I dont see this as a problem with breeding our Orpingtons with all the others you mentioned earlier....like Speckledhen said earlier, they probably all related at a distance but not a problem. Those kind of lines works well with Arabians and Paso Fino genetics since most of the horse's pedigree may have a common ancestor that works well and pass on better traits. However ugly genetics can pop up. With these lines we have going right now, I dont see any problems at all and therefore, I am not worried about it.
The 14 Blue Orp chicks mostly pullets are all from one breeder who said these chicks are third generation from the original flock by Catalupa.
The 2 Blue Orp hens are from the same breeder above, are second generation from the original flock from Catalupa's stock.
The one Blue Orp roo was hatched by Gordie which he bought a doz from Tommy Stanley just before Tommy passed away...not sure where Tommy got his birds or original flock from.
Two Orp chicks, one blue and one black, are from J. Cox, WV, half sibling to Speckledhen's Velvet??
One black orp pullet, breeder was a judge down in Shelbyville, IL, who bought alot of Catalupa Farms Black Orps and occassionally showed those birds too. I got this pretty gal from Chicows who bought hatching eggs from him.
My Blue Rock pullet, hatched out of Gordie's stock...she is half Blue Orp, half White Rock cross in her second generation which were crossbreds and her parents were Blue Rock crosses. I am expected to breed her to Blue Orps to get 3/4 Blue Orp crosses out of her...she looks too much like an Orp than a Rock.
I am still planning on getting some hatching eggs out of Julie and Speckledhen and they definately will be used in my next generation of Blue Orps and other colors. You can cross the Black Orps from tiem to time into the Blue Orps so there is no reason you could not do that and it would help the color too when you are getting too many pale blues.
You can breed the offsprings back to father OR mother but never sis or brother. And from that cross, you can use the other offspring from a different parent like different father but same momma, you can do that as well. I am sure in that magazine from Backyard Poultry, there was an article that most breeders follow that and outcross by the fourth or fifth generation then you need a new blood.
I dont know about Sandhill but I am sure they would rotate their stock often to keep the blood "fresh" and not have all kinds of genetic problems.
So no fear, my dear, get all the eggs you want from all of us and you would have a diversity of lines to choose from and cull those that dont fit your needs or expectations. Like bad disposition, cull those out.
I am hoping to get some someday.
