Lavender Orpington project ....

[HallFamilyFarm]

A picture is worth a thousand words.

Lowes Home Improvement has this available for about $8-10. We take a lamp kit from WalMart and install the lamp kit in the center of the tote lid. With an "L" bracket we install the thermostat in the corner of the lid. Both wires of the lamp cord connect to the lamp. Where the lamp cord passes the thermostat, you slit one wire and cut it. This attaches to the thermostat. So one wire attaches to the thermostat and the other stays intact. The thermostat screws/wires should be covered with tape as an electrical shock hazard exists (ask my wife).

In the brooder house, the thermostat is installed in an extension cord and about 6" above the floor. Then you can plug several brooder bulb kits into the extension cord. We also leave a "night light" on at all times in all of our brooders.

Hope this helps explain everything.

Or you can send us $50 and we will acquire the parts, install the thermostat and mail it to you.....

http://www.lowes.com/pd_26359-135-6...r+tank+thermostat&pl=1&currentURL=&facetInfo=

 

[cowchick11]

Hallfamilyfarms- does the thermostat act as a breaker and turn the light off when the max temp is reached?

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

Yes. We have had no issues with this type unit. Just be certain its this type pictured. We bought one a bit different and the lowest temp was 110.

 

[Sharon2012]

And the light automatically comes on when it cools off?

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

And the light automatically comes on when it cools off?

Yep!

We normally have the brooder set at 90. It comes on at about 88 and goes off at 92. Not the most accurate and I would not use them in an incubator (as they have been advertised on eBay). But in a brooder they are fine. We have some juveniles in the brooder house that late at night theirs come on. Daytime it stays off.

 

[Sharon2012]

3 things-- My babies pecked at a purple hull pea hull today at 4 weeks and one day old. They didn't act like it was a bomb either!
2 is a question-- two of my chicks have white beaks and one has a dark colored one. What mix can cause this difference?
3 one of the babies has a dark pink wattle and comb while the other two only have light pink combs? Does this indicate gender?

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

3 things-- My babies pecked at a purple hull pea hull today at 4 weeks and one day old. They didn't act like it was a bomb either!
2 is a question-- two of my chicks have white beaks and one has a dark colored one. What mix can cause this difference?
3 one of the babies has a dark pink wattle and comb while the other two only have light pink combs? Does this indicate gender?

At this age many changes can still happen. Just be patient.

The dark pink are most likely cockerels.

 

[KristinMarie]

What birds were used to begin the lavender orphington gene? The original parent breeds or colorations? Does anyone know what a buff orphington and a blue or splash orphington cross would result in? Why are the lavenders all crossed with blacks to carry on the next generation if lavenders breed true and you are working to better the genes? Is it to better genes other than coloration? I'm sorry for asking so many questions but I am really interested! I have a flock of buffs right now and have fallen in love with the lavender coloration. Being a biology grad student, I would be really interested in the genetics behind the crosses. Because they are project birds I'm not sure where a reliable source would be to obtain lavenders so have been wondering if it originated with blues. Thanks ahead of time!

 

[Sharon2012]

While I was at work my significant other decided to build a bigger area for my babies. What I came home and found looks like a playpen with a shed over part of it. Question is will it keep them safe from predators or should I stick them back in the cage until I can get wire over the top of it?

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

What birds were used to begin the lavender orphington gene? The original parent breeds or colorations? Does anyone know what a buff orphington and a blue or splash orphington cross would result in? Why are the lavenders all crossed with blacks to carry on the next generation if lavenders breed true and you are working to better the genes? Is it to better genes other than coloration? I'm sorry for asking so many questions but I am really interested! I have a flock of buffs right now and have fallen in love with the lavender coloration. Being a biology grad student, I would be really interested in the genetics behind the crosses. Because they are project birds I'm not sure where a reliable source would be to obtain lavenders so have been wondering if it originated with blues. Thanks ahead of time!

There is a thread about crossing the Buff with a Black type bird at https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/578080/buff-black-orpington-cross with photos.

The Standard of perfection refers to the lavender color as Self Blue.

The first Self Blue/Lavender was a different breed. Each generation we get closer to the Orpington type in the Lavender gene birds. Generation #1 is a Lav to a Black. the #2 generation is a Split. Appears Black but is carrying the lavender gene. Breeding the Splits gives us some Lavenders. However, they type is wrong. You could continue to breed pure Lavenders, but would not be Orpington. Every other generation we breed back to a Black Orpington to work on type.

Build the barn. Paint the barn. Rebuild the barn. Repaint the barn. Rebuild the barn. Repaint the barn.

It is a cycle. Many of the breeders of Self Blue Old english and other breeds still breed back to Black every few generations to help with various issues that the lavender gene causes, like feather quality. Many of us are very close. Spoke with Charile of Hincjc Mountain the other day. He feels they have arrived. Our Self Blue Orpingtons are extreemly similiar to our Buff, Black and White of the same age. At a 200 bird show last fall, our Split Orpington hen won Best of variety and reserve Breed against our entire flock of Orpingtons.