Post Pics Of Orps/ Orpingtons HERE

[Renie'sPeeps]

Quote:
If you are going to want to play with lavs let us know we will hook u up with some lavs an lavs split to black english.we will be keeping most of our splits but will work with u.we are hoping in 5 years we will have some real nice lavs.we are pretty pleased with the lavs we got this year now just need to start working on size

Now that gives me another reason to look forward to next Spring.

 

[Beth G.]

Hi,

I find my Orps are very late egg laying bloomers

Most of my girls born after April do not lay until Early Spring the next year. Mine are very big bodies and I think they put of their energy into growing into their frames. My Biggest girls usually don't lay for me till close to a year old. But, I'm not fond of putting lights in coops. I feel when you force a young one into laying too early you put stress on the reproductive organs forcing them to maturity faster and I've never had good experiences with that with Pullets in their first year pre-lay cycle. I've seen an increase in birds becoming egg bound and ovary passing from forcing birds into maturity too fast. But, that's just an opinion I am not an expert at all. I just go with my experience and gut.

I bet before you know it you will see eggs just when you've given up on looking for them to lay

That always seems to be the way with me. I clean my nest boxes out every weekend and tend to not look at the young ones nest boxes at all unless I know someone is laying. A couple of times I went a week later and had a nest full of eggs

Yes a waste but, that just seems my luck

Quote:
Wow, I had to edit all my horrible typing errors

I think it's time to hit the hay

 

[feathers4fun]

Glad I found this thread and have been following it for a few days, and trying to read some of the prior posts as well. I currently have lav orps, still young and a couple are just starting to lay. In our incubator I have 29 BBS eggs and 14 buff eggs, due to hatch on Thanksgiving. Very excited about these, should all be lovely eye-candy orps.
Meanwhile, I'll try to get some pics of my lav cockerels. I have 3 and really need to cut one of them, it'll be nice to get some feedback from others.

 

[Beth G.]

Nice Congrats on all the new babies to be!!! Happy Hatching

Quote:

 

[ll]

Beth G. :

Hi,

I find my Orps are very late egg laying bloomers

Most of my girls born after April do not lay until Early Spring the next year. Mine are very big bodies and I think they put of their energy into growing into their frames. My Biggest girls usually don't lay for me till close to a year old. But, I'm not fond of putting lights in coops. I feel when you force a young one into laying too early you put stress on the reproductive organs forcing them to maturity faster and I've never had good experiences with that with Pullets in their first year pre-lay cycle. I've seen an increase in birds becoming egg bound and ovary passing from forcing birds into maturity too fast. But, that's just an opinion I am not an expert at all. I just go with my experience and gut.

I bet before you know it you will see eggs just when you've given up on looking for them to lay

That always seems to be the way with me. I clean my nest boxes out every weekend and tend to not look at the young ones nest boxes at all unless I know someone is laying. A couple of times I went a week later and had a nest full of eggs

Yes a waste but, that just seems my luck

Quote:
Wow, I had to edit all my horrible typing errors

I think it's time to hit the hay

No eggs here yet

(hatch date May 1st)
Question though!
Would you keep using grower/finisher feed at this point, or is layer feed okay since they can actually lay any day?​

 

[Goose and Fig]

No- they should be on layer by now, with free choice oyster shell as well.

 

[rarely bored]

Here are my 8 week Disney chicks:

This is my first attempt at show stock chickens, so I'm just into it to learn right now. I really like how the blue pullet is looking - and the splash roo is looking better every day. They are sooo much bigger than my hatchery stock!


edited to add... if the pullets don't begin laying until ~7 mos, at what age do the roosters begin, uhh, noticing the chicks?

 

[Goose and Fig]

Quote:
Nice! I just love thier orps. Roo maturity varies by bird and how many other roos you have around. It's nothing to worry about if he gets active before she starts laying seen as how they are the same age- it all works out eventually

 

[RisingStar]

Jeremy, My 7 month old chicks from Bamachicken are laying just about everyday now. And no I dont have lights on them. Guess I will be firing up the incubator sooner than I thought. Will start checking fertility soon. I am so excited. Its awesome to have these 100% English birds. I love them so much.


Carol

 

[jeremy]

Quote:
That Blue chick has an awfully yellow beak... what color are the soles of it's feet?