Orpington chickens first originated in Orpington, England back in the late 1800s, which is how this breed got its majestic-sounding name. Since then, Orpington chickens have elevated into one of the most popular chicken breeds to raise as pets.

They are easily distinguishable by their fluffy feathers. People often make the mistake of assuming that they are much larger than they are because of their plumage. It’s their feathers that also allow these chickens to be hardy enough to survive in almost any climate. The lavender gene is different than the blue gene in genetics in that it will produce consistent lavender color in all the offspring. The “lavender” gene (lav) in the chicken causes the dilution of both black and red/brown pigments, so according to color background, dilution due to “lavender” gives a sort of plumage color patterns: On an extended background, this condition causes the entire surface of the body an even shade of light slaty blue, which is the typical phenotype known as ‘”self-blue”‘.

One of the reasons Orpington chickens have become popular as pets is because they are known for being both docile and gentle. If you have kids and plan to have them care for your chickens alongside you, choosing to raise Orpington chicks would be ideal, as they are excellent with children. They are also heavy birds that are unable to fly, which makes them even easier to raise, and gives you the option to raise them in a chicken run or free-range in your yard.