Chocolate Orpingtons

[kidcody]

[IMG
ALT="07-25-14 chocolates 047.JPG"]https://www.backyardchickens.com/content/type/61/id/6687183/width/350/height/700[/IMG]



Pure English Chocolate hens.......keep your feet warm! outstanding companion keeps this group happy together!

 

[Sisters Farms]

Love love love

 

[TaylorHobbyFarms]

I am working towards a mid sized Chocolate Orpington. The larger fowl are TOO large and the Bantams are TOO small or so I have heard from others. So I really wanted to create a mid sized. Since Chocolate Orpingtons in themselves are not the color for judging anyways, what does it matter creating a size that may please more chicken people. So how do YOU feel about this project. Is it worth my time, money and effort? I dont know. As with all my projects they tend to cost more and take longer than I had anticipated. Just wondering what appeals to others.

Personally, I wouldn't be interested in a midsize chicken. Chocolate Orpingtons may not be an approved color yet, but it very well could in the future. I think if midsize versions are being bred, it is possible that they will get mixed in with either the bantam or the large fowl in the future, making it harder to maintain consistency. Since chicken breeds come in bantam and large fowl already, I would stick to the norm, but that's just my opinion.

 

[DevilsDenHen]

X2. I like my chickens gynormus though lol

 

[kidcody]

Hi,
Hope you and your feather friends are doing well Talking with well known breeders from England. It was brought to my attention that any time you need to size down (making the original size of the chicken smaller) you actually always take the daughters back to the fathers or the grandfathers....in doing so this does and has been shown to drastically reduce the size (smaller in size) in the resulting offspring's, this can be done over and over. This is a well known fact that this is done in the bantam size chickens, resulting in smaller size in every generation. My great grandfather was a well known breeder and this practice was done for many generations and still done today....of course this is done with the welfare of what is best of any chicken...James

 

[Heron's Nest Farm]

I am working towards a mid sized Chocolate Orpington. The larger fowl are TOO large and the Bantams are TOO small or so I have heard from others. So I really wanted to create a mid sized. Since Chocolate Orpingtons in themselves are not the color for judging anyways, what does it matter creating a size that may please more chicken people. So how do YOU feel about this project. Is it worth my time, money and effort? I dont know. As with all my projects they tend to cost more and take longer than I had anticipated. Just wondering what appeals to others.

I think this is an excellent idea. I too don't do the bantam and they are HEAVY on the standard size. I know others will disagree, but I say go for it. And Keep us posted on your project. Mine seem mid sized, but they are not full grown.

 

[Sisters Farms]

Here's a current pic of my Choc Orps. They were just moved out to the main coop in the introduction cage. This one is trying to be a little bad *** lol

 

[Choc Orpington]

We hatched our first 3 chocolate orpington bantams today!! They are healthy and chocolate! From Greenfire Farms original stock. We have 3 more CO's set to hatch in 4 days.

This was our first attempt, and we used the Little Giant still air. The chicks are 1 hour old in this pic. Also in the incubator are two Ameracana eggs.

See the little chocolate beaks!!

Yippee!!

 

[ApiaryandAviary]

Moving Forward on project.
4 Hutch & Pen systems. Plan to be down to 2 hutches within 6 months. Plan to be down to 1Chocolate Hutch and pen system in 12 months of mid size only.
I am also working with downsizing my other LF Orpingtons.
The LF Lavender, Blue, and Red Orpingtons eat more food and poop bigger too. Smaller but not Bantam appeals to me. Currently,...Only breeding the smallers and rehoming the larger only of the LF Lavender, Blue, & Red Orpingtons. Next project breed White Orpingtons in with each the colors. Not doing Black Orpingtons nor Black and white spangled Orpingtons, nothing against them just not doing them.
1. Hutch & Pen larger roo with smaller hens.
2. Hutch & Pen smaller roo with larger hen.
3. Larger's H&P will pick thru bf rehoming.
4. Smaller's H&P will pick thru bf rehoming.

 

[Heron's Nest Farm]

Moving Forward on project.
4 Hutch & Pen systems. Plan to be down to 2 hutches within 6 months. Plan to be down to 1Chocolate Hutch and pen system in 12 months of mid size only.
I am also working with downsizing my other LF Orpingtons.
The LF Lavender, Blue, and Red Orpingtons eat more food and poop bigger too. Smaller but not Bantam appeals to me. Currently,...Only breeding the smallers and rehoming the larger only of the LF Lavender, Blue, & Red Orpingtons. Next project breed White Orpingtons in with each the colors. Not doing Black Orpingtons nor Black and white spangled Orpingtons, nothing against them just not doing them.
1. Hutch & Pen larger roo with smaller hens.
2. Hutch & Pen smaller roo with larger hen.
3. Larger's H&P will pick thru bf rehoming.
4. Smaller's H&P will pick thru bf rehoming.

Hope you take good notes and share your results.

I know some worry about folks breeding away form the SOP, but my feeling is it only makes breeding the SOP that much more challenging. Besides breeding for your personal needs is so much fun!

Please keep us posted on your results.

ALSO! Love all the chick pics everyone!