I want a columbian mini Orpington for mothers day, how do I get it

[nunlef]

Y'all just short circuited my brain...ouch.

Don't worry, I'm only pretending to understand. I barely even passed biology in high school, and in college, I opted for physics
I still can't figure out why my daughter has hazel eyes when my husband has green and I have blue.

 

[Illia]

Would you put a standard orp over a bantam hen? Without being too crude, Wouldn't that cause some issues for the girl? The orpington is a pretty hefty bird.
Also, would a lavender male over buff female work the same way? I already have those- they just need to mature first.
And I did find 2 people here that have bantam lavenders, I pm'd them this morning, so hopefully I can get this going by summer.
Thanks so much, I even considered going in with someone to import, but I'm a die hard DIYer, and this project will keep me out of trouble

You are really best to stick solely with bantams but if not possible, use LF hens. Bantam males can still get it done but you'd likely need some vent trimming to help.

Lavendar works too, but the big issue is that it is recessive and can sneak up on you in the future if you're not careful. Beyond that sure it works the same way as BBS. But I can't stress it enough, Lavender Orpingtons are so incredibly rarely GOOD quality that they're probably going to set you back more than forward. It is best to use BBS or Chocolate stock, or even Whites however I believe they're recessive too, which means also that they might be hiding anything under that white.

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

Go to Cackle and order a batch of Buff Orpington Bantams and Columbian Wyandotte bantams. Chances are you'll get some single combed wyandottes, they seem to pop up with some regularity. Chances are you'll also get white shanks in the dottes.

Pick a couple of good trios and see what happens.

 

[nunlef]

You are really best to stick solely with bantams but if not possible, use LF hens. Bantam males can still get it done but you'd likely need some vent trimming to help.

Lavendar works too, but the big issue is that it is recessive and can sneak up on you in the future if you're not careful. Beyond that sure it works the same way as BBS. But I can't stress it enough, Lavender Orpingtons are so incredibly rarely GOOD quality that they're probably going to set you back more than forward. It is best to use BBS or Chocolate stock, or even Whites however I believe they're recessive too, which means also that they might be hiding anything under that white.

I wonder why lav orpingtons are generally not good quality? Do you mean that the structure is not to standard?

Go to Cackle and order a batch of Buff Orpington Bantams and Columbian Wyandotte bantams. Chances are you'll get some single combed wyandottes, they seem to pop up with some regularity. Chances are you'll also get white shanks in the dottes.

Pick a couple of good trios and see what happens.

I was thinking about that, cackle doesn't ship to Virginia, but ideal does, and they are on sale through today. I suppose I'll be making a decision one way or another soon, I hate to miss a good sale

 

[Illia]

Lavender Orpingtons, don't know about bantams though, are in most cases not up to par with the Orpington standard. Their bodies do not match the Orpington image at all, in fact, at times are worse of quality than even hatchery stock, which I highly suggest you not get. If you just want a Columbian colored chicken, go with hatchery stock. Otherwise if you want an Orpington, best to go with birds that actually look like what Orpingtons should look like

Ever noticed how if you remove the color, - Barred Rocks, Black Australorps, Rhode Island Reds, New Hampshires, and Wyandottes all look very much the same when from hatchery stock? (ie - most of them out there)

Oh and in answering the Lavender question, they're most poor quality because of the fact that these days people just want them for the color, so people just breed them for $$ and for color. Thus, just like hatcheries, they're bred for one trait and begin to look less and less like the breed. Because after a while, breeders will be focusing on who lays the most so they get the most money, or who goes broody least, or whatever satisfies them. This isn't all breeders though, some Lavender Orp breeders are trying very hard to get Lavs to look like Orpingtons, not gray chickens.

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

Newsflash! Cackle JUST announced they can now ship to Virginia. Yay! And they have much nicer bantams, the bantam Orpingtons are said to actually be worth working with. I don't know about their Columbian Wyandotte bantams, but might as well go for it, right?

 

[nunlef]

Thanks so much for everyone's help, I have a feeling I'll be mailing out 100's of eggs in afew years

Ultimately I think I will reinvent the wheel on this one. I don't think it should take much longer than a more simple approach, and the cost will be reduced enough so that I don't give my darling husband a heart attack.

Illia, thanks so much for the specific advice. I understand about mass breeders and their general lack of quality. I volunteered as a foster for a German shepherd rescue, and the dogs that were the worst off were from the "$600 breeder". They bred inferior dogs for profit. Show dogs and mutts were easy to retrain, but those puppymill types were always a little too.... Something.

Anyway, I read quite a lot more about the "cook's Orpington" - the breeds he used and the breeds that used it. I found 2 black Cochins cockerels that were culls from a breeder because of sparse leg feathering. They do have a nicer "U" shape than normal, and aren't crazy fluffy. I will breed those to my columbian rocks to create my future roosters for the LF buff and lavender orpingtons I already have.

I am also on the lookout for bantam orpingtons, though that may take a while. I think I would only buy some if I couldn't get what I want in 3 or 4 generations.

Well, I guess I'll have f1 brooding by August if all goes well. If there is any "personal grooming" involved I may just have to hire someone else to make this bird for me

If anyone thinks my idea is way too out of bounds, please let me know. Keeping in mind my first priority is a kid friendly chicken.

 

[Habibs Hens]

for a kid friendly batam that looks aloit like a mini columbian orp

this may just be your best bet

i may just get some eggs off this guy


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6-Micro-B...t=UK_Pet_Supplies_Poultry&hash=item20c556f201

 

[nunlef]

for a kid friendly batam that looks aloit like a mini columbian orp

this may just be your best bet

i may just get some eggs off this guy


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6-Micro-B...t=UK_Pet_Supplies_Poultry&hash=item20c556f201

They do look awfully cute, but I'm not sure I want to fly to London, pay import fees, then fly back with a (maybe) 10% hatch rate. I did look at seremas, though. I like the shape, but I don't want anything too flighty (I have a chicken eating dog- he has a taste for things that try to get away from him).
My husband did approve an import effort for next years anniversary present if I can't produce my own. The look of the English Orpington is just too perfect . We've been meaning to get to Scotland for a few years, and the kids should be big enough by winter for a trip like that.
Heck, I could probably write off the entire trip as a business expense for my "Winderson Chicken"

 

[Habibs Hens]

They do look awfully cute, but I'm not sure I want to fly to London, pay import fees, then fly back with a (maybe) 10% hatch rate. I did look at seremas, though. I like the shape, but I don't want anything too flighty (I have a chicken eating dog- he has a taste for things that try to get away from him).
My husband did approve an import effort for next years anniversary present if I can't produce my own. The look of the English Orpington is just too perfect

. We've been meaning to get to Scotland for a few years, and the kids should be big enough by winter for a trip like that.
Heck, I could probably write off the entire trip as a business expense for my "Winderson Chicken"

you would need to make it a long holiday if you plan to do that

and scotland has different laws to england

infact they are trying to become their own country so not sure what rules appply there

but here in UK i say long holiday because you would need to apply for a pet passport first before you can take livestock out