Lavender Orpingtons

[17 chickens]

I am getting my new chick order ready for my new layers and I have come across the Lavender Orpington and wanting a couple really bad. I am realistic with my hard earned money and can not justify paying $20.00 per bird plus shipping for a chicken. Does anyone know of a breeder or a hatchery that offers them for a lesser price? I raise chickens for eggs and already have over 100 and getting another 100 the first of the year even though they are our money makers they also are our pets and will retire here with a good life.
Please let me know your thoughts and Info?

 

[sylviethecochin]

http://www.chickenscratchpoultry.com/lavender_orpington

A minimum order of 16 straight run chicks for $12 each is no bargain, but it seems to be the best you'll find. I ran into these people when I was window-shopping for silver-laced orps.

 

[17 chickens]

I have seen that on the hatchery site $12.00 per chicken strait run with a min. That is crazy! I have to be realistic with the dollars and with a huge order of chicks every dollar counts when you sell eggs for a living!
I don't do roosters cause our grandson is little and don't want to risk him getting attacked.

 

[sylviethecochin]

I was going to say you might buy a single rooster and start a breeding program with one or two hens, if you have time and space (chicken math, bwah-ha-ha) , but yes, I see why you wouldn't want to do that. Rules out hatching eggs too, hunh? Ouch.

 

[17 chickens]

Yeah, I could get a few and breed to get the cost back by selling the chicks. I wouldn't charge an outrageous price for them like everyone else... Something to think about and ponder in my brain. I am very protective of my chickens and If anyone owns chickens who come to our farm has to wear shoe covers and can not touch our birds or go in pens and yards.

 

[Mountain Man 60]

I am getting my new chick order ready for my new layers and I have come across the Lavender Orpington and wanting a couple really bad. I am realistic with my hard earned money and can not justify paying $20.00 per bird plus shipping for a chicken. Does anyone know of a breeder or a hatchery that offers them for a lesser price? I raise chickens for eggs and already have over 100 and getting another 100 the first of the year even though they are our money makers they also are our pets and will retire here with a good life.
Please let me know your thoughts and Info?

 

[Mountain Man 60]

Breeding Lav Orps is not easy thus the price. Their large bodies and fluffy feathers lead to difficulty in mating success so less fertile eggs. Some feather trimming and candling may result in better hatches but it is more difficult than standard buff orps due to size and feather structure.

 

[troub]

I'm sorry if this isn't the right thread, but am hoping someone can answer a question for me. I was able to buy a lavender orp. Hen pullet on two occassions but sadly lost both. The second was to replace the first girl I lost. All my other girls were and are healthy from other breeds, but I suspect the two I lost was from marek disease. The second one had the marek vaccine, but the first didn't. Same breeder but a couple years apart. Are lavenders more susceptable to mareks disease than other breeds? I am wanting to try again, but haven't yet gotten the heart to be able to cull and don't want to see another go through that. If they are more susceptable than other breeds, I will probably not get one since the illness from my understanding lingers and I don't want to risk it. I have a mixed flock for 7 years now and all my girls are healthy and happy (spoiled).