Post Pics Of Orps/ Orpingtons HERE

[rooster239]

Are green leg hatch roosters aggressive?

 

[Johnn]

You did say trying, how did Bella fair?

She lost, She could easily win but she is just dumb because she doesn't bother jumping so she gets hurt! I Kind of didn't want her to win because that hen is only above her now so she would have ended up at the bottom.

 

[galanie]

Just thought I'd post a baby picture or two. This guy is not quite 6 weeks old in the picture.

 

[thedragonlady]

Just thought I'd post a baby picture or two. This guy is not quite 6 weeks old in the picture.

I don't think you have any worries about him being wide, or deep enough, Sarah ! He's got Monty's expression too !

 

[cbnovick]

I don't think you have any worries about him being wide, or deep enough, Sarah ! He's got Monty's expression too !

He exudes QUALITY & TYPE at 6 weeks!!!

 

[lildinkem]

I stole this post from my friend Bob Blosi. He just posted this article on the Heritage LF thread. As many people who have 100% pure whatever lines who do not want to breed anything else into their line. This maybe of some help. That is what we're here for is to share ideas and pics to help better the future for our breeds of birds we hope to better
Thanks Bob for sharing this article with us.....

Rolling Matings
Craig Russell
President, SPPA
​

I believe this to be the most practical and probably the best overall breeding system for poultry. It simply consists of breeding cocks to pullets and cockerels to hens. Yes, it requires at least two pens for each breed or variety, but it requires minimal record keeping, prevents extremes in breeding and helps to select for both vigor and uniformity. The system is also relatively forgiving of mistakes in selection or an introduction of new stock that does not combine well with an established flock. These problems will tend to correct themselves in future cycles.
Here is the formula for starting with a trio of Javas. (Note: Most old time breeders would not use less than two trios of anything, because that was not “deep enough” and preferred a “breeding” of two males and eight to ten hens).
But, in this case, we are starting with an initial trio. Let us say in a single season we raise thirty Javas (15 of each sex). From these, we would keep the three best males and eight or ten of the best females. The rest we sell or eat. The next breeding season, the old male is mated to the pullets and the best cockerel is mated to the old hens. The other two cockerels are spares and show birds. A rule of thumb is always to keep at least half as many spare males as you had breeding males and never keep less than two. This system can be expanded to any size, but when in full swing, it should have at least four males and twenty females.
The following year the two old cocks (the cockerel is over a year old now) are teamed with the 10 best pullets. The young (year old) hens join their mothers with the two best cockerels and the system is now running well.
After each season, the old birds are combined and culled to the two best cocks and the best ten hens. The best two cockerels and the ten best pullets are selected from the young birds. The pullets are teamed with the cocks and the hens with the cockerels. The breeder is ready for the following season.
Old time breeder, Bruce Lentz, would often have “side matings”. This might be unrelated stock from another breeder or culls that had one or more very desirable characteristics. He might work with these birds for years until he got them to the desired state of perfection. Then, they would be slowly worked in on the pullet and cockerel side of his regular matings.
The complaints I have heard about this system are that it is too easy; anybody can do it; it is not breeding, and it depends upon your ability to select breeders or cull.
The answer? It is easy; anybody can do it; it is breeding, and any system depends upon your ability to select breeders. This system will maintain a viable population while you develop the art.

 

[littlechicklet]

Thanks. It sounds like what I was planning to do. Wow! can't believe I was on the right track.

 

[TheNuttyChick]

I stole this post from my friend Bob Blosi.  He just posted this article on the Heritage LF thread.  As many people who have 100% pure whatever lines who do not want to breed anything else into their line.  This maybe of some help.  That is what we're here for is to share ideas and pics to help better the future for our breeds of birds we hope to better
Thanks Bob for sharing this article with us.....

[SIZE=14pt]Rolling Matings[/SIZE]​

[SIZE=14pt]Craig Russell[/SIZE]​

[SIZE=14pt]President, SPPA[/SIZE]​

[SIZE=14pt]   I believe this to be the most practical and probably the best overall breeding system for poultry.  It simply consists of breeding cocks to pullets and cockerels to hens.  Yes, it requires at least two pens for each breed or variety, but it requires minimal record keeping, prevents extremes in breeding and helps to select for both vigor and uniformity.  The system is also relatively forgiving of mistakes in selection or an introduction of new stock that does not combine well with an established flock.  These problems will tend to correct themselves in future cycles.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]   Here is the formula for starting with a trio of Javas.  (Note:  Most old time breeders would not use less than two trios of anything, because that was not “deep enough” and preferred a “breeding” of two males and eight to ten hens).[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]  But, in this case, we are starting with an initial trio.  Let us say in a single season we raise thirty Javas (15 of each sex).  From these, we would keep the three best males and eight or ten of the best females.  The rest we sell or eat.  The next breeding season, the old male is mated to the pullets and the best cockerel is mated to the old hens.  The other two cockerels are spares and show birds.  A rule of thumb is always to keep at least half as many spare males as you had breeding males and never keep less than two.  This system can be expanded to any size, but when in full swing, it should have at least four males and twenty females.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]   The following year the two old cocks (the cockerel is over a year old now) are teamed with the 10 best pullets.  The young (year old) hens join their mothers with the two best cockerels and the system is now running well.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]   After each season, the old birds are combined and culled to the two best cocks and the best ten hens.  The best two cockerels and the ten best pullets are selected from the young birds.  The pullets are teamed with the cocks and the hens with the cockerels.  The breeder is ready for the following season.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]   Old time breeder, Bruce Lentz, would often have “side matings”.  This might be unrelated stock from another breeder or culls that had one or more very desirable characteristics.  He might work with these birds for years until he got them to the desired state of perfection.  Then, they would be slowly worked in on the pullet and cockerel side of his regular matings.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]   The complaints I have heard about this system are that it is too easy;  anybody can do it;  it is not breeding, and it depends upon your ability to select breeders or cull.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]   The answer?  It is easy;  anybody can do it;  it is breeding, and any system depends upon your ability to select breeders.  This system will maintain a viable population while you develop the art.[/SIZE]

Thank you for sharing this with us! That's basically what I was thinking

 

[Sonja73]

He exudes QUALITY & TYPE at 6 weeks!!!

X2

 

[lildinkem]

It does seem like common sense. Bob is very protective of the purity of his line. He let's loose some of his RIR stock to very trusted folks that he knows are in for it for the long haul and knows in the future he can hit them up for a dose of what their making with the same blood. Even though you can have brothers from the same parents. Each of them is just enough different that over time left to themselves in a breeding program you can alter a line to look and be completely different looking. That is why many do not like the unpredictability of outcrossing lines. I for myself do like outcrossing. The unpredictable nature of offspring can make some knock out birds. On the other hand, you can reinforce undesired traits. A good example of this is my 6.25% BBS UK cockerel here. Even though he is just a mere 6.25% BBS UK lines, those genes like to stay together. It is very difficult to breed in a longer back and still maintain the rest of what is liked in UK line birds. Smaller head, short backs are 2 traits I hope to alter. A fuller rounder chest is another I see inherent in some Orps.
So, you are the judge. You have to feed and water your birds. It is alot easier when you like what they look like.
From my trio that has a Lemon Blue cockerel, a Blue hen and a Blue Splash "Patches".
Their boy, he is 6.25% UK.