Friday, June 20, 2014

Broodiness in the Orloff

     "Broodiness" is the natural instinct of chicken hens and other female poultry to incubate and hatch their own eggs. Although this instinct is very pronounced in the wild species of Junglefowl (the original, undomesticated chickens) and also in many domesticated breeds, it has been occasionally selected against in certain breeds, such as many of the Mediterranean breeds like the Leghorn and Minorca, which, save in rare circumstances, never exhibit that God-given instinct of motherhood.

     Orloffs in America are known for a number of things, but one thing they don't seem to be known for is broodiness. I personally believe that this is a shame, and may reflect either pollution of bloodlines or unwise selection against this trait. Orloffs have in their pedigree at least one type of Malayoid chicken--whether an actual Malay chicken as we know them today, or an obscure local bird resembling Malayoid birds, or even possibly random crosses of fighting Malayoids from the cockfighting days. Orloffs have the Malayoid stance (i.e. upright body posture and lower tail angle in comparison with body) and even a "Malayoid" comb (the strawberry/walnut comb is often associated specifically with the Malay breed of chicken). With such pronounced Malayoid characteristics, it stands to reason that the Orloff should have one more characteristic so wonderfully pervasive among nearly all Malayoid chickens: broodiness.

     Malayoid chickens are known for being zealous broodies and wonderful mothers. Among the Malayoid breeds exhibiting this trait are the Aseel, the Shamo, the Thai, the Burmese, the Malay, and the Satsumadori. Since the Orloff obviously has some sort of Malayoid in its ancestry, it ought also to be bred for broodiness.

     Even if the Orloff did not have Malayoid blood, I believe it would still be wise to selectively breed for broodiness. It is generally more economical, reliable, and, of course, natural to have a broody hen incubate, hatch, and raise chicks instead of buying a costly, possibly unreliable incubator and then having to spend even more time personally raising the chicks yourself. Broodiness is a natural, practical trait that ought to be selectively bred for in most--if not all--homestead breeds like the Orloff.