Lavender Orpington vs. Blue Australorp?

[3KillerBs]

Among the 20 chicks that comprise the Blue Blob from my Welp order I have 2 that are noticeably lighter in color than the others, 5 of whom are from the Assorted Brown Layers rather than the 15 Blue Australorps I ordered. If they happen to be Lavender Orpingtons rather than Blue Australorps how would I tell? Seeing that they're both white-skinned, single-combed breeds that are closely related?

Here are some photos, individual and group.

 

[ColtHandorf]

I highly doubt their type will be similar. Hatchery Lavender Orpingtons usually look pretty ratchet to me. Even hatchery-quality Black Australorps have a better type than that. Hopefully when they mature you'll be able to tell for sure. They do look Lavender to me in those photos.

 

[BlueBaby]

I had some before. The blue Australorp's can range in different shades of Blue, all the way to being Splash in color depending on what colors that the parent's were.

 

[3KillerBs]

I highly doubt their type will be similar. Hatchery Lavender Orpingtons usually look pretty ratchet to me. Even hatchery-quality Black Australorps have a better type than that. Hopefully when they mature you'll be able to tell for sure. They do look Lavender to me in those photos.

What *should* be the difference in type?

 

[ColtHandorf]

Australorps:

Lavender Orpington :

The Lavenders will also probably be a frayed mess. I believe @Overo Mare says hatchery-quality Lavender Orpingtons look like someone used them to scrub a patio.

Anyway they will be much thinner and their tails more pinched and not as deep. They also probably won't lay as well as the Australorps.

 

[3KillerBs]

Australorps:
View attachment 2885868View attachment 2885869View attachment 2885870View attachment 2885873View attachment 2885875View attachment 2885876View attachment 2885878View attachment 2885880

Lavender Orpington :
View attachment 2885886View attachment 2885887View attachment 2885888View attachment 2885889View attachment 2885890View attachment 2885891

The Lavenders will also probably be a frayed mess. I believe @Overo Mare says hatchery-quality Lavender Orpingtons look like someone used them to scrub a patio.

Anyway they will be much thinner and their tails more pinched and not as deep. They also probably won't lay as well as the Australorps.

Thanks. So I guess I'll keep an eye on them as they grow and see what they turn out like.

 

[spuddenly]

I have a Blue Australorp and Lavender Orpington and can weigh in on this! Here are mine:

(~10 weeks old) The one facing left is the BA, the one facing right pecking the cinderblock is the LO.

(~6 months old) One in the back on top of the hay is the LO, the one in the front is the BA.

Like others have said, Lavender Orpingtons tend to have "shredded" feathers. They're also more evenly grey whereas Blues tend to be darker on the head and fade to a lighter color on the body. As they start laying eggs and get to their full weight, the Orpington will be noticeably chonkier than the Australorp.

Based on your photo, I'm fairly sure you have a Blue Australorp. The feathers aren't shredded, and I see a dark mark on it that indicates a splash (which blues can have but lavenders never will - my BA has a ton of very small scattered black spots, and one larger one on her tail)

 

[3KillerBs]

I have a Blue Australorp and Lavender Orpington and can weigh in on this! Here are mine:

View attachment 2886077
(~10 weeks old) The one facing left is the BA, the one facing right pecking the cinderblock is the LO.

View attachment 2886078
(~6 months old) One in the back on top of the hay is the LO, the one in the front is the BA.

Like others have said, Lavender Orpingtons tend to have "shredded" feathers. They're also more evenly grey whereas Blues tend to be darker on the head and fade to a lighter color on the body. As they start laying eggs and get to their full weight, the Orpington will be noticeably chonkier than the Australorp.

Based on your photo, I'm fairly sure you have a Blue Australorp. The feathers aren't shredded, and I see a dark mark on it that indicates a splash (which blues can have but lavenders never will - my BA has a ton of very small scattered black spots, and one larger one on her tail)

Thank you. I'm sure it's not impossible that the hatchery just kept adding Blue Australorps to make up the rest of my Brown Egg Assorted order.

I will need to figure out how to get good, individual photos because I have 3 distinct color groups in "the blue blob".

 

[dorklandresident]

I have a Blue Australorp and Lavender Orpington and can weigh in on this! Here are mine:

View attachment 2886077
(~10 weeks old) The one facing left is the BA, the one facing right pecking the cinderblock is the LO.

View attachment 2886078
(~6 months old) One in the back on top of the hay is the LO, the one in the front is the BA.

Like others have said, Lavender Orpingtons tend to have "shredded" feathers. They're also more evenly grey whereas Blues tend to be darker on the head and fade to a lighter color on the body. As they start laying eggs and get to their full weight, the Orpington will be noticeably chonkier than the Australorp.

Based on your photo, I'm fairly sure you have a Blue Australorp. The feathers aren't shredded, and I see a dark mark on it that indicates a splash (which blues can have but lavenders never will - my BA has a ton of very small scattered black spots, and one larger one on her tail)

What do you mean by shredded feathers?

 

[Poultrybonkers]

What do you mean by shredded feathers?

Feathers like this

Feathers are all over they are split and usually take forever to feather in