Russian Orloff

 

This is a bearded, muffed, strawberry combed breed. Its present name is probably taken from Count Orloff-Techesmensky, at one time a well-known Russian horse breeder and livestock enthusiast. Germany was the land of the Orloff's perfection--not the land of its origin. While Russia made the breed known to Western Europe and America, Persia (Iran) was the probable site of its development.

Economic Qualities

Dual purpose, medium weight fowl for production of meat and eggs. Color of skin, yellow; color of egg shells, tinted.

Disqualifications

(See General Disqualifications and Cutting for Defects)

Standard Weights

4a.) Cock………………..8lbs Hen…………………6lbs
4b.) Cockerel………….7lbs Pullet………………5lbs

 

Shape-Male

Comb: Strawberry, [Shaped somewhat like a strawberry cut through its axis (lengthwise)] medium size setting firmly and evenly on head, front not to extend beyond point one third way between nostrils and point of beak and extend backwards to a point perpendicular with eyes.
Beak: Short, strong, well curved.
Face: Fine in texture, nearly concealed by relatively long muff feathers.
Brow: Heavily furnished with feathers. Strong, well projecting (beetle) eyebrows.
Eyes: Large, full, deeply set and partly concealed by brow ridge/muff, with a fierce, predatory
expression.
Wattles: Small, concealed in beard.
Ear Lobes: Small, concealed in beard.
Muffs and Beards: Composed of feathers turning horizontally backwards from both sides of
beak, from the center, vertically downwards, the whole forming a collar of three ovals in a triangular group, giving a muffed effect.
Head: Medium size, wide skull, not well rounded and carried well forward; bisected by a cleft running from the comb to the midpoint of the head. Eyes set to give a fierce, predatory appearance.
Neck: Fairly long and erect. Well-covered with a very full characteristic boule (hackle) but narrowing toward the base to lend a pinched appearance, and forming a distinct angle with the back.
Hackle: Abundant, feathers rather short, full at base of head, flowing over shoulders and back. Back: Medium length, broad at shoulders with very little taper, sloping considerably to the line
of the tail.
Saddle: Abundant, wide, concealing a considerable portion of wing bay.
Tail: Main tail- medium length, fairly well spread, feathers broad, carried at an angle of 55 degrees above horizontal, which should correlate with the tail set at an approximate right angle to the slope of the back. Sickles- Relatively short, very well curved. Lesser Sickles and Coverts- Abundant, broad, well curved.
Wings: Medium length, strong, powerful, carried closely and well above lower thighs. Shoulders and Fronts- slightly raised. Bows- Prominent, well rounded. Coverts- Two distinct rows of broad feathers across wings. Primaries- Medium length and width, completely concealed by secondaries. Secondaries- Medium length, broad, tapering convexly to stern.
Breast: Broad, rounded, carried high, tight fitting plumage.
Body and Stern: Body- Rather long, medium depth and width. Stern- Well tucked up, full, short.
Legs and Toes: Legs- Moderately long, strong, straight when viewed from the front. Lower Thighs- Medium length, muscular tapering neatly to hocks. Shanks- Medium length, strong, set well apart. Spurs- Hard, prominent.

 

Shape-Female

Comb: Strawberry, small, front not to extend beyond point halfway between nostrils and point of beak and extend backwards to a point perpendicular with eyes.
Beak: Short, strong, well curved.
Face: Fine in texture, nearly concealed by relatively long muff feathers.
Brow: Heavily furnished with feathers. Strong, well projecting (beetle) eyebrows.
Eyes: Large, full, deeply set and partly concealed by brow ridge/muff, with a fierce, predatory expression.
Wattles: Small, concealed in beard.
Ear Lobes: Small, concealed in beard.
Beard & Muffs: Composed of feathers turning horizontally backwards from both sides of beak, from the center, vertically downwards, the whole forming a collar of three ovals in a triangular group, giving a muffed effect.
Head: Medium size, wide skull, not well rounded and carried well forward; bisected by a cleft running from the comb to the midpoint of the head. Eyes set to give a fierce, predatory appearance.
Neck: Fairly long and erect. Well-covered with a very full characteristic boule (hackle) but narrowing toward the base to lend a pinched appearance, and forming a distinct angle with the back.
Back: Medium length, broad at shoulders with very little taper, sloping considerably to the line of the tail.
Tail: Main Tail- medium length, fairly well spread, feathers broad, carried at an angle of 55 degrees above horizontal, which should correlate with the tail set at an approximate right angle to the slope of the back. Coverts- Abundant flowing well up tail.
Wings: Medium length, strong, carried closely and well above lower thighs. Shoulders and Fronts-Slightly raised. Bows- Well rounded. Coverts- Two distinct rows of broad feathers across wings. Primaries- Medium length and width, completely concealed by secondaries. Secondaries- Medium length, broad, tapering convexly to stern. Breast: Well rounded, carried high.
Breast: Well rounded, carried high.
Body and Stern: Body- Rather long, medium depth and width. Stern- Well tucked up, full, short.
Legs and Toes: Legs- Moderately long, strong, straight when viewed from the front. Lower thighs- Medium length, muscular tapering neatly to hocks. Shanks- Medium length, strong, set well apart. Toes- Four, medium length, strong, straight, well and evenly placed.

 

Color-Male

Comb, Face Wattles, Earlobes: Red.
Beak: Yellow, yellow shaded with horn.
Eyes: Orange-Red.
Head: Heavily spangled, lending to a predominantly white appearance, especially in mature birds.
Neck: (a) Hackle- rich orange red to dark brown-red, punctuated with spangling. The neck and hackles being lighter than the back. (b) Front of neck- Same as breast.
Back: (a) Saddle- Rich red-orange to dark red-brown, to complement the hackle, both being lighter in contrast to the back. Lighter shafting is present. (b) Back- Shiny, with color ranging from cinnamon-red to red-brown, like that of a freshly-shelled horse chestnut, and accentuated by non-uniform placement of v-shaped spangles, where the white tip is divided by a narrow black bar from the balance of the feather. Lighter shafting is present.
Tail: (a) Main Tail- Lustrous black with green iridescence, some with white fringing. Solid white feathers allowed. (b) Sickles and coverts- Same as main tail.
Wings: (a) Shoulders- ranging from cinnamon-red to red-brown, like that of a freshly-shelled horse chestnut, and accentuated by non-uniform placement of v-shaped spangles, where the white tip is divided by a narrow black bar from the balance of the feather. (b) Front- See color description for Line A above. (c) Bows- See color description for Line A above. (d) Coverts- See color description for Line A above. (e) Primaries- See color description for Line A above. Up to two white primaries on each wing allowed. (f) Secondaries- See color description for Line A above.
Breast: Black with white tips, small amount of brown allowed.
Body and Stern: Ranging from cinnamon-red to red-brown, like that of a freshly-shelled horse chestnut, and accentuated by non-uniform placement of v-shaped spangles, where the white tip is divided by a narrow black bar from the balance of the feather.
Legs and Toes: (a) Lower thighs- Ranging from cinnamon-red to red-brown, like that of a freshly-shelled horse chestnut, and accentuated by non-uniform placement of v-shaped spangles, where the white tip is divided by a narrow black bar from the balance of the feather. (b) Shanks and Toes- Yellow.
Undercolor: Grey to cinnamon/brown.

 

Color-Female

Comb, face, Wattles, and Earlobes: Red.
Beak: Yellow, yellow shaded with horn.
Eyes: Orange-red.
Head: Heavily spangled, lending to a predominantly white appearance, especially in mature birds.
Plumage: Ranging from cinnamon-red to red-brown, like that of a freshly-shelled horse chestnut, and accentuated by non-uniform placement of v-shaped spangles, where the white tip is divided by a narrow black bar from the balance of the feather.
Shanks and toes: Yellow.