This week let's take a look at the Jubilee Orpington. What an impressive bird, just about says it all!! This massive bird looks as though it is a cross between a chicken and a beach ball. The Jubilee Orpington is the largest of all the Orpington breeds. They're very rare in the US and an import from Britain just a couple of years ago. The Jubilee coloring is a deep Mahogany with an over lay of flecks of white, black and undertones of Emerald green. The coloring of this magnificent bird is described in the Smithsonian Magazine as "The spring time sun melting the snow from a winter hillside."
The Jubilee roosters are gentle giants, non aggressive, docile birds. A fence of only 18 inches high would be sufficient to keep this flightless bird penned in. The roosters are enormous with a very wide breast, I bet if I measured the breast of our roosters they would be 12 inches wide or wider.
The hens are a very quite bird, not sure I ever hear much sound out of them. They are great layers and will produce an egg every day. Our winter has been very extreme this year and it did cause them to stop laying for awhile but that is very normal for all of our birds. I can honestly say they're our best egg producer on the farm. They lay a large pinkish cream colored egg and the hens are non broody. Our hens aren't fond of the laying boxes we have at this time and have never put on egg in the box. I think they're needing a bigger box to accommodate their roundness. The Jubilee hens are very round and robust, they have that nice big fanny I like to see on my hens. Have I mentioned I like big butts on my birds? They tolerate cold weather just as well as the hot summers.
The Jubilee Orpington chicks when hatched are a buttercup yellow but within just a couple of weeks time begin to sprout their color, it takes a Jubilee over a year to fully color out.
These gentle birds make great pets and are good with children.
Doesn't your farm or backyard need some Jubilation!
Have a blessed Weekend.
Angie
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