Lavender Orpington project ....

[lildinkem]

I can't remember which breeder who specializes in making new varieties said it. But, they said it takes up to 5 or 6 generations of taking your projects back to purebred Orps to make em look like real Orps.
That is why some here who sell Lav eggs call them what they are. "PROJECT" Orp eggs. Now you can get lucky and within a generation or two make one who will qualify as an Orp. But that is very rare.
My best offspring from my only Lav cock, thanks Harry, is this boy. He is Orp like. But is a Blue Cuckoo. He will be taken to a Cuckoo pullet this coming spring. Far as I know not too many have any Blue Cuckoos. Even though he is from a Lav cock.
Funny how genetics works.

 

[jeremy]

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It would definitely help with size and shape but you could run into other issues by not back crossing to Black.

Feather quality on the Lav birds historically hasn't been the greatest and one way to correct poor/weak feathers is by crossing your Lavs again to Black birds, rearing the Splits, breeding them together and then only keeping the Lav birds that show improved feather strength and continue from there...

I feel like for the longest time, even the "best breeders", only focused on the Lavender color. That ultimately has been the downfall of this variety. There is so much more that has to be taken into consideration when breeding.

 

[jeremy]

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It's funny how rolling the genetic dice can produce things that you would have never expected!

He's a cool looking bird Bill.

 

[lagunitas]

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It would definitely help with size and shape but you could run into other issues by not back crossing to Black.

Feather quality on the Lav birds historically hasn't been the greatest and one way to correct poor/weak feathers is by crossing your Lavs again to Black birds, rearing the Splits, breeding them together and then only keeping the Lav birds that show improved feather strength and continue from there...

I feel like for the longest time, even the "best breeders", only focused on the Lavender color. That ultimately has been the downfall of this variety. There is so much more that has to be taken into consideration when breeding.

thanks, jeremy. just another reason to get those black english orps i've been eyeing.

 

[OSUman]

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If you have the money I would say go for it, you might save on feeding out the split birds and hatching and raising out those lavs.

 

[jeremy]

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It would definitely help with size and shape but you could run into other issues by not back crossing to Black.

Feather quality on the Lav birds historically hasn't been the greatest and one way to correct poor/weak feathers is by crossing your Lavs again to Black birds, rearing the Splits, breeding them together and then only keeping the Lav birds that show improved feather strength and continue from there...

I feel like for the longest time, even the "best breeders", only focused on the Lavender color. That ultimately has been the downfall of this variety. There is so much more that has to be taken into consideration when breeding.

thanks, jeremy. just another reason to get those black english orps i've been eyeing.

Or Blue...

I've got some enormous cockerels that would certainly help add girth and shape to a Lav project.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Since I been keeping some of mine back on good Black English to hatch and growout that is why I call mine "project. As to why "mine" cost so much I have seen the english breed go for wayyyyy more a doz. then I would ever set my price for the Lavender color. If you remember correctly the split blacks carrying the lavender gene years ago carried a hefty price tag themselves. I'm near the stage now of not calling mine a project anymore.

You also have to remember that good SQ or exhibition stock of Blue or Black Orpingtons are not something new but have been around for ages. I've seen a good blue orp hen go for 50.00 without a blink of an eye and cockerels for 35.00 to 40.00 by someone really interested in a breeding program or showing.

 

[HenThymes]

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And that's reasonable Sandy, I know for a fact good show stock can bring in the upwards of $100 and more per bird and that includes cockerels!

 

[lildinkem]

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thanks, jeremy. just another reason to get those black english orps i've been eyeing.

Or Blue...

I've got some enormous cockerels that would certainly help add girth and shape to a Lav project.

using Blue should work out fine. Blue is a diluted Black anyway. And type is the first priority. Hatch out a 100 and keep the best 2 trios for next season

 

[lagunitas]

colour is important, but not as important as type and size, so it's essential that if you breed non-standard Orpingtons, to always choose type over the colour. To aim for both these factors in showing and breeding is the way forward. Never sacrifice type for colour, but on the other hand, try not to loose too much good colour either!! -from http://www.jubileeorpingtons.co.uk/index.html

good advice, in my opinion.