Russian Orloffs

[JWEBB]

Just beautiful!

 

[JWEBB]

@JWEBB How old were your Welp ROs when they started to lay? Just curious because I also have some from Welp. (and posted pics on the difference in color) Just wondering if they may lay sooner than the other ROs I have that didn't lay until 9mths old

Oh no, I don't have any RO's from Welp. I do not even have "A" Orloff yet! I see strombergs and Meyer has them too. The problem I have with it is there are no pictures of them on the website only the "textbook" pic. So I'm not sure what I would be buying. I do have 10 eggs LF Orloff coming to me from a breeder in Oklahoma with a good size flock it appears from the pics. The eggs might be here tomorrow!!! if not it will be Thursday morning.

They said if they remember right it was at least 6 or 7 months old when they first started to lay. Slow maturing it sounds like. I can live with it, cute little younguns for longer lol. I might actually have eggs by fall.

There are several people near me.. I mean very close I found through the Orloff Club of North America. I've only been able to contact Mr. Casper so far and he has not one egg or chick available this year, all spoken for.

I hope that changes !

The other two guys I'm waiting to hear back from, Roger Ort, who is gone on a trip his auto reply says so I still have hope. The other one is Mark Dunlap. So I dunno... I emailed, we'll see what happens. I want to try and get some different birds so I'm not breeding the same group to the same group unless it proves wise to do it but I have to learn more.

 

[JWEBB]

@ vtquania, thanks for the input I will most def be looking up to the folks who have had this breed and worked so hard on it. well tell me does leg color matter right now in the US? I see all different color of legs. Also, is there a facebook page or something of enthusiasts that I can join to learn more about what is important going forward? thanks!

 

[gander007]

Cknldy congrats on your hatch

Been a hectic few weeks at work for me & I'm not receiving notifications from this thread for some reason. Welcome to the new members to the ROs!!! My hatch are day ten now and most look good so far, fingers crossed.

Hello gander007 & RiddleMe. For the new members to the Russian Orloff, definitely recommend desertmarcy's chicks!!! Have seen different members with her stock & all excellent looking & good quality IMHO. Nothing but good feedback from owners & other members!!! Also other members whom have bred these for yrs as suggested. I on the other hand do suggest to be weary of hatchery birds. I own a few (ROs) but will only keep for layers. If yuo're wanting for breeding & perfecting the Orloff, there are many breeders who have dedicated a lot of time to perfecting this breed, seek those out as mentioned by gander007 & RiddleMe, they know the breed.

A few pics of my girls from yesterday


Yuleshka


Muleshka


Hatchery Pullets


Elena (Ellie)

Good looking RO's

 

[JWEBB]

And the adventure begins! Heres my dozen Large Orloff eggs from the lovely person in Oklahoma. NONE BROKEN!! I took them out of their bubblewrap and nestle in the paper big end up until tomorrow so they can rest. Then into the bator!! I was laughing because some are kinda oblong and it was not easy to tell what end was the big end! SO EXCITED!

 

[ashandvine]

8 out of 12 eggs have developed veins for their first week in incubation here. Two look like they might be starting so I have only removed the two definitely clear ones. Live chicks coming next week. I am about to be inundated with Orloffs to cull through. Better than all this snow though.

 

[vtguania]

Thanks JWEBB & gander007. Good luck on your eggs JWEBB, mine are at day 11 and so far most look viable. I have them due to hatch on my son's birthday so I'm pretty excited. Sounds like you will be over run by Orloff Ash, but you're right take that any day over all the snow we've gotten.

 

[RiddleMe]

I just set 23 eggs on Monday, my first set for the season so we will see how fertility is. But I'm realizing I just might need another incubator. I'm only using two trios, and planned to hatch pretty much everything for the next few months, but I kind of dorked my math, and didn't take into account that I'd be getting an incubators worth of eggs (24) each week. With them laying 5-6/week, even pulling non-viable eggs, they won't be moving out to the hatcher as quickly as I have them coming in to set. Oh the dilemma... I need my broodies to decide the weather is turning, this time last year I already had one setting a clutch.

 

[ashandvine]

Riddle... this sounds so familiar. I have geese and ducks to hatch at some point too. Even with the extra bator coming from a friend at the end of the month I am going to have to give up on someone. I need a cabinet incubator but the cost of those... oh man. There's a fellow who raises nice Buff Orps in here that made one out of a small soda refrigerator but I don't think I could pull that off.

 

[vtguania]

RiddleMe sounds like you're addicted, lol. Ash, I made my own out of an old freezer, followed some of the directions from one of the posts here on BYC. I've had some issues as I'm using a lightbulb for heat, but I'm working on intergrating the heating element from my still air inc. I spent about $20 on it. I had an egg turner that I use in it. Would like to add a few more to it to have atleast 3. I still prefer my broody but she can only handle a few eggs as she's a bantam. Has proved to be a good momma though. Hopefully her daughter is just like her. How's the eggs coming along for those incubating. Cknldy post some pics of the little ones