The IMPORTED ENGLISH Orpington Thread

[galanie]

My pullets look like that, but the older hens that are the roos' favorites have to have saddles on at all times. They cover about 3 acres free ranging all day, but even with unlimited space, they would still be naked-backed by May if it weren't for saddles. Everybody that comes over says "What are those chickens with the blue backs?: lol.  

Why, that's a rare English Blue Back! Never seen one before??

 

[BamaChicken]

LOL Vickie!!!

Julie, had no idea you made soaps..we are soap fanatics up here..dont buy from the grocery store, i go up to tjmax for the soaps..i love them..found some windsor forest pine scent soap for the husband..he cant get enough of it..but hes having a fit because they dont have it anymore, it was crabtree evelyn...he wants me to make some ..,.HA HA..like i know how or something.
hope you get a few pics for us at the gorgeous southern shows of the buffs , blacks ect..such fun!!

Yes Lynn I have been making soap for 2 1/2 years now. I used to buy some from TJ Max but I really like my own much better. If you are on FB request me as a Friend and you can see some of my soaps on my soap albums.
I will get that address on here for you in a min Dee

 

[BamaChicken]

Here is the website for the Panhandle Poultry Club who is sponsering this show. Just scroll down and it will give you the info. It will be a state meet for Orps
http://www.panhandlepoultryclub.webs.com/

 

[BamaChicken]

I will be glad when this girl looks like this again. She is getting close

 

[deek]

I will be glad when this girl looks like this again. She is getting close

 

[deek]

Here is the website for the Panhandle Poultry Club who is sponsering this show. Just scroll down and it will give you the info. It will be a state meet for Orps
http://www.panhandlepoultryclub.webs.com/

Got it. Thank you. Since I'm vertically challenged, next year I'll show as a junior. (Note to self...get grey out of hair...make hair appt).

 

[BamaChicken]

The boy too. He is not even close. He should be awesome when he gets through a heavy molt he is in

 

[deek]

The boy too. He is not even close. He should be awesome when he gets through a heavy molt he is in

I have four single girls...looking for love.

 

[DaveK]

Hi Don,

Take a good look at the OLD feathers on your Buffs. This is the perfect time of year to do it. Those old feathers fade, and tend to develop a soft Wheaten pattern with the shaft being lighter too.....shafting. Buffs, genetically, are really Wheatens. The trick is to breed the the wheaten markings in the same shade of buff, with deep Buff shafts to the roots to lessen the wheaten effect, and make a solid gold bird.

The more carotine and oils are fed, the more intense the color on Buff. Canary breeders have known this for years..yup, bred those too... and routinely color feed their birds. I've seen them produce gorgeous red and golden birds with color feeding. Those birds on their next molt, if not color fed, will molt out into pale, washed out birds, much to the surprise of some new owners.

Feather quality...substance of feather, will also affect shafting, and can be greatly altered by diet. I'm sure you've bought a few birds in poor feather, molted them, while feeding them a better diet, and have seen them vastly improved in feather quality and color. I know I have. I've also seen it work in reverse when I have sold birds in the past who were correct in color, to owners who skimped on diet. Those birds end up as very washed out shadows of their former selves.

And my recipe is......Bugs, sunflower seeds, and eye of newt!

Some of this I would agree with. Color bred canaries are just that; bred to be really good at taking on color from substances that will color any buff/yellow ground canary. They just do it better. As for chickens all the old time buff breeders I ever knew would remind those of us who love the color that while buff is visually a self color it aint a simple color. The shafting is, as has been alluded to, genetic baggage from the more primitive color patterns that buff was developed from. Same with those beautiful gold laced. Feeding and management can and will affect condition but I'd hate to see a beginner with all the things that can go wrong with buff color thinking they can feed their way out of trouble. We have all seen gorgeous golden buff ground color in the best of condition and still seen shafting or a myriad of other problems. Buff color is a challenge though a worthy one. If it were as simple as being able to feed for a diminished shafting effect the brown Leghorn breeders would have patented that recipe years ago. I will say that the original "Golden Horde" had a lot of the right things going on but a slightly odd tone of buff at the same time. None of this is meant to take anything away from the fun of seeing well raised birds very nicely presented. However, my own buffs ate frogs and even toads and while they enjoyed them they were no magic formula for great color.

 

[thedragonlady]

The boy too. He is not even close. He should be awesome when he gets through a heavy molt he is in

Love your Blacks and Blues. !!