Orpington Duck

Orpington Duck

A female at Hahn Park, California
Conservation status RBST (UK): at risk
Country of origin United Kingdom
Classification
PCGB light[1]
Duck
Anas platyrhynchos domesticus

The Orpington[2] or Buff Orpington Duck is a breed of domestic duck. It is a dual-purpose breed used for meat and egg production. It is capable of laying up to 220 eggs a year. Originally created by William Cook of Orpington, Kent, UK, from the selection of mis-marked Blue Orpington Ducks; Cook was also the developer of the Orpington chicken. The breeds used in the development of the breed included Cayuga, Indian Runner, commercial Aylesbury and Rouen. It is purposed that Cook’s intentions for the breed were to capitalize on the growing demand for the buff color pattern.[3] The Buff Orpington Duck was introduced to the public at the Dairy Show, the Agricultural Hall (q.v.), Islington, London in October 1897.[4] It is considered a threatened breed by the ALBC. This breed was admitted to the British Poultry Standard in 1910 and the American Poultry Associations Standard of Perfection as the 'Buff Duck' in the Medium class in 1914. The Orpington duck is available in three colour varieties: Buff, Blond and Brown. The Buff Orpington is an unstable colour due to a blue dilution gene which means that from the offspring, all three colour variations will appear.[5]

Orpingtons are to have trim, oval-shaped heads, long necks, long bodies, deep breasts and stand slightly elevated. Uniformity is key with regards to color pattern. Typically, fawn-buff is considered ideal with the drakes having a fawn-buff or seal-brown head. The bill of the drake is yellow while the hen has a brownish-orange bill. They have orange feet and legs.[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Breed Classification. Poultry Club of Great Britain. Accessed August 2014.
  2. ↑ The Poultry Club of Great Britain: Orpington
  3. ↑ Holderread, Dave (2001). Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks. North Adams, MA, USA: Storey Publishing. pp. 60, 61.
  4. ↑ Cook,W.(1897) The Poultry Journal. p.81-82
  5. ↑ http://poultrykeeper.com/duck-breeds/orpington-ducks
  6. ↑ Standard Revision Committee; Malone, Pat; Donnelly, Gerald; Leonard, Walt (2001). American Standard of Perfection. USA: American Poultry Association. p. 313.
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