Lavender Orpington project ....

[OSUman]

Anyone have pics of their current project birds?

 

[galanie]

I can well sympathize with people charging a good amount for the eggs of the birds they've worked so hard on. Not the mention the cost of the imports. This cost tends to trickle down the line since of course no one wants to spend hundreds on a chicken just to give it's offspring away. I am one of those who wants more quality birds but just can't afford them due to their cost. Am I mad? Absolutely not. But if you can afford for whatever reason to sell your chicks or eggs for a lower price, then that's wonderful! Especially if they are good SOP birds. That's the main problem I've seen with the lavenders posted for sale most often, most are not anywhere close to SOP yet. And still some are selling these "project birds" as pure lavender orps for an inflated price when they don't even look like orps.

 

[wava1vaughn]

There is a simple solution to the eggs and birds being to expensive and the quality isn't right. Just don't buy them.

 

[galanie]

Quote:
I haven't. Thank you for the suggestion, though.

 

[Goose and Fig]

Quote:
Yeah, that's what's so disgusting about the whole thing. They don't even come close to SOP. So why are they selling for higher than SQ blue or blacks? You think those breeders didn't put any work into thier flocks? That's really insulting.

I'm not mad about it, I am on a personal mission to get some good birds going and get the color back on track. If it means I have make eggs/chicks affordable to entice capable breeders to do the right thing, then so be it.


Anywhooo.....I am going to put the guy in front in with the girls in a week or so. He's the smallest I have (about 6 months old). Any opinions?

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

Not meaning to start a disagreement, but using a non-SOP Orpington on a Self Blue to get it to SOP quality may not be a good idea. That is why we are using a pure Cecil Moore line Black Orpington. It just takes time and lots of culling to get where we want in this new variety.

Until we have five breeders that have worked on the Self Blue for five years or more we can not even consider applying for SOP acceptance. Then there must be at least 50 birds entered that are like a cookie cutter of each other. If some are of English type and some are of American type the qualifying judge will just shake his head and say NO. These must be to the Orpington Standard.

What everyone does in their own backyard is defintely their own business. But when we apply for SOP acceptance, every Lavender/Self Blue breeder will have to be on the same page. The Marans folks learned that the hard way. The Lavender Silkies did to. When they agreed to the term "Self Blue" it was accepted. Just a fact of the Standards Committees.

On the bright side, for the first time in history, at Crossroads, a Splash was accepted in the SOP! So there is hope for changes.

 

[wava1vaughn]

I hear what your saying ( HappyMtn ) but I don't see prices on your website. How much are you charging for Lavender Orpingtons and Black Orpingtons Eggs and Chicks?

 

[Goose and Fig]

Quote:
I don't sell lavender orpingtons at this time because I don't feel I have anything good enough to sell. I raise BBS from show stock and chicks are usually $6 each. English splits will be the same price when I get some to hatch. My lav orp girls are nothing to write home about, hence the need for drastic measures like using a small English roo. Hoping that if I overcompensate I might get something worthy of being called an orpington.

I am not new to the color though- I am on my F4 lavender Ameraucanas. They are about to be exploited to no end just like the orps were, and its really lit a fire under me to do something.

I'm supposed to have one of my blues in an upcoming issue of BYP

I do know what a nice orp should look like!

Jim- I wish I had some Moore blacks, but I went with Disney (whom I LOVE) and ended up with all blue and splash this year. Maybe next time.

 

[galanie]

Quote:
Yeah, that's what's so disgusting about the whole thing. They don't even come close to SOP. So why are they selling for higher than SQ blue or blacks? You think those breeders didn't put any work into thier flocks? That's really insulting.

I'm not mad about it, I am on a personal mission to get some good birds going and get the color back on track. If it means I have make eggs/chicks affordable to entice capable breeders to do the right thing, then so be it.


Anywhooo.....I am going to put the guy in front in with the girls in a week or so. He's the smallest I have (about 6 months old). Any opinions?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/28521_daphneorps_022.jpg

My opinion is you should give him to me!

I don't think anyone has an argument that says you can't use non SOP or other breeds as you're working on your lavenders, it's just that if they aren't SOP, don't go selling them as "pure" Orpington birds.

 

[Goose and Fig]

I have another extra English roo. Hoping somebody will trade me a GOOD lav hen. But whomever takes him needs to realize they are massive birds.

If/when I sell any (have to prove fertility first) I will list them as 50% English.