BO Roo

[crealbilly]

I have a hatchery Buff Orpington Roo with several white feathers on his back. I assumed there was a bit of White Orpington crossed somewhere along the the way - is this correct? Probably best not to breed him if i want to stay closer to the buff color - correct?

 

[PeepersMama]

If he's a hatchery bird, don't breed him. White feathers are just a major defect in a hatchery bird; my BO boy had black speckles in his tail, and white feathers. If you're going to breed buffies, spend some money on good quality birds. Hatchery quality birds are a hindrance to the breed; they aren't selected to the standard of perfection. Show quality orps are huge, beautiful, enormously fluffy birds.They stand nearly twice as tall as a hatchery orpington, no matter what variety it is, and (in my experience) have way friendlier temperaments consistantly, whereas a hatchery buff can have all kinds of dipositions, from really friendly, to "Run away, the human is evil!!!"
Don't buy orps from just anyone. A lot of people breed them because they are a popular breed, and tend to be good layers. Make sure that the breeder is a member of the American Poultry Association.