*Chocolate Orpington Thread*

[Marthab1953]

Hmm, the comb is what is throwing me off. It isn't red at all. The waddles sure are though. I may have to just wait a bit.

That is what I do if I am not totally sure.

 

[Ruralpearls]

Okay, I am back with more questions and pictures. So all of you seasoned CO owners, what do you think gender wise? When the little red waddles showed I thought I had a cockerel but it's comb hasn't turned red at all. This chick was hatched June second. I am hoping/thinking it is a pullet...

 

[TattooedMama]

I have 7 Splash and Black Orpington babies hatched on June 5th. Anyone with red wattles at this point is a rooster. Pullets shouldn't have any red at this point, in fact, pullets shouldn't really show any growth in wattles at all at this point IMO. Once I see any red or wattles coming in at 3-4 weeks, I know its a little cockerel. My little pullets still have no color at all in their wattles.

 

[TattooedMama]

Just wanted to share pictures of my Chocolate babies somewhere on BYC. I am very excited for them to start laying any day now. My girls are reddening up nicely. These guys were hatched at the end of January, so roughly 5+ months old currently. They are LF Chocolates.

 

[alebuela]

My lovely little "bantam" Chocolate Orpington, Schocki, around 18 months and laying two eggs every three days. What a gift! She's learned to ignore the broom I brandish when my 4-month-old pullets try to peck at or chase her. Alas I can't protect her all the time, but she gets a leisurely 20 minutes at the feed or treat bowls, free from that awful pecking order stuff.

 

[chocbantamorps]

I know that orpington hens are known to be broody but several of mine have to be tossed into jail every three weeks. I have six bantam hens, four chocolates I hatched in March 2013 and two blacks I bought as chicks in October 2012, and all but one are driving me crazy with their broodiness. There are no roosters available so their eggs will never hatch but they don't know that. I usually get only three or four eggs a day because one or two are usually in jail and/or were just released from jail. In fact, during the first 18 days of July this year, the jail has only been unoccupied for four days.

I know they are broody because of their breed but I didn't realize they would be broody so often. I am thinking of selling the two chocolates that go broody every three weeks and replacing them with another bantam breed that is not as broody. Any suggestions for not so broody of a breed? And do you know of anyone in the southwest Virginia area that would be interested in chocolate bantam orp hens?

 

[EledaWV]

Hello!
I purchased some chocolate Orpington hatching eggs from someone I found on BYC and I'm just not sure if they are indeed chocolate Orpington eggs. Can anyone explain to me what they look like? Are they very large, are they dark brown light brown, etc. Even better if you have a picture could you post it?
The eggs I received were cream colored, very small, about the size of a phoenix egg and not much bigger than a quail egg. I just want to make sure I got what I purchased because they were very expensive. It was interesting also because I purchased 18 eggs and one hatched.
Thank you for the help!

Hi! Just curious what hatched? Sounds like bantams?

 

[Peanutsmomma]

Hi everyone! So what do you all think....little chocolate roo? Of course he was supposed to be a she. LOL! To me the stance and tail feathers as well as bare wing bows look like a rooster but there is no comb development at all.

 

[HighStreetCoop]

Hi everyone! So what do you all think....little chocolate roo? Of course he was supposed to be a she. LOL! To me the stance and tail feathers as well as bare wing bows look like a rooster but there is no comb development at all.

Wattles don't appear to be red at all, which is usually an early sign of a roo.

 

[Peanutsmomma]

Wattles don't appear to be red at all, which is usually an early sign of a roo.

Yes, our Buff Orp roo had a tiny little red comb and wattles at this age, 6.5 weeks. This chick came from a breeder last week who only estimated their age (5-7 weeks) and unfortunately we have been dealing with all sorts of parasites and infections over the past week with this little one. It will be quite some time before he/she is out of quarantine. Fortunately he/she has turned a corner and seems to be doing a lot better. I am wondering if the fact this chick's health was so compromised that it may have delayed comb and wattle development? I know the poor thing's health problems have delayed its growth as it a tiny little thing for 6.5 weeks.