Buff Orp Roo and EE hens - what will I end up with?

[hrhta812]

I'm still somewhat of a novice at the chicken gig. I've got a nice big Buff Orp cockerel, probably hatched spring 2012, and two EE girls who are also teenagers. One laid her first egg today.

In the spring, I'd like to breed them, and I'm wondering if anyone has tried this same combo, and if anyone can post pics of the offspring? The EE's are different looking, but not too much. One is what I think is called wheaten [she looked like your typical yellow chick and is off white now], and the other is that pretty dark golden color I've seen with some EEs.

The Buff boy is big - is he going to be too big for the EE girls? I don't want him to hurt them. We lost a Leghorn hen a couple years ago due to a randy young Pekin drake, and I am just a little concerned about the Buff Orp's size. He just seems so darn big! I really like BIG chickens, though, so that's why I'm interested in breeding him. Our other roo is a polish mix, and is just average size; I've got one pullet from him and a Black Australorp who is two weeks older than my EEs, and she's smaller than they are. My BAs are on the small side, I think.

Anyway, the Buff boy is not in with the EEs yet and won't be together for a couple more months, so the EEs still have some time to grow more, but I don't think they'll get much bigger. I love EEs in general, and I'm also thinking about getting a roo of that same type and focus on breeding more of them.

Any feedback on Buff crossed with EE is appreciated!

 

[sourland]

Hopefully you have more than two pullets to put in with the Orp. You may want to allow supervised visits with the pullets rather than leaving him with them full time. Drakes breeding chicken hens is always a problem as drakes have penises and roosters do not. You will get a variety of colors in the chicks because of the mixed background of the EE pullets. Any pullets raised from this mating may be olive eggers.

 

[hrhta812]

I do plan on putting more than just the two EEs with him. I have a nice RIR that I hope will lay a while longer, and she's big enough that I wouldn't worry about her. The two Black Australorp girls and the BA/Polish mix, I am not so sure about because of their small size. We have 3 older, bigger hens we are going to cull that he's in with now.

Is there a weight differential I should watch for with Roo vs. hen? We could weigh everybody and see where they are.

 

[sourland]

A lot depends upon how 'skillful' he is at mating. Big, clumsy roosters can gash the sides of hens with their toenails. With hens that are not resistant and roosters that are not too rough such a mating would be fine. I'd say gave it a try, but keep an eye on the condition of your hens.

 

[hrhta812]

Thanks for the feedback! I guess it's good that the big boy has his big girls to practice on, and all the smaller girls are with Sir William, our Polish mix Roo for starting out. At least they will all have the procedure down pat.

 

[donrae]

Keep in mind, too, that a lot of the orpington's size is fluff! If it makes you feel better, actually weigh them. Roosters usually run 2-3 lbs heavier than hens in most breeds, so hens can easily handle that much.

I have a nice large black sex link roo that has some orpington way back in his ancestry, he's just nice large boy. He covers all my hatchery hens, even the smaller easter eggers and leghorns. Course, he's now 4-5 years old and quite the gentleman, I don't even realize he's mating most of the time.

 

[hrhta812]

That's sweet that he's become such a gentleman.

I'm not sure how old the older Roo we have is, he's kind of a skittish guy, but the ladies warmed up to him pretty well.

My Buff Orp [I call him Big Handsome] had all the finesse you'd expect from a teenage boy when I put my older ladies in with him.