Can I see your hatchery orpingtons?

[Esrun]

I think we’ve settled on Mt. Healthy hatchery and I’m just wondering how close to the google images I see of Orpingtons we will get. Of you have a hatchery Orpington do you mind sharing your pictures? Bonus if it’s from Mt. Healthy

We plan on one of each; Lavender, Chocolate, Red, and Buff.

Thanks!

 

[I Like Turkeys]

I’ve got a chocolate orpington hen from TSC. Having her, and having seen the birds others get from hatcheries, I don’t find hatchery orpingtons too impressive. I believe my TSC supplies from hoovers, so your experience with Mt. Healthy may vary slightly. She’s a heavy hen, but has a pretty high tail angle and the overall fluff of orpingtons isn’t exactly there. Hatchery buffs I’ve seen don’t seem much better.

 

[Esrun]

I’ve got a chocolate orpington hen from TSC. Having her, and having seen the birds others get from hatcheries, I don’t find hatchery orpingtons too impressive. I believe my TSC supplies from hoovers, so your experience with Mt. Healthy may vary slightly. She’s a heavy hen, but has a pretty high tail angle and the overall fluff of orpingtons isn’t exactly there. Hatchery buffs I’ve seen don’t seem much better.View attachment 3757241

Awe, she looks sweet
We are really limited and really have to reduce our risk of a rooster so a hatchery seems the only way to go for chicks. I’m glad to see she’s still pretty We are not looking to show our birds or anything.

 

[Iluveggers]

It is starting to get dark here, but this week I will try to get a pic of our Buff and Lavender (Lavender is actually from Mt Healthy.) Both are people-friendly and super sweet!

 

[DonyaQuick]

I have 4 buff orpington hens from TSC that will be 3 years old in a couple months. Here are my fluffiest ladies, Chungus and Dingus, both around 6lbs:

It took them both some time to get to that shape; they were much leaner-looking for a long time.

And, uh...then there's Dimple. She's a tiny 3lbs. She has two lovely sons that are also really on the smaller side given their dad is a reasonable standard size, so her smallness is clearly somewhat genetic and not just a developmental anomaly. I sort of wonder if Dimple is what happens when a bantam roo sneaks into the hatchery flock or something lol

My 4th buff orpington girl, Buddy, got really confused with her molt this season due to weird alternating warm and cold weather, so she's still not finished replacing feathers and looks a mess...so I don't really want to post a picture of her. She's more narrow, but otherwise the same size as Chungus and Dingus.

 

[Esrun]

I have 4 buff orpington hens from TSC that will be 3 years old in a couple months. Here are my fluffiest ladies, Chungus and Dingus, both around 6lbs:
View attachment 3759039
View attachment 3759040
It took them both some time to get to that shape; they were much leaner-looking for a long time.

And, uh...then there's Dimple. She's a tiny 3lbs. She has two lovely sons that are also really on the smaller side given their dad is a reasonable standard size, so her smallness is clearly somewhat genetic and not just a developmental anomaly. I sort of wonder if Dimple is what happens when a bantam roo sneaks into the hatchery flock or something lol
View attachment 3759038

My 4th buff orpington girl, Buddy, got really confused with her molt this season due to weird alternating warm and cold weather, so she's still not finished replacing feathers and looks a mess...so I don't really want to post a picture of her. She's more narrow, but otherwise the same size as Chungus and Dingus.

Awe! Thanks so much for these they are all beautiful. And wow, 3 lbs! We have three small birds now that are probably about that but they’re bantams

 

[Esrun]

I have 4 buff orpington hens from TSC that will be 3 years old in a couple months. Here are my fluffiest ladies, Chungus and Dingus, both around 6lbs:
View attachment 3759039
View attachment 3759040
It took them both some time to get to that shape; they were much leaner-looking for a long time.

And, uh...then there's Dimple. She's a tiny 3lbs. She has two lovely sons that are also really on the smaller side given their dad is a reasonable standard size, so her smallness is clearly somewhat genetic and not just a developmental anomaly. I sort of wonder if Dimple is what happens when a bantam roo sneaks into the hatchery flock or something lol
View attachment 3759038

My 4th buff orpington girl, Buddy, got really confused with her molt this season due to weird alternating warm and cold weather, so she's still not finished replacing feathers and looks a mess...so I don't really want to post a picture of her. She's more narrow, but otherwise the same size as Chungus and Dingus.

Do you live where it gets cold in winter? I wonder how their combs and wattles do? We are in CT

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

I have a Buff Orpington from Cackle Hatchery. I will get some updated pictures of her tomorrow.

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

Do you live where it gets cold in winter? I wonder how their combs and wattles do? We are in CT

I live in WI mine did perfectly fine in negative 20 or more degrees.

 

[DonyaQuick]

Do you live where it gets cold in winter? I wonder how their combs and wattles do? We are in CT

Lowest low I've seen in my local area is somewhere around -17F with additional wind chill. Chungus and Dingus got a bit of rounded off comb tips their first winter, but it was largely because they were being derps and trying to pick ice out of their water bowl in single digit daytime temperatures - which was getting water up on their combs. Once I realized what was going on, I set up a heated waterer that eliminated the ice game and generally made it hard for them to dunk their heads into the water. Dimple has always been totally fine but is also more sensible about interacting with water. If you can protect the coop and run well against wind and moisture then they should be largely fine, although some birds just don't seem to have as good circulation into their comb tips as others - but usually it's roos that are the bigger worry for that and also for wattle-dunking in water bowls.