One of the most common chicken breeds is the Orpington, and when people see a lavender one, they are fascinated.
Unlike other members of the Orpington family, such as the Buff Orpington, these hens are extremely rare. But because of their mild nature and consistent egg production, they are a good choice for first-time chicken keepers.
Let’s take a look at the big picture before diving into the specifics of these chickens’ personalities and care.
Lavender Orpington Chickens’ History
It was in the small English town of Orpington that a man named William Cook bred the first Orpington chickens in the 1800s. Both their eggs and their meat are in high demand, so they were bred for that.
The original Orpington chicken was completely black. It had a big body and could lay a lot of eggs. Cook’s prized Orpingtons became instant hits at American poultry shows after he brought them there.
Later, white, red, buff, and even lavender Orpington chickens were bred. The most recent Orpington variant is the lavender Orpington chicken, which stands out thanks to its distinctive plumage.
Some Species of Orpingtons:
Buff
Lavender
White
Black
Blue
Cuckoo
Spangled
Lavender Orpington chickens are sometimes called Self-Blue Orpingtons. Many people are interested in the lavender gene because it is less common than some of the other alternatives.
Appearance of Lavender Orpington Chickens
The appearance of Lavender Orpington chickens is distinctive and appealing. They resemble Buff Orpingtons, only with a more attractive lavender coloring.
Do Lavender Orpingtons Lay Brown Eggs?
Eggs laid by Lavender Orpington chickens are pale brown. Each week, a hen will lay three to four large, light brown eggs.
You can get a hen that lays colored eggs if you’d like to have a wider selection of egg colors.
Lavender Orpington Chicks Appearance
Chicks of the Lavender Orpington breed aren’t naturally born with the breed’s distinct color.
Instead, their feathers have shades of gray and lavender, making them appear to be a pale yellow color like most baby chicks. They have black beaks and are fluffy and soft.
The young Lavender Orpington chickens, called pullets, resemble full-grown hens in appearance. By that time, they’ve reached maturity and are sporting a tiny comb and a faint lavender on their wings.
In most cases, Lavender Orpington pullets can be relocated to a larger coop where they can socialize with full-grown hens.
Appearance of Maturity
Hens weigh around 8 pounds as adults, while roosters can get up to 10 pounds. The plumpness of their lavender feathers gives the illusion that they are more substantial than they actually are.
Lavender Orpington chickens, however, are not as fluffy as one might think.
They sport a five-pointed comb of the same red color as their wattles and earlobes. They always have dark beaks to match their eyes, which are a deep reddish brown.
Breed Standard of Lavender Orpington Chickens
Neither the United States nor the United Kingdom recognizes lavender as an official color. Their rising profile, however, raises the prospect that they will eventually be acknowledged.
They should have a broad chest and a low tail-to-tail ratio, as described by the Orpington breed standard. They should have short, curved backs and moderately short tails.
The temperament of a Lavender Orpington
Orpington chickens are known for being gentle and sociable, and as a result, they are a breed that does not tend to be aggressive.
Because they are so sociable, some people compare them to the Golden Retriever of chickens. When raised from infancy, chicks can be taught to respond to their names, cuddle with people, and perform tricks in exchange for food rewards.
Yet, a new Lavender Orpington may appear shy at first. They may be reserved initially, but after getting to know you, their true selves will shine through. They are sociable, but younger children should be supervised carefully at first.
When comparing roosters and hens, the latter is clearly the more sociable of the two. Even if there is only one other rooster in the enclosure, Lavender Orpington roosters can be quite possessive of their space.
Aggressive Lavender Orpington chickens can be socialized and trained to become docile, but some farmers choose to avoid keeping roosters out of personal preference.
Lavender Orpington chickens are one of the quietest chicken breeds because they rarely crow. They may make noises when interacting with one another, but they shouldn’t be too loud for your neighbors to hear.
Broodiness
When a hen gets “broody,” her maternal instincts kick in and she becomes protective of her eggs. There are benefits and drawbacks to the broodiness of Lavender Orpington hens.
About twice a year, these hens develop a maternal instinct. They are excellent mothers, so you can keep them near your Orpington hens to ensure the safety of any eggs you need to hatch.
Broodiness in chickens isn’t desired by everyone, though, because it can lead to aggressive behavior. The protective instincts of a broody hen are not for the faint of heart.
Housing with Other Birds
The Orpington is a friendly breed that gets along with just about everyone. They are not only sociable with people, but also with horses, cows, sheep, and goats.
Although every Lavender Orpington chicken has its own unique personality, all of them share a general disposition of being gentle and placid no matter what other animals they encounter.
Yet, because of their placid nature, Orpingtons are frequently the targets of aggression from more aggressive animals. Keep your Orpingtons away from any potentially dangerous animals on your property.
It’s recommended that you keep Lavender Orpingtons with the following breeds of chickens:
Barred Rock
Sussex
Speckled Sussex
Brahma
Necessary Care Requirements of Lavender Orpington Chickens
Although Lavender Orpington chickens are a relatively uncommon sight, they are perfectly manageable for novice chicken keepers.
They can withstand a range of climates and environmental conditions without requiring a lot of room. And their pleasant demeanor makes them a pleasure to collaborate with.
Feed Requirements of Lavender Orpington Chickens
While adult Lavender Orpington chickens aren’t picky eaters, it’s important to take extra precautions with their young. Up until they are 16 weeks old, Lavender Orpington chicks should be fed a high-protein crumble.
The minimum protein content of that feed must be 20%.
Once they reach maturity, your chickens can benefit from a more varied and nutritious diet. The majority of avian owners feed their birds a combination of pellets and grains.
Chickens of adult age may still go outside to search for food, such as plants or seeds, even if they have access to a steady supply of grain. Grass, weeds, snails, and worms are all possible foods for them.
Lucky for you, most of the treats your hens enjoy are perfectly fine for them to eat. In contrast, garlic, onions, beans, and citrus can alter the flavor of chicken eggs.
Also, Orpington chickens are extremely sensitive to the toxicity of raw potatoes, so never serve them.
There’s no need to check on the chicken feed every few minutes. They might put on weight, but unless it’s excessive, it won’t be dangerous.
Most farmers give their chickens feed in the morning so that they can forage and get a full day’s worth of nutrients before they are fed again.
Housing of Lavender Orpington Chickens
It is essential to provide plenty of room when housing any kind of animal. Orpingtons are large birds, so they require 8 to 10 square feet per bird even though some sources say they only need 2 to 3 square feet per bird.
Additional room is required if hostile birds are present.
You need to make sure your chickens have a safe place to go in the coop when it rains or snows. It should prevent rain from getting in during storms and keep the wind from chilling you on chilly days.
The availability of suitable roosting areas is also crucial for Lavender Orpingtons. They are big chickens and need at least a foot and a half of space on the perch.
To prevent your chickens from getting hurt when they jump off, keep the perches at a low height.
Your Lavender Orpingtons need extra space to run around in, in addition to their chicken coop. Each Lavender Orpington chicken needs 10 to 12 square feet of free space.
Due to their short range of flight, they can be contained with a fence as short as three feet.
The chickens’ coop and outdoor run should be filled with interesting and engaging items for the birds to explore. Chickens enjoy playing with objects such as cabbage piatas and piles of leaves.
To have more flexibility in where they let their chickens roam, some chicken keepers choose to house their coop in a trailer. The result may be an expansion of their foraging grounds.
Chickens benefit from some free-range time for foraging, but this can increase their vulnerability to predators.
Temperature
Chickens of the Lavender Orpington variety do well in temperatures ranging from zero to one hundred degrees Fahrenheit. However, they prefer chilly weather to hot weather due to the multiple layers of feathers that cover their bodies.
With their feathers, they can keep warm even in the coldest weather.
Unless the chickens get wet, the cold isn’t a problem unless the eggs spoil. You should dry their feathers as often as necessary because wet feathers prevent them from keeping warm in cold weather.
During the warmer months of the year, Lavender Orpington chickens shouldn’t be left out in the sun for too long. Give them access to cool water, dust baths, and shade to help them beat the heat.
If exposed to too much sunlight, not only will they overheat, but the lavender hues of their feathers may fade, giving them a more tan or even yellowish appearance.
Insights into the Breeding of Lavender Orpingtons
In the absence of a rooster, Lavender Orpington hens will keep laying eggs, but those eggs won’t hatch into chicks. Lavender Orpington hens lay delicious eggs, but if you want to expand your flock, you’ll need to bring in a rooster of the same breed.
Most fertile eggs are laid by hens in the spring. In other words, that’s when a rooster would be most useful. The rooster can handle it on his own, so there’s no need for you to get involved.
In order to attract hens, roosters will often perform a dance for them. Then, when the hen and the rooster mate, the eggs will be fertilized and the chicks will hatch.
Egg Production of Lavender Orpington Hens
For egg production, the Lavender Orpington is a top choice. Depending on the chicken, hens can lay anywhere from three to four eggs per week or roughly 200 eggs per year.
The regular egg production of this breed makes it a top choice for egg-laying chickens.
Try out a few new fresh egg recipes if you’re at a loss for what to do with your chicken eggs.
What to Do to Get More of That Lovely Lavender Color
In chickens, the lavender gene is recessive. Thus, both parents must be carriers of the lavender gene in order to produce a Lavender Orpington.
If you breed two unrelated Orpingtons with lavender feathers, you’ll probably get a Lavender Orpington hen or chick.
Regrettably, research suggests that a mutation in the lavender gene may cause abnormal feather development in chickens. Be wary of that as you plan your chicken breeding.
In order to avoid these problems, it is important to buy chickens only from reputable breeders.
Worries About the Lavender Orpington’s Health
These chickens don’t present much of a challenge when it comes to normal conditioning. In spite of this, they share some of the same vulnerabilities to illness that every other species does.
Among Lavender Orpingtons, obesity is the most common health issue. They tend to take things slowly and spend a lot of time idly perched on or near their feeders.
It may be time to reevaluate the chickens’ diet and find new ways to keep them active if you notice that they are putting on weight quickly.
Lice, mites, and worms are all parasites that can infest Lavender Orpingtons. In the case of chickens, these are most commonly found beneath their wings.
Providing them with a dust bath is a simple way to help them maintain a clean and healthy environment for themselves. As an added bonus, you can give them preventative measures to use against pests.
Your Lavender Orpingtons are prone to leg injuries if the perches in their coop are too high. Because of their large size and short range of flight, it is important to keep them away from any precarious perches in their coop.
In general, Lavender Orpingtons are a genetically sound chicken breed. These chickens are susceptible to the same diseases as any other type of chicken.
How to Maintain a Healthy Lavender Orpington Poultry
Infectious diseases are easily spread from one Lavender Orpington chicken to the rest of the flock. The key to maintaining good health in your Lavender Orpington chickens is a clean environment.
Maintain a consistent schedule of cleaning and refilling their food and water.
A healthy flock is a happy flock, and a healthy flock is a flock that has plenty of room to roam. Chickens won’t thrive if they’re crammed into an inadequate space. Don’t get the chicken coop wet, either.
Bacteria that are harmful to humans could flourish in an environment with too much water.
Even though it’s not a medical emergency, you should still protect your chickens from any potential dangers they may face. Chickens are easy prey for foxes, coyotes, and bobcats.
Keep your chickens inside where they can’t be reached by any predators at night.
What is the Cost for Lavender Orpingtons?
Since Lavender Orpingtons are so rare, they cost a little more than the average chicken. You can expect to pay anywhere from $10 to $45 for a chick.
Males, however, can be purchased for as little as $5 per chick, making them a more attractive option. If you’re looking to save chicken, buying multiple chicks at once is the best option, as is the case with most different types of chickens.
Frequently Asked Questions
When planning to acquire a chicken, there is no such thing as having too much data at your disposal. Now, then, here are some of the most frequently asked questions by new chicken-keepers of chickens.
When do Lavender Orpingtons begin to lay eggs?
Similar to other Orpington varieties, Lavender Orpingtons begin laying eggs at around 5 to 7 months of age. Once that happens, they begin laying eggs at a regular rate of three to four per week.
How to Know If It is a Male or female lavender Orpington chick?
Each male and female Lavender Orpington chick has the same pastel plumage. Looking at their tails is a surefire way to differentiate between them. Male chicks are distinguished by their long tails, while females have shorter ones.
Both sexes may have faint streaks of white near the upper wing joints, though the lines on the backs of females are more common. There is a possibility that females will also sport a brown dot atop their skulls.
Is Aggression Common Among Lavender Orpington Roosters?
The roosters of the Orpington breed are known for being friendlier than those of other rooster breeds. They are excellent at keeping intruders away from your home or business, but they rarely harm people or other birds.
You should exercise caution when selecting a rooster if you are concerned about aggression from male chickens.
Exactly how uncommon are Lavender Orpingtons?
It’s true that Lavender Orpingtons are a somewhat uncommon bird species. Due to the recessive nature of the lavender coloring, this Orpington variant is extremely rare in comparison to others.
They’re a sought-after breed thanks to their outgoing nature and consistent egg production, despite the fact that they’re relatively uncommon.
Is a Lavender Orpington Right for You
Although Lavender Orpingtons are low-maintenance chickens, you should be well-organized before bringing any home.
A Lavender Orpington could be the best option if you want a chicken that lays a large number of eggs each year.
Lavender Orpington chickens are popular because their owners report that they are easy to care for and adapt well to different environments.
You should have plenty of room for a Lavender Orpington to roam and enough money to provide for its basic needs before you consider getting one.
There are many other Orpington chicken varieties that will work just as well if you can’t track down a reliable source for Lavender Orpington chickens.
The primary distinction is the hue of their feathers, which has no bearing on their needs or their ability to lay eggs.
If you have the space and time to take care of a new pet, then raising Lavender Orpingtons is a great way to expand your family.