If he's in with an older roo, that's why he isn't crowing.
In the USA, all Orpingtons are judged by the APA Standard, and having originated in England, are of an "English" class along with other breeds. The only officially recognized APA colors are Buff, Black, and Blue. Mmm. Maybe white too...
They will likely vary but on the whole I'd say yes. Both my 100% English buffs lay eggs with speckles like that. Personally, I love them looking like that. I had a 3/4 English blue that laid one that tiny polka dots. Loved them! ETA: One of the ones that lays those is well over a year old.. and...
You'll not make a mess and in fact this is the perfect type of black for your lavenders.
A Black from a BBS breeding does not have the gene for "blue" to pass on. The way that gene works, if it's there, they will be either blue or splash. If it's not there, it just isn't. So the bird is black...
This is true, but there's a huge difference in a skilled breeder with a solid goal in mind coming up with a new breed and a bunch of folks diluting an existing breed willy nilly. Mr. Cook didn't name his creation an English Rock or anything like that, he called it something completely new.
I don't get that either. Nor the cute name for it. Puts me in mind of people letting their dogs just breed wherever and then calling the offspring stuff like "peekapoo." Must be more common than I thought. Personally never heard of that but then it's not like I hobnob with any local chicken...
Love Rupert! Has he been properly training his kids to do this? Of so, send me one. lol. Yours look better in molt than mine do right now! One has no tail feathers, a bare butt, oh she's such a mess. And Harry OMG he looks like he lost a fight with a weed whacker. I keep telling myself how...
The stance, the way it's looking at you, the red around the eyes... I'm not going to say that is a pullet. Been fooled before. And might be wrong. But not going to commit to "pullet."