Our Chickens

We have a variety of chickens on the farm, some we have been given, some ex battery hens, we also have some specific breeds, here is some information on some of our breeds.

The Vorwerk is a breed of chicken originating in Hamberg, Germany by Oskar Vorwerk. In 1902 he set out to create a fowl that was more useful than the Lakenvelder, replacing the white with buff so it would not show the dirt and creating a bird for smallholders for utility: a bird that would provide a good number of eggs with a good feed to egg ratio as well as meat for the table when required. Though it is unrelated to the German company which produces the Vorwerk vacuum cleaner, it is the only chicken to share its name with a brand of household appliance. A rare fowl, it has distinctive black-and-gold plumage.

The Orpington is a British breed of chicken. It was bred in the late nineteenth century by William Cook of Orpington, Kent, in south-east England. It was intended to be a dual-purpose breed, to be reared both for eggs and for meat, but soon became exclusively a show bird. Buff Orpingtons are heavy, large broad body. Plumage is fluffed out feathers and a curvy, short back. Orpingtons come in two sizes of large fowl and bantam.