are these what he says they are??

[spish]

ive been negotiating with a local breeder over a trio of blue cochins and a trio of orpingtons (2 blue hens, one 'dirty' white roo) but i unfortunatly cannot get over there to view before i buy. but the man has kindly offered to bring them for me, but as its a long trip i have to pay a deposit first (he doesnt want to drive all the way here for me to turn around and say no i dont want them..i totally understand his point)

but first i would like the expert opinions on the birds (they are to start off my new venture of breeding purebred chickens instead of crosses)

im paying nearly €100 for the 2 trios so want to be sure before i pay. they are all from 2010

so heres the pics

cochins first - €35 for the trio

roo

hens

free blue roo (not pure colour..im thinking crossed with a buff cochin?

orpingtons - €45 for the trio (plus €15 petrol costs)

opinions gladly received...are they nice enough to breed from, clean colours,worth the money? sorry i dont have better pics

 

[spiritdance]

I'm not too familiar with Orpingtons, but as for the Cochins, here's my take. The hens have better color than the roo, but the roo has better leg feathers. Overall, they are a nice trio and would be a good starting point from which to build a program. Just my 2 cents...

 

[spish]

many thanks, thats the kind of comments im looking for..so they are something i could start working with? brilliant

the guy has also said he's throwing in a trio white cochins and 2 black hens so i have some other colours to work with too..

 

[spiritdance]

Just be aware that white can be masking other colors, since it functions by limiting color distribution. The white trio will be good for breeding whites, but they're the proverbial "crap shoot" when you cross colors, as you have to breed them first, often multiple times, to figure out what the white is masking. Blacks, on the other hand, will work well with your blues. Black to blue produces blacks and blues, blue to blue gives you blacks, blues, and splashes, blue to splash gives you blues and splashes, and splash to splash gives you splashes. I LOVE blues because of the possibilities with one good roo over several good hens ... and it only takes one pen (something in short supply around here )! BTW, I meant to mention in my last post that the hens have a nice, cobby, horizontal body type ... not too upright like some large Cochins I see ...

 

[spish]

ooh didnt realise i could put the blacks with the blues......even better! i plan on keeping the whites apart and breed them together so i dont need to worry about what their hiding!

just unsure what to do with that 'extra' blue roo (with the buff flecks) think he's gonna have to be rehomed..just dont have the place for an extra roo but he looks so cute!

 

[spiritdance]

Yes, but "cute" will give you a hopeless case of "chicken fever," so be strong and resist, resist, resist!

 

[spish]

i must resist..reeeesiiiiist!

maybe he could run between the free range hens in the field....if he gets on with the other roos.....

never like giving away a freebie!

 

[spiritdance]

Well, if he's free ranging, the more the merrier, I say! Of course, that's why I'm seriously afflicted by "chicken math" ... once upon a time I wasn't the crazy chicken lady, but alas, those days are no more

 

[spish]

i thinking im reaching that mad chicken lady stage...told my fella i'll get rid of all the normal laying chickens and cross chickens and start on purebreeds...he said why? theres room for all of them....


he doesnt realise he made a big mistake saying that.........ha ha ha... he's gonna have to lay more fencing for me then!

 

[spiritdance]

But what a wonderful way to be crazy, aye?!!! LUUUUV my chooks!