Russian Orloffs
A Spangled Orloff cock standing in the typical upright position.
This large, gamey-looking fowl took its name from a Count Orloff, who--from what I can dig out of the literature--imported some of them from or to somewhere and thereby got his name attached. In earlier times in Russia they were known as "Chlianskiai." Malay blood was clearly involved in the origin of this bird. In the US and Britain this is definitely a rare breed.
The major characteristics of the breed are its round head with full muffs and beard, topped off by a small raspberry comb. The beak should be short and hooked and the eyelids heavy. The legs should be yellow. They lay a light brown egg, but are known to be poor layers. They were developed for the table. Although a slow-growing breed, Orloffs are very hardy and resistant to harsh winter weather.
I have seen Spangled and Cuckoo Orloffs, and there are also known to have existed Black, White and Mahogany varieties. Nineteenth-century authors have stated that the Mahogany Orloff had the richest color of any fowl.
Here is an article on the Orloff by Craig Russell, President of the Society for Preservation of Poultry Antiquities.
Breed clubs:
US Orloff Club
German Orloff Club (in German)
Orloff Links:
FowlAfoot Poultry Conservation Farm
The Russian Orloff Society (a Facebook page that seems to be based in the UK)
Terrapin Creek Farm has Orloffs
You can find Orloffs at Jack the Goose's farm
This image is from 1931 - I sure would love to get my birds to look like this!
A pair of Spangled Orloffs at the Bloomsburg, PA, show,
1997 A pen of Spangled Orloffs. The color of the hens
is fairly clear in this image. They are very attractive birds. The spangling
increases with age. The cockerel on the left will develop a more marked
plumage as he grows.
Two Cuckoo Orloff cocks A Cuckoo Orloff hen
A Pair of White Orloffs
Two shots of a Splash Orloff cockerel A Spangled pullet
Spangled Orloff bantams A Spangled Orloff cockerel from the UK Black Orloffs, male on the left
Black-breasted Red Orloffs, a cockerel and a pair Spangled Orloffs from Bulgaria Mon ami Thomas avec sa amie "Twitch," une poule Spangled = My friend Thomas with his friend "Twitch," a Spangled hen
Mahogany Orloff hens A White Orloff pullet from Germany Young Crele Orloffs One of my Spangled Orloff cockerels Another shot of the pen of Spangled birds.
Another Spangled pullet
Head shots of Spangled Orloffs, male on right Yet another Spangled Orloff pullet A Spangled Orloff rooster from the UK Two of my breeder Spangled Orloff hens One of my nicer Spangled Orloff cockerels
Two shots of Spangled Orloff chicks
or
Direct questions and comments to Barry at FeatherSite
-- questions and comments
Photo courtesy of Beth Adams
Only the one on the right looks like an Orloff to me
Photos courtesy of James Heselden
Photos courtesy of Heather Spaet
Photo courtesy of Rupert Stephenson
Photos courtesy of Desert Poultry
Photo courtesy of Hristo Hristov
Left photo courtesy of Josh Snyder; right photo courtesy of Taryn Koerker
Photo courtesy of Sascha Michel
Photo courtesy of Anderson Hatchery
Photo courtesy of Robert Sussman
Photos courtesy of Alberto Prats
Photo courtesy of Heather Spaet
Photos courtesy of Helena
Gardner
Photo courtesy of Toni Ransfield
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