The IMPORTED ENGLISH Orpington Thread

[Faraday40]

Today I got TWO orp eggs.

Ooops. Look what's in our living room.
In September I said it was my last hatch of the year. It's now 2021, so I kept my word. LOL

I think today's eggs came from Darling (lav) and Stormy (blue SLO). I set up the incubator last night and with the help of @homeschoolin momma I've got 7 orp eggs in there now.

Neither of us have the chickens separated into breeding groups but my laced seem to prefer hanging with each other. Awesome (the SLO) is the top rooster so Darling's eggs could end up hatching out black orps.

 

[Faraday40]

In other news, we had a visitor last night. Anyone know what it was?

It spent a lot of time walking around the coop & entire backyard.

 

[no fly zone]

In other news, we had a visitor last night. Anyone know what it was?

View attachment 2474130View attachment 2474133

It spent a lot of time walking around the coop & entire backyard.
View attachment 2474134

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...FjAAegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw1tVqZofgQ14S_-qfLiMlBD

 

[Faraday40]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.life.illinois.edu/ib/462/Field%20Guide%20to%20Illinois%20Mammal%20Tracks.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjwhLG684DuAhWytlkKHUYRCYwQFjAAegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw1tVqZofgQ14S_-qfLiMlBD

Thank you.

Still hard to say. I'm thinking/hoping squirrel. The pattern of its gait looks like a squirrel. We have many squirrels & it could have had a little morning run around the backyard. It would be a very large squirrel, though!!!

My neighbors feed them. Truly, they FEED them. One house buys a lot of seed and they love to watch the birds, chipmunks and squirrels. Sadly I feel it causes more hawks to visit, but thankfully the hawks were very afraid of the giant protective turkeys this year. (and my orps are too big to be carried off) My new next door neighbors put out veggie scraps. When the chickens were free ranging, I know they got plenty of treats. (Actually, I have 4 different neighbors that enjoy feeding my chickens.) However, now that my flock is cooped up for the winter, those kitchen scraps are being left out for the wildlife.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Just wanted to share an updated photo of my only Orpington, Lacey! Posted her here a few months back. She is now 6 1/2 months old POL, expect an egg any day! She has the sweetest personality, avoids conflict and I just love her!

 

[Faraday40]

Just wanted to share an updated photo of my only Orpington, Lacey! Posted her here a few months back. She is now 6 1/2 months old POL, expect an egg any day! She has the sweetest personality, avoids conflict and I just love her!
View attachment 2480434

She looks great, and yes her face looks like she's ready for that 1st egg! Feel free to post a pic of that 1st egg, too. It's a big deal that only other chicken people can truly understand.

 

[ColtHandorf]

@ColtHandorf These are for you. The laced are still molting but starting to get back their curves.

And I so appreciate you posting them. They are looking good. My Silver-laced are still molting and not laying at all. I haven't gotten an egg from their pen since late October I don't think.

Here's the lav cockerel with Calamity (lav) and Chaos (black)

They are so pretty. And Darling is just perfectly round. I love them. And of course now that I have Black Mottled split to Lavender chicks I'm going to have to get some eggs from you this year. I need to be the only person down here with real English Lavenders.

This shows Calamity's personality.

That face says absolutely everything! She is so cute! lol

"Trouble" (the sebright) is not impressed by the cold weather.

No, nor am I. lol It's been raining and cold down here.

A very little serama. (hatched mid July) He has the silkied gene and I really like the way he stands.

He's super cute. I go back and forth on whether I like the Silkied Seramas, but he's cute.

Its been a very sad day here at the farm. I woke up and headed out to do the chicken tending and found Faraday40 beautiful Blizzard passed away.

Oh no, I'm so sorry. Does that leave you with any Blues?

I picked her up and cradled her for a few minutes. She was still warm and had only passed no more than an hour before. After I had put her back, I felt like something was crawling all over my arms and side of face. I grabbed a flashlight and inspected her body. She was ridden with mites. I feel horrible I missed this on this sweet girl! I cancelled going to church and immediately dusted every chicken. I saw no signs of mites on anyone else.

Don't feel bad. I just had a Serama rooster die yesterday and it was the same thing. I've got to pick some poultry dust up and everyone is getting powdered, even the two broody hens. If they break up then I'll just put the eggs in the incubator.

.... and continued to look better with age.

She was sooo gorgeous. I can't wait to have some marked that well.

Ooops. Look what's in our living room.

Lol, I'm pretty sure I've got 48 Serama eggs in the incubator? lol

Just wanted to share an updated photo of my only Orpington, Lacey!

She's gorgeous!

I'll add some pictures of Cadbury later today. I got some pictures over the break before the really cold, wet weather ruined all of my outside plans.

 

[blacklab]

This thread is to post pictures and discuss the beautiful English Orps. Please, no discussion on APA standards, auctions, etc. We just want to see pictures and talk about this beautiful eye candy.

Winston and Clementine are our English Blue Orpingtons that we imported last year. I took some photos today of their oldest chicks, The O's (Olympia and Octavia), Hagrid, Rumples, and Bluebell, and thought I would share.

Bluebell - she is such a pretty little girl

Hagrid

Hagrid and Octavia

Hagrid and Olympia

Rumples

The Three Butts - Hagrid and The O's

The O's, Bluebell, and Hagrid

The O's, Hagrid, and Rumples

The O's

Olympia

Rumples and Bluebell - I love this picture

The O's

Octavia - I think she is absolutely stunning, if I do say so myself.

 

[blacklab]

They are beautiful! We have Buffs and now that they are mature - 26 weeks - we can't hardly tell them apart, although they all have/had names when they were little and each looked more different. Do you put colored bands on yours - I didn't see any?

 

[Faraday40]

@ColtHandorf
I have1 blue SLO and 2 reg SLO hens for my SLO boy. I'm happy with all of them this year. I'd say my only complaint is that Mr. Awesome pecks at my lav cockerel to show dominance. They get along mostly, but every night when I put them to bed, Awesome takes a feather and the lav boy squawks. Then they're fine. The lav is allowed to mate but if the hen was not willing, Awesome will jump to her rescue. That part I appreciate.

@homeschoolin momma has 2 SLO cockerels (for now), 1 likely blue SLO pullet, 1 blue partial laced hen from Blizzard (but not as nice as Bliz), 1 or 2 reg SLOhen, and a wild, broody-raised gold partial laced orp pullet. LOL One of her roosters could be a blue SLO. They are very dark and hard to tell whether blue or black before their first adult molt.

As far as lavs, she has more bowling ball-like females, but I have Mr. Flufffy-Butt. That's why we've been exchanging eggs/chicks. My fav lav (Darling) came from her, and her fav black split (Curious) came from me.

I should be able to candle my incubator this weekend. Can't wait!