Here's two images from my upcoming sets; Chickens and Chicken Coop. These two images (mostly) show the Orpington breed. The Orpington was bred in 1886 by William Cook of Orpington, Kent, in south-east England. The original Orpington was black in color and was created by crossing Minorcas, Langshan and Plymouth Rock breeds to create a new hybrid bird. He reason for selecting the black bird was that would exhibit well-- hiding the dirt and soot of London. When the breed was shown in Madison Square Gardens in 1895, its popularity soared. They can lay about 175 to 200 medium to large light-brown eggs a year, but were once capable of laying as many as 340. The decline in egg production was due to breed selecting for looks over egg-laying abilities. The Orpington was intended to be a dual-purpose breed, to be reared both for eggs and for meat, but soon became exclusively a show bird. There are two similar but different standards for Orpingtons. These standards were set by the Poultry Club of Great Britain. The bird should be heavy, have a broad body with a low stance. Its feathers are fluffed-out, making it appear even larger. The down from the body covers most of the legs. Other characteristics of the Orpingtons include a curvy shape with a short back and U-shaped underline, and a small head with a medium single comb. Its original colors were black, white, buff, blue and splash. Today, the Buff color is the most common (and the color I chose for representing this breed).