There are a large number of different types of meat and egg birds; the Oryol breed of chickens is considered one of the most interesting. The history of the appearance of these birds is quite interesting. We invite you to learn with us everything about their origin, appearance and productivity.

Breed overview

These chickens are interesting not only for their memorable appearance, rich history, but also for their connection with a historical person.

Origin

To this day, it remains a mystery how the Oryol babies were born. There is only no doubt that Malayan birds were used in the selection of these pets. The similarity is noticeable at the first glance at a representative of the species. Previously, these laying hens were called Giland hens. In the 19th century in Russia, Oryol chickens were widespread.

Some scientists claim that descriptions of this species were often found in the papers of Count Orlov-Chesmensky. In 1914, after lengthy selection work, a standard was established, and the Oryol calico layers received their recognition.

Now Oryol chickens are on the verge of extinction. This was facilitated by the emergence of huge numbers of new subspecies. This breed is preserved in the VNITIP collection.

Appearance

Oryol chickens are unique domestic birds, distinguished from others by their original plumage. They have a not very large head, a small curved beak and a wide nape (you can see the chicken in the photo). These laying hens are at least 60 centimeters tall and have developed muscles and bones. The long neck is decorated with lush feathers. The eyes of this species can be amber or orange-red.

The scallop may resemble a raspberry cut lengthwise, as it is covered with small bumps. The comb is located low, it seems that it comes across the nostrils of the bird. The birds' muzzle is almost completely hidden under feathers that puff up. The beard of Oryol laying hens is wedge-shaped and has a slightly drooping fold at the throat. Thus, the bird's head, thanks to its lush decoration, takes on a spherical shape.

Oryol chickens have a strong body constitution that is well developed. These birds are also quite unpretentious and adapt well to any climate. The male sex of these birds is quite aggressive. They have calico, fawn and black shades of color. We invite you to learn more about these wonderful pets from the following video.

Productivity

The productivity of these pets per year is normal, so the average indicators are:

• 135–155 pcs. eggs per year;
• 60 g – the weight of one egg;
• 2 kg – live weight of the laying hen;
• 3 kg live weight of the rooster;
• beige shell color of eggs.

Reviews

Poultry farmers leave good reviews about the Oryol breed. In general, owners of this species highly value their attachment to the nest and home. Even if the hen decides to walk freely outside the yard, she will return home in any case.

The negative aspects of these pets are attributed to the poor maternal instinct of Oryol calico chickens. These birds, according to their owners, have a poorly developed brooding instinct, so they often simply abandon their eggs. In addition, young individuals lay eggs at a late age, which is considered a major disadvantage.

Photo gallery

Video “Young growth of Oryol calico”

If you are interested in the description of the Oryol calico breed chicken, we suggest you watch the following video.

The Orlov calico breed of chickens is a decorative bird. It was created thanks to the efforts of domestic breeders. The calico breed is recognized throughout the world for its high taste and amazing appearance. And thanks to its high adaptation to various climatic conditions, the bird can exist well throughout our country.

In today’s publication we will introduce you in detail to the Oryol Calico, present a description of the breed, show its photos and reviews from summer residents who are personally familiar with this bird.

The history of this breed is quite complex, since the bird had a period of time when the bird almost completely disappeared from the face of the earth. In the 18th century, thanks to the efforts of Count Orlov-Chesmensky, the Orlov breed of chickens was developed. To obtain it, he crossed 2 breeds:

1. Malay.
2. Russian eared.

However, after the Second World War, the bird practically became extinct. In 1974, breeder Vinokurov acquired several purebred representatives of this species in Germany and began breeding work, crossing them with the descendants he found in Russia. As a result of 40 years of work, the original calico breed has been revived.

Today, the Oryol calico is more identical to the one that was developed back in the 18th century.

From Russia the breed came to the USA, and from there to Europe. In Western countries the breed is called Russian.

Description of appearance

Representatives of this breed are characterized by the presence of an eagle-like head. The head is covered with protruding feathers that resemble a beard and sideburns. Thanks to the lush plumage, the head appears round. The bird's eyes are deep-set. The beak is small, shaped like a hook. At the same time, it is quite massive.

There is a small comb on the head that looks like one half of a raspberry. The comb is connected to the beak.

The body of the bird is oblong and vertical. Shoulders straight, tilted forward. The back is quite short, without any bending - straight. The wings are small and fit very well to the body. The chest is slightly pushed forward.

The bird's legs are quite long, powerful, and yellow in color.

Character

This bird cannot be called calm. Moreover, it is not suitable for beginners. It will be very difficult for them to care for chickens that constantly show aggression. The rooster, due to its impressive size, poses a serious danger to humans or other domestic animals.

It is quite easy to provoke a male Oryol calico. He doesn’t even need to be incited in any way; it’s easy enough to frighten him off (not even on purpose), as he quickly attacks even his master.

Representatives of this breed cannot be kept together with another bird, as they will dominate, peck, and attack other breeds. Therefore, Oryol calico should be kept separately.

Productivity

By type, the Oryol breed is classified as a meat-egg breed. The weight of adult males reaches 4.5 kg, and the weight of chickens is 3-3.5 kg.

Puberty in birds is quite long. Laying hens lay their first clutch at the age of 7-8 months, which is very late when compared with the performance of modern crosses.

Also, the Oryol calico cannot boast of its high egg productivity. In the first year there is a peak of 180 eggs per year (which in itself is low). But already in the second year of a bird’s life, you can expect no more than 150 eggs per year. The eggs are medium-sized, from 55 to 60 grams. The shell is very dense, making the product very easy to transport. The shell color is cream.

Advantages and disadvantages of the breed

Among the main advantages of Oryol chintz are:

1. High vitality of adults.
2. Attractive appearance.
3. Undemanding to living conditions and diet.
4. This bird is excellent for growing in regions with harsh climatic conditions.
5. Chickens lay eggs equally well in both summer and winter.
6. The meat of Oryol chickens is dietary and very tasty.

As for the shortcomings, there are quite a lot of them. Among the main disadvantages of the breed it is worth noting:

1. Chickens lay their first clutch very late. Typically, modern crosses produce eggs already at 4-5 months of life. Oryol calicos can lay their first clutch as early as 7-8 months of age.
2. Egg production rates are very low. Chickens produce up to 180 eggs per year (and then in good conditions). However, closer to the third year of life, productivity drops to 150 eggs.
3. Oryol calico roosters have a terrible, pugnacious character.
4. The young take a very long time to develop and fledge, which makes them vulnerable and difficult to care for.
5. The bird almost completely lacks the brooding instinct.
6. The breed is very rare. Because of this, purebred Orlovskys have sky-high prices.

As noted above, this is a fairly unpretentious poultry to care for. Chickens of this breed do not require heating in the chicken coop in winter, as they are highly resistant to frost. As for other rules, they should be taken into account, as in the case of keeping other breeds:

The Orlovskaya is a rather unpretentious bird in terms of diet. Therefore, there is no need to purchase special feed mixtures. Chickens can be fed standard food, in particular:

1. Compound feed.
2. A mixture of grains. You can prepare it yourself. You can mix sunflower seeds, wheat grains, millet, corn, etc.
3. Mash-ups. Mashes occupy a very important share in the poultry diet, especially in winter. The good thing about mash is that you can add a large amount of nutritious food to their composition. Also, another advantage of mash is the ability to cook it in meat broth, which significantly increases its value for poultry.
4. Fresh vegetables. These include: carrots, pumpkin, zucchini, cabbage, etc.
5. Sources of calcium. They need to be given special attention if poultry is raised for the purpose of producing egg products. If there is a lack of calcium, the bird may produce eggs with thin shells or without them at all. The most popular sources of calcium are meat and bone/fish meal, food chalk, crushed shell rock, and crushed eggshells.
6. Yeast. They are included in the diet when the bird is significantly behind in weight.

Not only foreign breeders are famous for their success in the field of breeding production. Through the efforts of domestic breeders, several legendary varieties were created, among which the Oryol calico breed of chickens stands out. They are recognized all over the world for their tasty meat and beautiful appearance. Excellent adaptability to harsh climatic conditions complements this successful combination.

They belong to the Old Russian breed, bred more than 200 years ago in the city of Pavlov, Nizhny Novgorod province. These regions have long been considered the epicenter of fighting chicken breeding. According to the assumptions of historians, selection activities were carried out by Count A. Orlov-Chesmensky at the end of the 18th century. Interest in this variety instantly spread among poultry farmers in the Eastern European part of Russia.

Stages of development of the Oryol
calico chicken breed

As of the beginning of the 21st century. 2 lines were created - German and Russian. The number of livestock increases every year.

It should not be assumed that the Oryol breed of chickens of Russian and German origin are identical. They have different characteristics. When crossing, signs of degeneration are observed.

Breed standards

As a result of genetic experiments, Oryol residents have adapted to the harsh Russian winters. They belong to the category of one of the most resilient species of birds. In addition, they are distinguished by bright external data.

Females and males are tall, at least 60 cm tall. The bird is large, with well-developed muscles and bones.

Table 1. Appearance features.

Part of the body	Description
Head	Similar to an eagle or falcon. Covered with protruding feathers forming a beard and sideburns. Thanks to its lush plumage, it is spherical. The wide forehead and brow ridges evoke associations with birds of prey.
Neck	Oblong with luxurious plumage. A characteristic feature is that the top is decorated with a scruff. Tapers towards the base.
Eyes	Deeply planted. They stand out against the background of overhanging arches of amber hue.
Beak	Small in size, hooked in shape. Powerful at the base and maximally curved at the end. In pre-revolutionary times, individuals with a characteristic “cleft” were preferred.
Scallop	Looks like a flattened and cut raspberry. Covered with small tubercles. It is located on the front of the forehead, low, almost falling on the nostrils.
Beard	In the form of a wedge or hanging throat fold.
Body	Wide and short, vertical orientation. With great growth, the body is elongated.
Shoulders	Straight, inclined forward.
Back	Short and flat, tapering noticeably at the tail.
Wings	Middle length. They fit tightly to the body.
Tail	Full, set at right angles along the line of the spine. The braids are small, narrow, rounded. The upper ones stand out against the background of the rest of the plumage.
Breast	Slightly bulging forward. In males it is well muscled and well developed.
Stomach	Neat and selected.
Shin	Well defined, thick and long.
Legs	Strong, yellow.

Externally, females and males are similar to each other. Chickens are distinguished by a longer body, a poorly developed comb and a tail that is not so perpendicular to the back. But the plumage of the head is better designed.

Birds of German selection have a lighter build. They are not as picturesque as Russian chickens, and do not have the eagle beak characteristic of the breed. The predominant colors are red-motley, mahogany, black, hawk and black-white-motley.

Breed faults

The following defects are considered reasons for rejection:

• small height;
• black beard;
• thin elongated beak;
• hunched back;
• plumage on the metatarsus and toes;
• horizontal positioning of the body;
• predominant brick color of feathers;
• little weight;
• color of the metatarsus and beak different from the standard one;
• insufficiently magnificent head decoration.

Plumage color

The feather fits tightly to the body and gives off a glossy shine. The classification of Oryol chickens depends on their colors:

• calico;
• motley;
• black-and-white;
• scarlet;
• white;
• mahogany;
• black;
• black and red.

Dwarf representatives of the breed were bred in Germany.

The most common is calico plumage, which is characterized by red-motley and black-and-white patches on a brown background. Solid black and white individuals are rare.

The prevailing color of roosters is from brick-clay to light brown. The peritoneum, chest and legs are covered with black feathers with white patches. The flight feathers are black at one end and dark brown with a white tip at the other. There is a black stripe with an emerald tint on the wing. The braids are edged with white and the tail is black. Females have almost the same color characteristics as males, but are several shades lighter.

Productivity characteristics

According to productivity characteristics, the Orlov breeds belong to the meat-egg line.

Performance Features:

• the weight of young males is from 3 to 3.5 kg;
• body weight of chickens - from 2.5 to 3 kg;
• weight of adult roosters - 4.5 kg;
• weight of overfed chickens - 3.5 kg;
• Puberty of laying hens is later - the first clutch is at the age of 7-8 months;
• egg production indicators in 1 year - about 180 eggs, then decreases to 150;
• egg weight - from 58 to 60 g;
• the shell is dense, soft pink or cream in color.

Prices for an ovoscope for diagnosing eggs

Advantages and disadvantages

Table 2. Pros and cons of the breed.

Despite the fact that birds are perfectly adapted to the domestic cold, you need to take care of a decent poultry house. We offer a detailed illustrated algorithm.

Step-by-step instructions for building a poultry house

The size of the chicken coop depends on the number of flocks. You should not build massive structures with a small flock of chickens. The room will be cold and an additional heating system will be required.

Step 1. Making the foundation and floor

For a standard chicken coop for 20 birds, it is advisable to build a columnar or pile foundation. The first option is preferable, since it is easy to pour it yourself using a concrete mixture.

Sequencing:

The floor is insulated after installing load-bearing walls using a vapor barrier membrane. The gaps between the logs are covered with expanded clay. The final stage of foundation construction is laying the floorboards from edged boards.

Step 2. Construction of walls and insulation

Frame technology is preferable, since it is possible to lay insulation between the internal and external cladding.

Sequencing:

To give the structure strength, install guides in the areas of window openings and the front door.

Step 3. Installation of roof and walls

Sequencing:

When installing windows, the gaps between the wall and the window frame are filled with foam.

Decoration of the pen

To ensure safe walking, a platform will be installed next to the poultry house.

Features of the organization:

1. Requirements for the walking area - dryness, cleanliness, absence of poisonous or thorny plants. It is advisable that the paddock does not face the south side, but is also not in the shade. It must be enclosed by a fence or mesh. An example of an optimal design is Dodonov’s chicken coop.
2. It is preferable to use a fine-mesh metal mesh. Particular attention is paid to the cells, the size of which should be larger than a chicken beak. Otherwise the bird will get stuck.
3. The mesh material is fixed to the pillars located in the corners of the site and tensioned.
4. The optimal height of the fence is from 1.5 to 2 m. The chicken will not be able to rise into the air at such a distance.

Prices for chicken coop fencing mesh

Rabitz

Important content details

To increase the productivity of your breeding flock, you should familiarize yourself with the advice of experienced poultry farmers:

Features of feeding

Orlovskys belong to the general breed. There are no specific requirements for drawing up a nutrition plan. Birds are unpretentious when it comes to filling their diet.

Tips for poultry farmers:

1. Food should be varied with dairy products, various types of crushed grains, root vegetables, boiled potatoes, kitchen waste and herbs from the garden.
2. Ready-made mixed feeds containing vitamin and mineral supplements and proteins in the required quantities are suitable for feeding.
3. There should always be a container of fine-grained sand and gravel next to the feeders.
4. The quality of water in drinking bowls is monitored daily. Stagnation must not be allowed.
5. Equipment must be disinfected regularly.
6. The optimal grain mixture is 30% barley, 30% wheat, 10% unprocessed buckwheat, 5% seeds and millet each, 20% corn.
7. Chickens love moist mash. The approximate composition is meat and bone meal, boiled potatoes, fish and steamed barley.

In addition to the main feed, oats are suitable, especially relevant from August to October, young grass and nettles in summer, cakes and soybean meal, which are a valuable source of protein, as well as hay, carrots, cabbage and beets.

Breeding Oryol calicos

Since representatives of this species are not often found on farmsteads, acquiring young animals is problematic. They are not grown industrially. The only option is to buy from breeders involved in preserving the genetic material, or from lovers of this breed.

Before deciding to raise Oryol chickens, you should remember that chickens grow slowly and require constant care. The survival rate of young animals is quite low, so all the attention of the poultry farmer should be focused on the young shoots.

Video - Oryol chickens. Is it worth starting?

Content:

Not only specialists from abroad, but also domestic poultry farmers can boast of achievements in breeding work on new breeds of chickens. They bred a large number of new breeds with a rich history, which also gained worldwide fame. These birds have a number of advantages compared to their foreign counterparts. They are perfectly adapted to exist in the harsh climatic conditions of our homeland. The Oryol calico belongs to these breeds.

Breeding history

Today it is difficult to say at what time the formation of the breed occurred. According to some historians, this was done by Count Orlov-Chesmensky. Chickens, with their majestic stature, quickly became everyone's favorite. They were bred everywhere from landowners to ordinary peasants. The greatest peak of fame occurred at the end of the 19th century, when Orlov residents were taken to Europe, where they distinguished themselves by high productivity results at agricultural exhibitions. The standard for the Oryol breed was established in 1914.

Since the import of foreign chicken breeds into Russia, the Oryol chicken breed began to lose its position and soon became an exotic local bird. Finding a purebred chicken in the early 20th century was almost impossible.

After the Patriotic War ended, a decision was made to revive the Oryol breed. Crossbreeds of Oryol chickens were collected, which best met the standard of description, and then they managed to obtain several purebred individuals from German specialists. The result was almost restored Orlovites, which corresponded to the pre-revolutionary description.

What do birds look like?

The Oryol calico is distinguished by its tall stature, well-developed muscles and strong bones. The cervical region is long with lush plumage. The head in appearance resembles the profile of a bird of prey. Eye color is orange-red, maybe amber. The beak is short, strongly curved towards the end, and colored yellow. The ridge with small tubercles is located low in front of the forehead, almost descending to the nostrils.

The neck at the top is decorated with rising feathers that resemble a scruff. Feathers also grow on the face, giving rise to sideburns and a beard. It should be wedge shaped. Thanks to the lush feathers, the head takes on the appearance of a ball.

Roosters have a short, wide body. The dorsum is flat, short, with a sharp decline towards the tail. The shoulders protrude and are clearly visible. The wings are of medium length and fit tightly to the body. The tail is of moderate length, the braids are rounded and not too long. The chest is well developed with proper musculature. She steps forward a little. Birds have dense, shiny plumage.

Oryol chickens are almost identical in description to roosters, but there are several distinctive features. Laying hens have a longer and narrower body and a less developed comb. But the feathers on the head are more magnificent.

The breed is distinguished by a number of colors in addition to the main one:

• calico;
• mahogany;
• red-black;
• motley;
• black;
• white;
• black and motley.

German experts developed a dwarf form of Oryol chickens.

The most common chickens are calico colored.

Productive qualities

The Oryol breed is considered a meat-egg breed. A young rooster gains weight up to 3.5 kg, and a hen - up to 3.0 kg. Birds continue to grow even after they reach one year of age. An adult male weighs 4.5 kg, and a chicken weighs 3.5 kg. The breed is a late-ripening breed; hens lay their first eggs when they reach the age of 8 months. In the first 365 days, you can get about 180 eggs from one bird, then this figure drops to 150. The eggs are large in size and can weigh about 60 grams. The shell is dense and can be light cream or white.

Subtleties of content

Oryol chickens need very comfortable living conditions, only in this case they will show their maximum productivity.

The bird is perfectly adapted to the conditions of the middle zone and can survive the cold. However, even in this case, a warm chicken coop is erected for the Oryol breed for a more comfortable living for the flock.

Before putting chickens indoors, you need to remember that they have a quarrelsome, aggressive character. They cannot be kept together with other representatives of the poultry yard. If this cannot be avoided, then the enclosure is divided into parts by partitions or the birds are transplanted into cages. Despite the fact that Oryol birds enjoy being in a walking yard, they can be kept in a cage method.

How to feed

The Oryol breed is quite unpretentious in terms of food supply, and therefore there is no special diet for them. Chickens can be given:

• feed suitable for poultry. This food is perfectly balanced in its composition;
• mixtures of grains, which can be either purchased in a store or prepared with your own hands - mix wheat and barley grains, which account for 30%, sunflower, millet - 5%, corn - up to 10%;
• wet mash of boiled potatoes, adding fish waste and bone meal.

You can diversify your diet with the following components:

• unrefined buckwheat;
• oat grain;
• green mass in the summer months;
• meal and cakes;
• roots.

What you need to know about breeding

There are certain difficulties with purchasing the Oryol breed. The bird shows good productivity, but industrial farms do not breed it. You can find purebred representatives only in private farmsteads.

Any farmer who decides to start breeding Orlovts needs to know that raising young animals is not so easy. Chickens are tender and require constant care. The young grow slowly, and feather growth also occurs. The survival rate of chickens will directly depend on how closely the owner looks after his pets.

What are the criteria for culling?

A bird is not allowed for breeding if it has the following signs:

• growth failure;
• back with a hump;
• spindle-shaped body with a horizontal position;
• underweight;
• the sternum and back are narrow;
• excessive beak length;
• feathers do not grow well on the head;
• any color of the beak with metatarsals other than the standard one;
• presence of a black beard;
• brown-red color;
• feathers grow on the metatarsus and toes.

About the advantages and disadvantages.

Not only foreign breeders achieved good results in breeding new productive breeds of chickens. There are representatives of the chicken family of Russian origin, which have a rich history and are highly appreciated throughout the world. These birds always have an advantage over foreign roosters and hens due to their good adaptation to the harsh climatic conditions of our country. One of these breeds is Oryol calico chickens.

Origin

It is not known exactly where and when the Oryol chickens originated. Some historians suggest that Count A.G. Orlov-Chesmensky was involved in their breeding in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. These majestic birds very quickly gained favor in various circles of Russian society. They were readily bred by merchants and artisans, landowners and simple peasants almost everywhere in the Eastern European part of Russia. The Oryol breed of chickens achieved its greatest recognition in the 70-80s of the 19th century. At this time, they began to export it from Russia to European countries, where it showed excellent results at chicken exhibitions. In 1914, the Russian Imperial Poultry Society set a standard for Oryol chickens.

The end of the 19th century brought fashion for foreign breeds of chickens to Russia, and gradually Oryol chickens became less and less common on poultry farms, turning into an exotic rarity. In the first half of the 20th century, representatives of this breed were almost impossible to find.

It was only after the end of the war in the 50s that several fanciers decided to revive the ancient Russian chicken breed. On their own farms, poultry farmers Babushkin and Vinokurov selected individuals that best met the description of this breed from a cross between Oryol chickens and local chickens. A decisive role in restoring the appearance of the Oryol chickens was played by Vinokurov’s acquisition in 1974 of several purebred chickens brought from Germany. Selection work continued for almost forty years. As a result, the breed was practically restored in the form the descriptions of which had been preserved since pre-revolutionary times.

Description of the breed

Oryol calico chickens are large, very tall (at least 60 cm) birds with well-developed muscles and strong bones. They have a long neck, richly feathered. The predatory head makes the roosters look like an owl or a falcon; the overall impression is complemented by deep-set eyes under strongly overhanging brow ridges and a hooked beak. The eyes are red-orange or amber in color. The beak is thick and short, massive at the base, strongly curved, yellow in color. In the ancient breed, birds with a characteristic “cleft” were selected. The scallop resembles a raspberry flattened and cut in half along the long axis, all covered with small tubercles. It is located very low, on the front of the forehead, almost running over the nostrils.

The neck at the top has a characteristic decoration - the feathers rise in the form of a scruff. The face is also almost completely hidden under the bristling feathers that form the sideburns and beard. The beard should be wedge-shaped or have a slightly drooping throat fold. The lush decoration gives the bird's head a spherical appearance.

Roosters have a short and wide body, rising in front. The back is flat and short, sharply lowering and tapering towards the tail. The shoulders are straight, wide, protruding forward. The wings are wide, tightly fitting to the body, and of medium length. The tail is of moderate length, full, set at a right angle to the back line. The tail braids are narrow, not very long, well rounded. The upper braids are slightly raised above the rest of the tail feathers.

Males of this breed have well-developed and muscular chests. She bulges forward slightly. Belly tucked. The tibia and metatarsus are long, thick, and well defined. The plumage is dense, with a glossy sheen, tightly fitting to the body.

The description of Oryol chickens almost coincides with the description of the appearance of roosters. The differences lie in gender. Chickens have a longer and narrower body. The tail is not set as straight in relation to the back. The scallop is very poorly developed. The feather decoration of the head is more magnificent.

Depending on the main color of the plumage, several subspecies of Oryol chickens are distinguished: calico, scarlet, mahogany, black-red, variegated, white, black and black-and-white. Oryol dwarf chickens were also bred in Germany.

Calico colors among representatives of this breed are the most common, so we will consider them in more detail. The photo shows how colorful and original the calico chickens of the Oryol breed look.

Roosters are colored mainly from light brown to reddish-clay color. The legs, chest and belly are covered with black plumage with sparse white spots. The flight feathers are brown on one side and black on the other. All have white endings. The appearance of 3-4 white flight feathers of the first order is acceptable. On the wing there is a black stripe with a greenish tint (mirror). The tail is black and the pigtails have a thin white border. A small amount of white feathers in the upper tail braids is allowed.

The basic color of hens is the same as that of cockerels, but several shades lighter. The white spots are large, located over the entire surface of the body, outlined by very thin black stripes.

Breed deficiencies that lead to culling of calico chickens:

• Small stature;
• Humpback;
• Narrow, spindle-like, horizontal body;
• Underweight;
• Narrow chest or back;
• Straight, long and thin beak;
• Poorly developed head plumage;
• Different color of beak and metatarsus;
• Black beard;
• The main color is dark red-brown;
• Residual feathering on toes and metatarsals.

Productivity characteristics

In terms of productivity, Oryol chickens belong to the meat and egg category.

Young cockerels grow up to 3-3.5 kg of live weight, and hens - 2.5-3.0 kg. Growth continues after a year and in adulthood, roosters can reach 4.5 kg, and mature chickens - 3.5 kg of live weight.

Hens mature late and begin laying eggs at the age of 7-8 months. Egg production in the first year is up to 180 eggs, in the second and subsequent years it decreases to 150. The eggs are quite large, approximately 58-60 g. The shell is dense, from light cream to white-pink. Calico hens have light pink eggs.

It is impossible not to note the advantages and disadvantages characteristic of this breed.

Advantages:

• External beauty and decorativeness of the bird;
• High meat productivity;
• Excellent taste of meat products.

Flaws:

• Low egg production;
• Late maturation of pullets;
• Raising young animals is quite difficult, because chickens grow slowly and feather poorly.

Like any bird, representatives of the Oryol breed should be provided with the most comfortable living conditions in order to obtain an appropriate return on their productivity.

These birds are well adapted to Russian cold weather and can easily tolerate it. But it’s still worth taking care of an insulated chicken coop, where the hens and cockerels will feel much more comfortable and comfortable.

When placing representatives of this breed, the poultry farmer should take into account the rather pugnacious and aggressive nature of the Orlovtsy. They should not be kept in the same room as other chickens. If there is a need to combine the residence of several breeds in one room, you should divide it into aviaries or switch to cage keeping of birds. Although representatives of the Oryol breed love long walks, and this has a beneficial effect on the health of the bird, keeping them in cages is also possible.

When equipping a chicken coop, you should provide feeders and drinkers for Oryol calico hens, adapted for their small and curved beaks.

Feeding

Representatives of the Oryol breed are quite unpretentious and undemanding to the food offered. The diet should be as varied as possible, including root vegetables, whole and crushed grains of various types, boiled potatoes, dairy products, kitchen waste, garden waste. You can use ready-made industrial feed and feed mixtures.

The constant presence of mineral supplements, fine gravel and sand in a separate feeder is very beneficial for the bird. Water should always be available to the bird. Make sure that it does not stagnate in the drinking bowls. Clean and disinfect coop equipment regularly to prevent infections.

Breeding

It is quite difficult to acquire representatives of this breed. Despite good meat productivity indicators, Oryol chickens are not bred industrially. These beauties can only be found among amateur poultry farmers and special breeding collections that preserve genetic material.

Having decided to have this rare exotic bird on his farm, the farmer must prepare for certain difficulties that accompany the process of raising young animals. Orlovtsev chickens are very delicate and require constant care and attention. They grow slowly and also fledge slowly, so the survival rate of the young depends on the attention of the poultry farmer and can be very low.

Despite the many difficulties that await a farmer on the path of breeding an ancient Russian breed, Oryol calico chickens can become a true decoration of your poultry farm, a real reason for pride.