They are just as gorgeous as their name sounds, the lovely Lavender Orpington is the perfect backyard chicken. Here's everything you need to know about the "Lav."
The Lavender Orpington chicken is truly, very, breathtaking — just one look at this insanely pretty bird will have you falling in love with the breed. Lavender Orpingtons, a.k.a. Self-Blues, are a chicken breed famous for their awe-striking color: they exhibit a silvery-blue/light slate-blue, gray color that has a violet shimmer. I mean, it's a purple chicken — there simply isn't a better chicken to look at! Their beautiful lavender color makes the Self-Blue highly sought after by chicken fanciers everywhere. And not to mention, they are extremely rare!
Lavender Orpingtons share the same bloodline as the Orpington breed, a large chicken originally bred to be a dual-purpose bird. The most well-known Orpington chicken, or "Orps," is the beloved Buff Orpington.
The Orpington breed originated from England. These English chickens were first developed in the 1800s by William Cook, who named the breed after his hometown of Orpington, Kent. The first Orp ever was a Black Orpington, with Cook quickly developing other color variations, including the United States' favorite: the Buff Orpington.
Appearance of Lavender Orpingtons
Categorized as a "Designer Chicken," the Self-Blue is a relatively new variety of the Orpington fam — other than their beautiful lavender-silver-blue-gray color, these remarkably pretty birds have single combs that are red, along with wattles and earlobes that are also red.
These "Lavs" are just so incredibly fluffy and oh-so-cute! Yes, true to the Orpington chicken breed, Lavender Orpingtons have a lot of hair — so much so that the plethora of thick feathering on Lavender Orpingtons can make them look larger than they actually are. They are cold-hardy chickens with an upright stance and a full, fluffy plumage.
Temperament
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Other than their incredibly gorge shimmery violet coloring, Lavender Orpingtons are very good-natured. These egg layers are super docile and calm — making them excellent pets for children and one of the best options for your chicken flock! Even the Lav Orpington roosters are calm. Unfortunately, this chill nature makes these friendly chickens often land at the lower end of the pecking order.
They love to forage, and are considered to be good foragers among the flock in the chicken coop. Often described as "lap chickens", the quiet Lavender Orpington is a truly superb bird that can be broody at times — this broodiness makes them wonderful mothers and great for hatching eggs. Be ready to welcome some adorable baby chicks!
Do you find the striking Lavender Orpington as cute as we do? Let us know in on our Wide Open Pets Facebook!
