Thanks!! I actually don't have any English Orps, just American. But have been told my older ones are rather large and puffy to be America in PMs. My black girl is a BCM x English Black Orp. I think the dad carried the blue or chocolate gene? All my Orps came from Heaven Sent. My 4 big girls came directly from Don Chandler. He sent them to her, she sold off her extras. They weren't his line- he was adding fresh blood into his pool I think he told me. I would have to go see my emails to verify. I need a good Buff Orp roo. The one I have is not up to par, but it's all I have right now. I have 2 pullets and the 1 roo directly from Heaven Sent- her line. The pullets have gotten nice comments for head shape and form. My big girls (from Don that some sometimes mistake for English) get oohs but critique for large head and unattractive combs. I'm trying to learn. LOL! I am hoping to get a couple more Buffs this Spring and going for a nice roo. I like the ladies I have right now personally. My breeding standards will be with SOP in mind BUT what will be more important to me is the utility of the breed. I tried to buy the best I could afford so I could impose my standards- good to great egg laying, hardiness, calm temperament and decent table bird. Coming into this I understood that some of the breeders breed to SOP and do not necessarily for hardiness, egg laying ability etc. It's all about form for many of them. I love the form but also the multi-purpose use of them in my backyard.
But honestly so far they are laying extremely well! 5 eggs a week or so. The ones I got from Deb's line- began laying around 24-26 weeks. The ones that came to Deb via Don didn't lay until 32 weeks or so. I want to get a couple more chicks from Deb so I can try for a decent cock. I am amazed how large the Orp cocks get. Goodness! So tall. He is bigger than my Marans roo!
