extensive inheritance discovered through genetic investigations in Russia This is likely the result of mixing races with different ancestry. The Eurasian race brought back from Persia had a major influence on the native Russian race. The Orloff chicken’s mitochondrial DNA is highly diverse. It contains haplotypes that are rarely found in European chickens and originates from southern China. This diversity is likely the result of hybridization during the most recent population recovery to restore specific characteristics.
Characteristics of the Russian Orloff Chicken
Description: The head has a distinctive appearance. Medium sized Therefore it looks like a bird of prey. Yellow to red-orange eyes with a high forehead. The slit extends from the comb to the top of the head. Divide the skull wide into two parts. The beak has a large base, curved and short, earlobes and small red wattles. It is gloved. The neck is long, bearded, and covered with many slightly raised hackles. The top of the rooster has dense feathers. Giving a distinctive “petanque” feel, the hen’s body is longer and narrower than that of the rooster. But both have an upright posture and a wide, round, and muscular body that is representative of the game type. Especially in roosters, the tail is erect and the tall posture gives the appearance of long legs. The beak and legs are yellow.
- VARIETIES: While there are a few Mahogany, spangled are the most popular in America. There are Black- and Brown-breasted Red, Spangled, Mottled, Black, and White varieties in Russia. In Europe, there is a Black and White Mottled variation. Black-tailed Red, White, and Spangled Bantams are recognized by the ABA. Germany is where the mahogany and barred variants originated.
- COMB: Strawberry or cushion comb; originally described as resembling a raspberry that has been cut in half lengthwise, covered in tiny tubercles with tiny feather bristles in between; it is situated around the nostrils low on the forehead.
- Dual purpose is a popular use.
- COLOR OF EGG: White or colored.
- EGG SIZE: Small–medium; the average in Russia is 2 oz (58 g).
- PRODUCTIVITY: 160–180 eggs annually at first, then 120–150 in the second year. slowly expanding and yielding gamy, white meat.
- Approximately 8 lb (3.6 kg) for the roosters and 6.5 lb (3 kg) for the hens. Wait until you are two years old to fully mature.
Russian Orloff Chicken Cold Hardy Foragers
Temperament: Although initially fierce But contemporary temperaments tend to be calm and friendly. However, they can fight off hostile competitors. good explorer Have a passion for exploring Normally it’s not too dramatic. But she’s a fierce mother. Adaptability: Although chicks develop and feather slowly, But they are very hardy and hardy when kept outside and given time to adjust. However, they are more susceptible to disease when they are young. A small comb helps protect against frost.
