Russian Orloffs

[Rare Feathers Farm]

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I tried for years to hatch them out and finally gave up. They were always clear so I finally just bought chicks and/or adults. I did successfully hatch out some bantams last summer. So I have now have both bantams & standards. I'll have some eggs this spring.

 

[furryloo]

For those who can't hatch eggs, do you only have one roo? I was only going to keep one, but now I wonder if I should keep two.

Thank you for the link to the Preservation Society, I just joined it.

Also, I have never done this and I am researching it now, but can Orloffs be sexed? And how is it done?

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

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I have two roosters....a main breeder and a back up. I have extra roosters of almost every breed in a bachelor roo pen. Just in case.

Orloffs can be vent sexed just like any other chick. Otherwise, it does take a while to feather sex them since they pretty much have no comb or wattles. It took my hens about 8 months or so to start to lay and my older rooster was 7 months before he began to crow.

 

[Wolfwoman]

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I have two roosters....a main breeder and a back up. I have extra roosters of almost every breed in a bachelor roo pen. Just in case.

Orloffs can be vent sexed just like any other chick. Otherwise, it does take a while to feather sex them since they pretty much have no comb or wattles. It took my hens about 8 months or so to start to lay and my older rooster was 7 months before he began to crow.

I can't WAIT til you have eggs!

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Quote:
I have two roosters....a main breeder and a back up. I have extra roosters of almost every breed in a bachelor roo pen. Just in case.

Orloffs can be vent sexed just like any other chick. Otherwise, it does take a while to feather sex them since they pretty much have no comb or wattles. It took my hens about 8 months or so to start to lay and my older rooster was 7 months before he began to crow.

I can't WAIT til you have eggs!

I'll be moving my rooster into the breeding pen probably next week....and then I'll need a "tester."

 

[wingsofglory]

What size egg do the LF lay? Medium, or smallish medium, or large?

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

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I would say between a medium and large egg. They lay through the coldest of winter but do drop off dramatically after the first year. And they do take 8+ months to reach the point of lay.

 

[wingsofglory]

Thank you for their egg size.

I really like their look, beautiful birds. No combs, wattles. Cold hardy for here in Alaska. This thread has been very interesting.

I actually moved to Hawaii five years ago, one of the reasons was for raising chickens from breeders. I had hatchery birds for five years in Alaska and they were beginning to hurt my eyes. Was I ever surprised when I contacted a breeder of blue Ameraucana and learned no one ships birds to Hawaii because of all the permits and paperwork required from the state of Hawaii, except Ideal hatchery. What a disappointment. I was on a coffee farm south of Kona and perfect fields for chickens. In fact, chickens were wild everywhere - descendents from cockfighting. When I inquired at the feed store - standing in front of 20 or more kinds of gamefowl feedbags and one choice of layer - and asked the elderly lady about chicks other than RIRed, she replied "You mean fancy chicks? We don't need no stinking fancy chickens here!!" Ironic because the cocks come in the most amazing variations of color. They stake them out, one to a barrel or individual aframe house on the lawn. A yard can have twenty or more roosters staked out like this. Now am back home here at my house in Alaska. Was AngelinainAK on BYC board five years ago.

Would like the Orloff for a prettier broody and to just to enjoy looking at. Am starting over here with chickens this spring and have my coop already built from before and lots of room. But being pickier in what I'll be raising this time. Blue Ameraucana for sure but I don't need an entire fridge full of eggs this time. I live way out in the countryside and people won't come pick up eggs, I know from before, even though they say they will.

 

[Wolfwoman]

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I can't WAIT til you have eggs!

I'll be moving my rooster into the breeding pen probably next week....and then I'll need a "tester."

 

[furryloo]

Just to be clear, what color are their eggs? Brown or white? I have a shipment of chicks coming to me and they said they lay brown eggs. But others say white eggs? I am starting to think they might be a speckled sussex cross and not the true spangled orloff. Won't really know until they are here. If that is the case, I will add them to my egg laying flock.

I am also getting fertile hatching eggs from this breeder (http://sites.google.com/site/tinstarheritagefarm/orloff-chickens). I am very excited about them! I just need to learn how to vent sex them (any links or videos on this?). I also will need another reputable breeder that has a different genetic line from Tinstar Farm. Any recommendations?