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English Black Orpingtons 



Seleotingi Mating and Breeding for Type, Size and Color to Produce the MaSBiTe 



Black Orpingtons of England 



W. M. Bell 



ORIGINATED some twenty years ago, the Black Or- 

 pington has maintained a steady popularity 

 as an exhibition fowl. The reason of this 

 is not far to seek, for it is first, a very hand- 

 some bird, second, easy to prepare for exhibi- 

 tion, and third, no double mating is required, equally 

 good birds of either sex being produced from the same 

 pen. The late Mr. W. Cook, who originated the breed, 

 is stated to have used a cross between a Minorca cock 

 and black sports from Plymouth Rocks, mating the prog- 

 eny back to clean-legged Langshan cockerels. However, 

 this may be, the result has been 

 a short-legged, deep-bodied bird 

 with brilliant sheen and broad, 

 full front. 



Taking the three main char- 

 acteristics to aim for in the 

 breeding of Black Orpingtons as 

 shortness of leg, color, and, most 

 important of all, type. I will first 

 speak as to shortness of leg. Oc- 

 casionally we see birds penned, 

 that almost touch the ground, so 

 short are they, and, although we 

 want short-legged birds, this is 

 rather overstretching the mark. 

 Being full-bodied fowls, they 

 must have a certain amount of 

 day-light under them to show off 

 the full effect of their body type. 

 Birds that are as short in leg as T 

 speak of very seldom attain a 

 good size, and an Orpington 

 must have size. The color should 

 be brilliant beetle-green sheen, 

 free from purple or bronze and 

 one of the chief aims in breeding 

 is to get this color not only 

 on the top, but carried 

 right down the breast into the 



fluff. At the present time there are very few birds that 

 can show a really good color throughout. In type they 

 should have a broad, full front, showing an unbroken 

 curve from the beak to the tail. Many birds have a ten- 

 dency towards being pinched in the breast, and one of 

 the main objects is to get this perfect curve. The body 

 should be deep through, as it is no use having a broad, 

 full-fronted bird if it has not the depth of body to set it 



BLACK ORPINGTON COCK— LATE ENGLISH 

 TTPB 



Reproduced from "Races of Domestic Fowls," 

 page 54. Bird was bred by W. M. Bell, England. 

 He has exhibited with success in America, winning 

 recently at Madison Square Garden, New York and 

 at Boston. Mr. Bell accompanied his exhibit and 

 made numerous friends on this side of the Atlantic. 



off. The back should be short, with broad shoulders, with 

 the saddle rising in a gentle sweep up to a neat, flowing 

 tail. The saddle itself should be broad, with a full hackle. 

 The comb should be fine, evenly serrated, and free from 

 side sprigs. It should be medium size, set on a firm base. 

 If too small, it makes the cock look effeminate; but, on 

 the other hand, a comb like a Minorca's tends to lessen 

 the compact appearances of the bird. ' 



The eye is an important point and its color is some- 

 times the subject of controversy. I have often heard 

 people talking of a jet black eye, but have never seen one 

 yet. However good a bird's 

 eye may be, if held in the light 

 it will show a dark brown iris 

 with black center. 



In the mating of Black Orp- 

 ingtons I am never particular as 

 to the size of the male. In fact I 

 would prefer a small bird, if he 

 is of really typical shape. The 

 female should be as large as pos- 

 sible, provided she is a fairly 

 good type and other small points 

 are good. In both cases they 

 should have good bone and 

 should stand on short legs, this 

 applying more especially to the 

 male. Never mate two very 

 highly colored birds together, as 

 by doing so one is liable to get 

 purple barring on the wing, or a 

 bronze color, either of which 

 goes against a bird in the show 

 pen. 



I have mentioned double 

 mating as not being necessary 

 for this variety. For the ama- 

 teur who only keeps one pen this 

 is a great consideration. I have 

 known a case of a cockerel win- 

 ning at the Dairy Show and a pullet getting second on the 

 same day both birds being hatched on the same day and 

 bred from the same father and mother. 



In conclusion, the perfect bird has not been produced 

 yet, but should this happy consumation of the breeders' 

 wish be obtained, it will be difficult for any man to pro- 

 duce a more perfect picture of the feathered tribe than a 

 Black Orpington. — Illustrated Poultry Record, England. . 



