Hamptons Chick featured as National Cover Girl.

Our Alaska State Fair-Palmer Division Champion hen, Walburga, is now a cover girl for the national magazine Backyard Poultry.

Walburga exhibits the blue phase of the blue-black-splash Orphingon breed.  Even though she is blue, her chicks can be any combination of the color phases.  The cover photo was taken at the Alaska Hamptons by Dorene M. Lorenz when Walburga was just a pullet, around five months old.

Two additional photos of Walburga were featured in the companion article, "Cook"ing up the Orphintons, a history of this rare breed written by Alaska Hamptons owner Dorene M. Lorenz.

Walburga was bred by Tori Yancy at the Sterling Meadows Hatchery in Sterling Alaska.  Tori's breeding program features rare heritage breed poultry, Walburga's sire is a beautiful blue rooster named Bob who took honors twice at the Alaska State Fair in Ninilchik.

Walbuga New Division Champion at Alaska State Fair

Walburga Ready for the Ring

Walburga is from Sterling Meadows Hatchery and resides at the Seward Alaska Hamptons, where she rules the roost. Casmir Lorenz and Taylor Quales raised Walburga.

We are showing Walburga as a Blue Black Splash Orpington Pullet in the Alaska State Fair in Palmer. You can view her at the Poultry Barn August 26-31.

Orpingtons were developed in England at the town of Orpington in County Kent in 1886 by William Cook. They were brought to America in the 1890s.

They tend to be smarter than other breeds, some Orpingtons have learned tricks and they usually come when their name is called. Orpingtons are a highly docile bird and are suitable for families with small children.

The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy lists the Orpington as "recovering."