Orpington or wyandott

[user213590]

Hello, I am trying to list the pros and cons of the Orpington and the Wyandott. Which is best for egg laying in size and shere amount of eggs. How many years will they be laying? Really trying to figure out the difference in both breeds. I have a couple of each left that I have not given away and the two breeds of hens and the combs are different and legs look different in color. But that is about the only difference I can see other than wyanndotts are on this side and the Orpingtons are the otherside of the pond. Thank you all for any input.

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! I really like both breeds, but I do like the Wyandottes better, call me shallow but I love the color patterns they come in, especially the Blue Laced Reds. The main problem I have with the Orpingtons is they are a little too broody for my liking. I think the Wyandottes produce a few more eggs, mainly because they are not as broody, but the Orpington eggs may be a little bigger.... both do about 4-5 eggs a week when they are laying well the first year or two. They both do keep laying some for quite awhile, over 5 years, but ime the hatchery Buff Orpingtons do seem to have more egg related problems as they get older.

 

[user213590]

Thank you for you help.
We got the eggs and was surprised by how many roosters we have. I am still trying to give away cockerils.

 

[1muttsfan]

Hi and welcome to BYC from northern Michigan

I believe that between those two breeds you will see more difference depending on the strain you get and not so much the breed. Google the Henderson Chicken Chart, it lists characteristics of many breeds, including their egg laying tendencies.

 

[TwoCrows]

Welcome to BYC!

I don't keep Wyandottes so I really can't say. But I have heard they are great layers and less broody than Orps. I keep Black Australorps, (also in the Orpington breed category) and they are great layers. My birds are 3 years old and still going strong. But they do go broody easily. So depending on what you want in a breed, either of these birds are going to lay well for you.

Good luck choosing a breed and welcome to our flock!

 

[gander007]

 

[user213590]

Hi gander007, thank you for the welcome. My Orpington girl is laying large roundish eggs and the Wyandotte is not laying yet. I still have two Wyandotte cockerils to give away as I am keeping one to be a friend to the one girl. I am trying to figure the difference in Orpingtons and Wyandottes. I know the difference in Ohiki and Old English Game Bantams. Amazingly my Ohiki from Boggy Bottom Bantams have the same feathering colors as my son's Old English Game Bantams. Likewise I am noticing same in the orpington and wyandotte golden lace in both also. I am still learning. I do not carry years of experience with chickens. Just that one sweet hen back in the late 80's.
Btw, I like Bond also, noticed the 007.

 

[user213590]

Just gave the last of the Goldenlace Wyandotte cockerils away this morning.
Gave the golden orpington boys away with no problem. keeping the girls from the Gold lacy Orpingtons, gold Wyandottes, RIR and Red Sexlinks for the eggs to feed my Family and my Chocolate Orpingtons, cochin Bantams, Phoenix, Phoenix Bantam, Japanese Ohiki & Bantams.

My Maran eggs have not hatched and I did get more Chocolate Orpingtons at the same time also they are due to hatch this weekend.
I found some Lavender Orpingtons on ebay and won that bid and hoping they will
Be a nice edition to the chicken family.

Tomorrow morning I am planning a trip to the farmers market to see how they run things there. I hope I can get a booth for the first and second Saturday in June to sell any baby chickens I do not need. Everyday I am getting anywhere from 10-20 eggs from my Phoenix, Phoenix Bantams, Ohiki, Chocolate Orpington Bantams, and Cochin Bantams. I think I should try the Farmers market because I ran a sale twice from my front yard in April and got very few people shopping. Mostly friends wanting me to give them what I do not need. I gave away a lot of my RIR, gold orpington, gold lace wyandottes and Red SL, and cockerils that I had way too many of. The wyandottes and orpingtons only had differences in the cocks comb and leg color.

This time I am hoping for more girls than boys. Those boys are difficult to give away. Everyone wants me to give them the girl soon to be egglayers along with the cockerils. I have a couple of times but only to a few people. The thing about my Phoenix, Phoenix Bantam and Ohiki. I just dont think people realize the cost of the eggs or shipping. Then we go through hatching and The inexpensive eggs I get over a 75 % hatch rate through the mail but the expensive eggs I dont even get a 25% hatch rate but when I add them all together I get around a 50 % Hatch rate Combined. I have a theory as to why.

Can anyone out there give any pointers to selling excess chicks? From my yard does not seem to be working. What do you all think of a Farmers Market? Have any of you tried Farmers Markets to sell off any excess?
Thank you for any help.