Orphington: hen or roo?

[aoxa]

The red/brown bird could be a project Orp, but that's all I can say about that one. The Blue Ameraucana is very pretty, and is a boy.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

The red/brown bird could be a project Orp, but that's all I can say about that one. The Blue Ameraucana is very pretty, and is a boy.

That's not an Orp comb though, is it? Looks quite off to me, even above and beyond the fact that an Orp comb should ideally only have five points, and the body type should be different, too.

 

[aoxa]

That's not an Orp comb though, is it? Looks quite off to me, even above and beyond the fact that an Orp comb should ideally only have five points, and the body type should be different, too.

Here is the one in question right? Single comb.

Looks like he could be a golden laced Orp. The type is off I agree. Maybe that is what the hatchery lady meant by orps of all different colours?

I'm not saying it is or it isn't an orp. Could be a mix for sure. I like to think hatcheries sell what they say they are selling to a certain extent (Americanas excluded

). Not going to meet the SOP for sure, but the comb is right, type is off Colour may be okay once he's finished.

 

[shannondee12]

I don't have a lot of experience with chickens just yet but I did order from a hatchery this past summer and I ordered 2 cayuga ducklings and 2 khaki campbell ducklings and what I actually got was 1 Rouen, 1 crested blue swedish, and 2 Rouen mixes. When I contacted the hatchery, they made no apologies and I was basically S.O.L. so good luck on talking to the lady you got them from.

 

[aoxa]

I don't have a lot of experience with chickens just yet but I did order from a hatchery this past summer and I ordered 2 cayuga ducklings and 2 khaki campbell ducklings and what I actually got was 1 Rouen, 1 crested blue swedish, and 2 Rouen mixes. When I contacted the hatchery, they made no apologies and I was basically S.O.L. so good luck on talking to the lady you got them from.

Which hatchery?

 

[sgtsalt79]

I sent the hatchery lady these pics and she admitted that the blue one does look like an Ameraucana but said he can't be because she didn't hatch any Ameraucana eggs this season. She thought the pea comb might be a result of "fluting" of the blue and buff cross she's been breeding. She did say the larger comb on the brown and black is a genetic variation. What I meant by multi colored orphs was that she is trying to breed blue and black orphs as well as buff.

 

[sgtsalt79]

She has offered to replace any that are male. I care much more about the gender than the breed since we are just raising chickens for the eggs. I am curious to know what's going on with their strange appearances though. The buff colored girl we got from this hatchery is a regular orphington.

 

[sgtsalt79]

If anyone is in the Salt Lake City area and would like either of these boys just let me know. We can't keep roosters in our neighborhood due to city ordinance.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

I sent the hatchery lady these pics and she admitted that the blue one does look like an Ameraucana but said he can't be because she didn't hatch any Ameraucana eggs this season. She thought the pea comb might be a result of "fluting" of the blue and buff cross she's been breeding. She did say the larger comb on the brown and black is a genetic variation. What I meant by multi colored orphs was that she is trying to breed blue and black orphs as well as buff.

I would never, ever buy from her again. This is an Ameraucana or Easter Egger, pure and simple. Her explanation of the comb seems spurious--straight comb x straight comb = straight comb, no "fluting." You can get modified pea combs from crossbreeding, but that boy's comb does not look modified. Further, how does she explain the BEARD? There are no colors of Orps she could be breeding that would result in a beard. And that red/black "Orp's" comb is terrible. Orps should never have eight points on their combs--the standard calls for five points. I've heard of six or seven showing up and needing to be bred back out, but eight? C'mon.

I hope she sold you these birds CHEAP. They are far worse quality than you would have gotten from a big hatchery like Murray McMurray or Ideal or Meyer.

 

[shannondee12]

Which hatchery?

It was in Ohio