8 week old Chocolate Orpington Chicks - PICS and questions...

[skyknight29]

Hi all

,

Hello skyknight!!

I'm not sure what has caused that problem. They all looked good while here. although this flock is young and new breeders. They come from Choc Orps in Ohio and down south, which were brought in as eggs. So, not the same bloodlines!!

Here are the pics of Daddy and a couple of his girls. The rest are inside.



They are in the shade so the color isn't good PLUS, since they're in their run, kinda hard to have them pose so that they're pretty.

Yep, definitely Chocolates! Beautiful birds, thanks for taking the time out of your busy day to take pics for me!!

 

[subhanalah]

Is it definitely a rooster?

 

[skyknight29]

Is it definitely a rooster?

I'm pretty dang sure he is. If you compare him and the pullet (in the pics I posted) their combs and wattles look very different. His are much more developed than hers.

 

[subhanalah]

I'm pretty dang sure he is.  If you compare him and the pullet (in the pics I posted) their combs and wattles look very different. His are much more developed than hers.

too bad with a hen, you can just not hatch her eggs. Short of caponizing, well....you'll know what you have to do.

 

[skyknight29]

Very true. Maybe I'll wait until he's a little older so he can have a little longer life. I've never killed an animal before because I just don't have the heart. But I bet if I waited until he's bigger, I could get my neighbor to do it!

 

[bruceh]

the word cull does not mean to kill. culling means remove from the breeding flock. so you do not have to kill him. just remove him from the breeders.

 

[skyknight29]

the word cull does not mean to kill. culling means remove from the breeding flock. so you do not have to kill him. just remove him from the breeders.

That's what I'm going to do. He's still working on getting all of his feathers in, but he deserves to have a life too. I just couldn't justify killing him when he's perfectly healthy (other than the very slow feathering up issue) and happy. It would haunt me forever if I did kill him. haha

So when he's of breeding age I'll see if I can find him a home where he can live out his days as a pet (as he is very sweet), and maybe have a few ladies of his own to watch over. But I'll make sure that whoever gets him will know not to breed him.

 

[carolina91]

How did your slow feathering bird turn out? I have one that is 8 weeks old and looks just like your picture. I will definitely not breed him, but am hoping he will eventually get some feathers.

 

[BlueDove]

Hi, how's your little cockerel feathered now? My two choc boys did the same, it's a "K" chromosome, for realllllly slow feathering. But they are gorgeous, fully fluffy feathered now at 11 weeks. It was weird tho, for a long time they looked like an ostrich/alien cross.

 

[Desert Springs]

Her roo, I've heard, feathered out beautifully.

Since this occurrence last year I've not experienced a similar problem with the Chocolate chicks. If anyone has had it they waited for the chicks to actually feather out; so no contact was needed. The Chocs were new here and actually those chicks weren't for sale originally, but I changed my mind after speaking to this young lady who was very interested in procuring chicks from me. I had not seen this 'affliction' prior, or would have suggested the purchaser wait before refunding the cost, especially since I had charged her less than what I had into them already for feed/care/incubation expenses, and my flock was 'untested'. Since then, I've read additional information that the English Orpington can be slow feathering in some flocks, and as Blue Dove mentioned, the K chromosome does affect the feathering.