Lavender Orpington project ....

[Lark Rise]

OK, I feel dumb.... I don't know what "an extended black chick at hatching" looks like. What does this mean?

The chick down color on a lavender should look exactly like an extended black chick at hatching. The lavender gene dilutes black and red, so the black portion of the chick would be lavender and the white or cream color areas will stay the same.

Down color is very important to look at when hatching birds of project varieties. Down color indicates what color you are working with and if it is not correct the bird is not correct in carrying the genes you want. It is a good tool to use to cull early.

 

[pips&peeps]

Here is a chocolate chick of mine, the chocolate gene dilutes the black. Just imagine this chick with black down instead of chocolate. That is what extended black would look like.

 

[DCasper]

I will be starting my own Lavender Orpington project in late February. After researching this website, I was wondering if I should just get a Black Orpington as my rooster or get another Lavender Orpington Rooster from a different breeder? I am also thinking that line breeding is the way to go and was wondering what others think about this?

 

[jeremy]

I will be starting my own Lavender Orpington project in late February. After researching this website, I was wondering if I should just get a Black Orpington as my rooster or get another Lavender Orpington Rooster from a different breeder? I am also thinking that line breeding is the way to go and was wondering what others think about this?

If it were my project I would use a Black roo over Lav hens. I would then hatch as many Split chicks as I could comfortably handle, grow them out and breed them together. Once you have those F1s I would cull the original Lav hen from my project, unless she had excellent type, you have what you need from her at this point. I'd then work on sourcing another Black rooster from a different bloodline to put over the resulting Lav offspring from the F1 X F1 pairing and continue the project from there. I would also cross Imported English birds into my project.

 

[4cats3kids1hubby2many]

OK, I feel dumb.... I don't know what "an extended black chick at hatching" looks like. What does this mean?

thank you for asking as I did not know either. LOL.

 

[Lark Rise]

Thanks for the info.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Here are my now 17 week old Lavender Orpingtons hatched on 10/12/11 from purchased eggs. We believe we have 4 pullets and 1 rooster - Francis - confirmed by his recent crowing.
My question - what is the typical age for them to begin laying? They have been interested in the nest box, eating Layer pellets and oyster shell.

 

[lucky123]

I have some 7 months old and still not laying, so, it may be awhile for yours.

 

[bobbieschicks]

I have some 7 months old and still not laying, so, it may be awhile for yours.

UGH! Thanks for letting me know.

 

[Goose and Fig]

Here are my now 17 week old Lavender Orpingtons hatched on 10/12/11 from purchased eggs. We believe we have 4 pullets and 1 rooster - Francis - confirmed by his recent crowing.
My question - what is the typical age for them to begin laying? They have been interested in the nest box, eating Layer pellets and oyster shell.

What a cute set up! Your girls look pretty good. (is one a blue?) You don't always see a nice "bustle" like that in the lavs.