English Orpington breeding.

[redrooster99]

Hello all, I am new to the English Orpington Breed. I have silver partridge, BBS, chocolate mottled, and a couple blue laced gold. They are still chicks at the moment but the end goal is setting up Breeding pens with them. What are your recommendations on breeding English Orpingtons? Any tips or tricks, or things I should breed against? I will be hatching a lot of chicks from these and I will be culling hard. Once I get something to work with. Any advice would be helpful.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi there.

My best suggestion is get a copy of the SOP and study it. Practice training your eye. Go to shows and check out the winning birds

Also if you can find a breeders club to join... the information and experience from folks who have worked with this breed for long periods of time will FAR outweigh the awesome general information that we get here on BYC... according to my experience.

You mention culling hard... that's a great choice. Honestly, I'm lucky if I can get 1-2% TRULY good birds. I grow ALL of mine out, unless they have very clear DQ's early on.

For a dual purpose breed like Orp's... I would never use "layer" feed (and don't). I prefer using Flock Raiser with oyster shell on the side. The higher protein and amino acids give better hatch rates in addition to helping reduce molt intensity and recovery time verses when I used to use layer. By using the FR... chicks, broody's, molters, and roosters can all enjoy the same feed and get their needs met without excess calcium going to the birds not in lay.

Please note that some Orps have been prone to genetic issues such as fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome... when fed the pretty feeds with whole grains (allowing them to pick out the most tasty stuff)... OR when fed excess "treats" of any kind. Using a formulated (pelleted) ration and not diminishing nutrients TOO FAR (no more than 10% total daily intake) with treats like corn or scratch or meal worms can go a long way. And since you will be working with this breed... maybe you can eliminate that genetic factor in your line! Please understand I am not intending to fear monger anything and not all Orps will face this. Some who do will have passed via sudden death and blamed on a heart attack... if no necropsy was performed. Which I guess leads to the next suggestion... get necropsies when possible if you have unexplained losses... so YOU know what you are dealing with.

One note... it's easy for folks to focus on one wrong feather color or pattern or cull for comb sprigs... Body type is more important... according to ling term breeders. I am still learning about what is most important and what should be kept and worked on.

And honestly... after being bitten by the chicken math bug myself (which oddly includes goats, sheep, rabbits, pigs and more oh my)... I can say that narrowing down the varieties you are working with or focusing on only a couple that your really love will be less exhausting.

One of the most important factors for my set up is having a stag pen for when all the boys reach mating age and start to relentlessly harass the ladies! I could not have a peaceful barn yard without a stag pen... as they are ALWAYS ready to mate way before processing age. Allowing some time to mature and gain some manners towards the ladies gives more of them more of a chance to prove themselves instead of being culled for uncontrollable teenage hormones. Also, I keep my hens as pets.. and the ladies are much friendlier when there is no rooster telling them to avoid me.

Sorry so long... hopefully it's helpful information!

Best wishes on your chickeneering adventure!

 

[PlainOrpingtons2018]

Definitely watch for yellow legs, crow beak, wrong color eyes, no more than 5 points on comb, crooked keel, crooked toes, leakage, etc.