Orpington chickens have lived on One Sky Ranch since 1992. We started out with Buff Orpington chickens and then moved to the blacks and blues in the mid to late 90s. Back then there was no such thing as a splash Orpington. The crosses it took to get blue were white, or black. Today you no longer see the white Orpingtons in the blue breeding programs, they are mostly splashes bred to blacks to get 100% blue offspring. Needless to say, I have allot of splash Orpingtons.

My flock is a 50% mix of UK and US blood. The rooster that was the base of this flock was a black rooster who came to the US around 2008, in one of the first shipments of such. I then acquired eggs from the original owner of this rooster and the rest is history. My birds are very large. Some are to large for show. I raise my birds for meat, and eggs, there for a large bird with lots of fluff is of benefit to me. I only show on occasion these days, there for more function and less fashion is important to me. Most of my birds however would show rather well.

Hens are never culled. They never leave the farm. When a hen stops laying well or gets to old for the breeding programs, she is then given a new job, that of mother. These Orpington hens will raise just about anything. They earn their keep in retirement by keeping chicks out of the brooder house and on good pasture and sunshine where they can develop naturally, and with better health.

The below is a hen waiting for her brood to come out of the incubator. She will then raise them to adulthood. That wonderful Orpington fluff means each hen can care for and keep warm more chicks then other breeds her size.

 

 Everyone has a job here on the farm. When they don't, that's when they are culled. Another reason that the Orpington chicken is so valuable here on the farm is that they make wonderful table birds. The males can even be held over the winter to watch development, and then culled at an older age with nice tender meat. Most breeds will be very tough if held that long, not the Orpington. The hens lay a nice sized medium to large tinted to brown egg. They are not egg production birds, however do lay well enough we have a nice supply from a few hens year round.

We select for usefulness first, then type, then color.

I do ship hatching eggs in the early spring when my incubators are full. Please contact me for availability. Eggs are 45.00 a dozen with shipping and insurance.

Butchered chickens are on a first come first serve basis only. If you want a capon in the fall, please reserve it in the spring. I only caponize what I will use unless someone reserves a capon. Caponizing must take place when the bird is very young, there for early requests are necessary.

Fryers are 10.00, Capons are 25.00 (shipping not included)

If you live in the Des Moines or Omaha area you would be better off to come pick up your bird in person.

Table eggs are available most of the year. They are normally not fertile, and have been refrigerated. They are from a free range flock that has had no GMO or chemically produced feeds. Free range chicken eggs are 5.00 a dozen. I will ship. Shipping of two 18 count and one 12 count carton is 12.00 for shipping, .70cents for tracking and 3.00 for insurance. Total price for a box of table eggs that contains 48 eggs is 35.70

Please click to enlarge the photos of our flock

        

 

 

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