Post Pics Of Orps/ Orpingtons HERE

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
If I were you, I would post the question on the Heritage thread, or send a PM to Walt and Bob and ask them.

 

[lildinkem]

Quote:
Walt Leonard would say cull any cockerel who has a comb that is more then one point from the standard. NOW, IF he is all you have then use him. BUT, you have a bowling ball with feather and a five point comb. Now depending on your pullets, that can help us out even more. Do any have the "U" that you want? IF so I would say go with the bowling ball. You can get the corrct type out from the pullets. most likely the correct type is in him too. You will have these tuff decisions even more so come next year at this time. For the first few years it will take alot of culling to narrow the gene pool to where you can get more even distributed the genes you want into your line. Great Orpington lines, you should be able to make it work well. just be patient. And IF these are the only two cockerels you have I wouldn't get rid of either. no gaurantees that one will do the job or not till you know. So i say wait till they have proven themselves and even wait till you have a decent number of chicks on the ground to cover your @ss incase a predator hits you like I was just hit in the past three week. I lost a total of 11 Black Orpintons. So be patient and if necessary split them up.

 

[OSUman]

Quote:
If you dont like either it may be better to try and find a better rooster to put over your hens.

 

[popcornpuppy]

Thanks for the advice everyone

I greatly appreciate it

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
Really, I have emailed and PMd the judges we have on BYC (Bill .... NYREDS, Walt .... fowlman01, Bob .... robertblosl), and they have all been excellent with advise, and always helpful. I would ask the experts on this one, really!

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
Ya know what .... that is an opening for a discussion I would like to have. I have been doing alot of research and reading, as well as talking with some experts. I am thinking it is best to NOT add new blood to decent stock. You are always gonna have some "off," birds, but if the stock is good, why add to it? What are your feelings on this subject?

 

[silkieluver_07]

Quote:
Just wanted to update everyone. Today I showed the trio and the two pullets won Best English and Reserve. The bottom pullet went Grand Champion Largefowl and I find out tomorrow for maybe a Best in Show

It would be awesome if she won! Cross your fingers for me!

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
Just wanted to update everyone. Today I showed the trio and the two pullets won Best English and Reserve. The bottom pullet went Grand Champion Largefowl and I find out tomorrow for maybe a Best in Show

It would be awesome if she won! Cross your fingers for me!

CONGRATS to you! Where did you show at?

 

[lildinkem]

One way to breed is to get your best example of cockerel and your best example of pullet. Breed them together for only one season, then do mother to son and daughter to father breeding the following season. Do that for two seasons in a row. Each season ONLY keeping the best pullets and putting them back in with their mothers pen. Each season you will only use your best cock/cockerels. It MAYBE your original male, it may not. IF the parent stock male is the worst you move him out to isolate him for a season. Then you use the better cockerels with the best daughters. Then on the fourth season you repeat the original breeding pair and add the best daughters and grand daughters back to the original parent stock pen. While still leaving enough pullets/hens in the two pens that derived from each parent's side. This was a method presented to me in an email. You are trying to achieve three different but related bloodlines. The original pair, the variation off the original hen and the variation off the cock. While still running a 50/50 pen from the original parent stock.
I know it maybe confusing, but if done correctly you will get three unique but related bloodlines. And should be able to go years with no new blood


Congrats silkie-luver

 

[denniselk]

here the trio