The white shown above was a bit smaller than the other birds in the show at Indy. She was in total molt at the show as is shown by the feathers you can see dropped in the cage. The bird was taken to the show to have a representation of what the white orpington is.
She is one of the foundation hens my business partner started with about five years ago. This bird is out of Catalpa lines (not pure) - you know Gayle Pontious. There is no rock or wyandotte in her background.
As for birds being pure Cecil Moore lines, there are very few left around. Once you breed the birds that were purchased from Superior Farms, (Superior Farms lines) who bought Moore lines about twenty years ago, they are your line.
Danny Padgett did not get Cecil Moore birds in 2006. Marie Moore verified the last sale to Superior Farms/Danny was about 20 years ago. The most current sale was to my business partner of black orpingtons.
Marie Moore still has their flock of blacks and blues. Steve Jones has taken over the flock of whites that were bred to my business partner's white lines recently.
My point with the above is, that once someone starts breeding someone else's lines, they become theirs. The may have originated from somewhere, but they are not neccessarily the birds the original breeder would have continued on with. I think it is wrong to sell birds touting a well known breeders name for sales. I believe you can tell people that your birds originally started somewhere, but again, once you breed them, they are your line.
A good source to get more information about the breed and how to breed for certain characteristics is the United Orpington Club. I am a member of the UOC and they are a good group of new and old breeders to learn from.
