3 month old rooster - is he weird?

[LaFleche]

On weight monitoring - am I watching for too much or too little weight gain at this point?

Too much compared to the other buff one, or is the buff a bantam size?

In any case, determine their weight this evening and weigh them every week.

And I would contact the hatchery as well.

 

[AnneCanne]

Too much compared to the other buff one, or is the buff a bantam size?

Buff is not a bantam, and she's "normal" compared to other Orp chicks i've raised. Same with the Australorp in this group.

Just wondering on tracking weight, would I be watching (expecting) too high weight gain or too low?

And I would contact the hatchery as well.

Not sure what I'd even tell them, or that they'd even care unfortunately. They were ice cold in their replies about condition of the chicks when I notified them that 2 did not make it (1 in transit and the other within an hour of delivery). They gave me a refund on them, but honestly I've received more emotion when getting a refund on a Target purchase than I did from the hatchery.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

And I would contact the hatchery as well.

This. There was a recent thread on here about Naked Neck Turkens that had been crossed with meat birds and their size difference compared to standard chicks was similar to what you’re seeing. They also were not sold as meat birds but dual-purpose (which NNs are as are Orpingtons) but some hatchery had made a hybrid with meat birds and some buyers were not made aware of the difference.

 

[AnneCanne]

This. There was a recent thread on here about Naked Neck Turkens that had been crossed with meat birds and their size difference compared to standard chicks was similar to what you’re seeing. They also were not sold as meat birds but dual-purpose (which NNs are as are Orpingtons) but some hatchery had made a hybrid with meat birds and some buyers were not made aware of the difference.

good grief. OK I'll get some weights on all 4 and then contact them. And will update thread when I have more info!

 

[AnneCanne]

I would weigh them to monitor their weight gain and feed them some brewers yeast (vitamin B complex) and calcium +vitamin D to see if it helps.

Gold Laced Orp M: 4.4lbs
Gold Laced Orp F: 4lbs
Buff Orp F: 2.6lbs
Lav Aust F: 2.6lbs

I weighed my other Orps while I was at it:
5 yr Buff Orp: 5.1lbs
3 yr Blue Orp: 6.9lbs
3 yr Lav Orp: 5.1lbs

 

[AnneCanne]

I took your advice and emailed the hatchery with the weights, photo of the small vs lg chicks, and video of walking. They said they do not see any issue, they are just "big" and it's all feathers and they are just laying around because it is hot and I shouldn't worry about it.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

He is three months old and almost the same size as your full grown hen? Their website says a full grown rooster of that particular breed should weigh 8.5 lbs. Same with all their Orpingtons. The SOP I found says your full grown birds are closer to the weight of bantams.
What are you feeding?

 

[AnneCanne]

He is three months old and almost the same size as your full grown hen? Their website says a full grown rooster of that particular breed should weigh 8.5 lbs. Same with all their Orpingtons. The SOP I found says your full grown birds are closer to the weight of bantams.
What are you feeding?

Kolmback Flockmaker (20%), plus they get quasi free range time (large fenced area) most of the day. I had the age on the first one
wrong. She’s older than 5 yrs - more like 7 or 8 yrs old, so getting up there in age and slowing down. The Lav orp has recently had a stubborn round of sour crop, but recovering now, so hoping she puts some weight back on.

It's possible my method of weighing them is imperfect - I was using a human weight scale - weighing myself holding a chicken, then subtracting my weight, on as flat of a surface I have out there (flat stepping stone). But even if it's not a 100% accurate weight, the comparison is valid, as I weighed them all the same way, without moving or adjusting the scale in between.

I was just worried about the chicks being too big, now you got me worried about the others being too small!

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Kolmback Flockmaker (20%), plus they get quasi free range time (large fenced area) most of the day. I had the age on the first one
wrong. She’s older than 5 yrs - more like 7 or 8 yrs old, so getting up there in age and slowing down. The Lav orp has recently had a stubborn round of sour crop, but recovering now, so hoping she puts some weight back on.

It's possible my method of weighing them is imperfect - I was using a human weight scale - weighing myself holding a chicken, then subtracting my weight, on as flat of a surface I have out there (flat stepping stone). But even if it's not a 100% accurate weight, the comparison is valid, as I weighed them all the same way, without moving or adjusting the scale in between.

I was just worried about the chicks being too big, now you got me worried about the others being too small!

Hahaha sorry! I’m not trying to freak you out just trying to get a better picture of all the variables. What we need is an orpington expert. I will say my australorp feels like she’s closer to 8 lbs than 5 but I’m not wrestling with her stubborn butt to figure it out for sure. Regardless of their weight, there is something odd about the way they are moving and the hatchery is nuts if they think that behavior is normal. I have never seen a chicken lay down like that. He’s practically collapsing. Have you started the brewer’s yeast, etc?

 

[AnneCanne]

Hahaha sorry! I’m not trying to freak you out just trying to get a better picture of all the variables. What we need is an orpington expert. I will say my australorp feels like she’s closer to 8 lbs than 5 but I’m not wrestling with her stubborn butt to figure it out for sure. Regardless of their weight, there is something odd about the way they are moving and the hatchery is nuts if they think that behavior is normal. I have never seen a chicken lay down like that. He’s practically collapsing. Have you started the brewer’s yeast, etc?

I need to dig through my chicken supplies and see if I have some brewer's yeast that's not expired. If not, I'll pick some up tomorrow when I go out. I didn't even bother responding to the hatchery's "don't worry about it, they're just hot" email. When this started, the highs were only in the 70s. He wasn't plopping down like that b/c he's hot. Also, I can't exactly prove this, but I'm fairly certain the laced orp chicks don't have almost 2lbs more feathers than the buff orp chick.