Post Pics Of Orps/ Orpingtons HERE

[humpbacks1962]

Is there a difference among the Orpingtons themselves in terms of good/bad layers? I mean.. Which are not as good layers (an egg or so a day)? The blues? blacks? buffs? lavenders? splash?
Which among the orpies lay more eggs per week? Blacks? buffs? lavs?

 

[HenThymes]

Is there a difference among the Orpingtons themselves in terms of good/bad layers? I mean.. Which are not as good layers (an egg or so a day)? The blues? blacks? buffs? lavenders? splash?
Which among the orpies lay more eggs per week? Blacks? buffs? lavs?

Being a good/bad layer doesn't have to do with color as it does with genetics. The UK bred orps and as well as Exhibition size tend not to lay as well as the smaller American orps or even your hatchery stock. I think a lot has to do with the massive body size.

 

[humpbacks1962]

OK, that being said... what is the answer to my question? Are the smaller sized orps better layers than the larger ones? Is a buff a better layer than a blue or splash?

 

[HenThymes]

Again, color will have nothing to do with it buff, blue, splash can all lay the same. It would just depend on the genetics of a particular bird as to how well they lay... Your massive Exhibition and UK orpingtons do not lay as well as they as their smaller average backyard counterparts (in most cases).

Just fyi - in my bantam orps, my buffs are my worst layers, haven't had anything in probably 5 months... My blue/black/splash are decent layers and only take short rests and start again.

 

[jeremy]

I'm not sure what you mean, however while the U.K. shows nice Orpingtons they are not good layers. In fact the magazine mentions that they are far from what they were originally developed for. It's the same with other show breeds.

Many of these were utility breeds bred for meat and eggs not for looking good running around the yard. PP mentions not to get Orpingtons if it's eggs your looking for. It's sad really sad.

My pure English birds are very good layers, when they're laying.

The only difference i've found is that they take longer break periods inbetween lay cycles, specifically when they molt and in the winter.

Otherwise my girls give me an egg just about every day.

 

[HenThymes]

My pure English birds are very good layers, when they're laying.

The only difference i've found is that they take longer break periods inbetween lay cycles, specifically when they molt and in the winter.

Otherwise my girls give me an egg just about every day.

I completely agree, they are great layers when they are laying but when they decide to be hold outs, they really hold out!

My girls had a extremely hard molt this fall and have yet to lay me an egg. I think we are going on 6 months now.

 

[AinaWGSD]

I agree, color has little to do with the genetics behind egg productivity. It could be argued that Buff orps (at least large fowl) are "better" egg layers than other colors, simply because that is just about the only color offered by hatcheries and hatcheries breed with a heavy emphasis on egg production (and little attention to anything else like meat production in DP breeds or conformation to a standard) and there are a lot more hatchery buffs out there running around in urban and suburban backyards than any color of exhibition orp. But in that case, it's not so much that buff colored birds are better egg layers but that it is the only color hatcheries who focus mainly on egg production. If hatcheries sold just as many blue/black/splash, lavender, or other colored orpingtons, then you would expect to see the same kind of egg production in those colors. Also, while hatchery birds are often more prolific layers during the first few years, they tend to burn out faster and as they age their rate of lay drops off more sharply than non-hatchery birds who will lay fewer eggs per week than a production bird but will lay the same number of eggs for more years. If that makes any sense.

Speaking of egg laying orpingtons, I am wondering if my big blue girl might be getting ready to lay. I checked for eggs tonight (nothing for the last 2 weeks almost, one of my 2 egg layers is in quarantine in the house and stopped laying due to stress and the other girl I had laying has either stopped also or is incredibly good at hiding her eggs from me) and one of the nest boxes about looked like it had exploded! The 4 older girls would rearrange the hay in the nest boxes from time to time, but they never fashioned such a deep nest. Of the two new, just about POL, pullets I have, it seems the tiny Ameraucana would be less likely to dig such a hole for a nest. Maybe I'm wrong...but here's hoping for a pretty brown pullet egg sometime in the next week or two!

 

[Goose and Fig]

Funny- I can't get rid of that quote box! Anyway, somebody is selling Jubilee eggs on ebay and describes them as prolific.
But they apparently also think that Orpingtons should have yellow eyes.

 

[ItsAZOO32]

I agree, color has little to do with the genetics behind egg productivity. It could be argued that Buff orps (at least large fowl) are "better" egg layers than other colors, simply because that is just about the only color offered by hatcheries and hatcheries breed with a heavy emphasis on egg production (and little attention to anything else like meat production in DP breeds or conformation to a standard) and there are a lot more hatchery buffs out there running around in urban and suburban backyards than any color of exhibition orp. But in that case, it's not so much that buff colored birds are better egg layers but that it is the only color hatcheries who focus mainly on egg production. If hatcheries sold just as many blue/black/splash, lavender, or other colored orpingtons, then you would expect to see the same kind of egg production in those colors. Also, while hatchery birds are often more prolific layers during the first few years, they tend to burn out faster and as they age their rate of lay drops off more sharply than non-hatchery birds who will lay fewer eggs per week than a production bird but will lay the same number of eggs for more years. If that makes any sense.

Speaking of egg laying orpingtons, I am wondering if my big blue girl might be getting ready to lay. I checked for eggs tonight (nothing for the last 2 weeks almost, one of my 2 egg layers is in quarantine in the house and stopped laying due to stress and the other girl I had laying has either stopped also or is incredibly good at hiding her eggs from me) and one of the nest boxes about looked like it had exploded! The 4 older girls would rearrange the hay in the nest boxes from time to time, but they never fashioned such a deep nest. Of the two new, just about POL, pullets I have, it seems the tiny Ameraucana would be less likely to dig such a hole for a nest. Maybe I'm wrong...but here's hoping for a pretty brown pullet egg sometime in the next week or two!

That's so funny you say that! I have a young Amer that JUST started laying a couple of weeks ago and she really dug a DEEP nest. Down to the very bottom of the nest box with hay all up the sides. I hope it isn't the same in your case but you might get a blue egg soon too

 

[pampered_poultry]

I agree that color has nothing to due with the laying............but in my experience I have seen where the blue/lavender color seems to not lay as many eggs per year as my other colors. This same statement was made to me by a neighbor who raises a different breed (and is a show judge).

This could be due to genetics of the blue/lavender.......who knows?.... It is just one of those phenomenon that I just learn to accept.