The feather storm happens when the Orp babies start molting all their baby feathers out to grow in their adult feathers, at about 4 months old. I've picked up a 5 gallon bucket on occasion every morning for a week with a bunch of 12 babies all changing feathers at the same time.I am quite surprised as to how fast they are growing. What is the normal weight for the Orpingtons? At what age are they considered adults? At the moment, all of them are out of proportion with disheveled looking feathers. Also, they look like wearing badly made, shabby pantaloons..They look adorable to me but, my husband and friends think they are quite whimsical.
What is a feather storm?
The English BBS babies tend to have long, drippy skirts, that I don't have to contend with on my Buffs. I've bred mine to tighten up those skirts by using birds wide shorter , wider feathers.
Orps aren't really mature until they are 2, but they should have reached full size by the time they lay. My pullets are continuing to put on body mass at 6 months, having started laying at 5 months old. They are very big girls already, and larger than their mothers, who weigh between 9 1/2 and 10 lbs. at a year. I have an early maturing line though. Some Orps don't lay until 8-10 months old.