Sdwd

[speckledhen]

Gloria Jean, your namesake just started laying again yesterday after a very long hiatus for a particularly hard 9-10 month molt.

To be honest, I'm OVER Orps, especially the fad colors and import stuff and the attitudes I've seen from some of the Orp aficionados. I love Suede and I like my Buff girls, especially Nugget, but I'm so done with all of that. I will never have BBS Orps here again after Suede is gone. I've been turned off of the breed entirely-sorry if that upsets anyone, but it's the God's honest truth. Enough is enough. It's why I asked Aubrey if there was any controversy associated with the Belgian D'Anvers. Ah, to be drama-free!! I'd rather have a barnyard mix of crossbreeds than deal with some of that stuff anymore. Life's too short. So, no, I'm not thrilled with the Jubilee Orps at all. I've never been a fan of anything that looks mottled, really. Just a personal preference. To each his own, as they say.

I like my blues (well, all the BBS) and the porcelains and my barred Rocks, just Rocks in general. I have the Mille Fleur D'Anvers because they were compatible breeders with the porcelains and Aubrey didn't have enough porcelain eggs to fill my order at the time. Porcelain is just mille fleur with the lavender gene added. Since I mentioned lavender, I'll say that I like lavender in the bantams, but I do not care for lavender in any large fowl breeds at all.


The D'Anvers lay a smaller egg than my bantam Cochin does, plus a different shape entirely. The smallest bantam egg I've ever seen comes from the smallest D'Anver pullet I have, Carly. It's about robin egg size. They'd definitely be peewee.

 

[crazyhen]

Cyn.
Attitudes aside either way, I think they would be safer to let free range if the colors are speckled or striped. I too like the BR. They are stripped well. I just like the fuzzy butts. After my part English orp died of a heart attack so young I think I will mostly keep to American. I love the buffs too. I have even considered the speckled sussex. They say they are good layers too. What have you heard about them. Gloria jean

 

[speckledhen]

I had one Speckled Sussex, Gloria Jean. Her name was Nelda. She wasn't super friendly, but not skittish, either. Her eggs were very small, off white sort off, with a matte finish. She was a decent layer. Died when her crop quit working during her last hard molt. She was a pretty little hen, very busy forager.

 

[seminolewind]

I have 2 speckled sussex. From chick on they have stuffed their crop massively every day. What a bulge! No problems, but I wonder later on.

Cynthia why so turned off with the Orps? Just the drama?

As for BR's, and Cynthia's love of them, and I ended up with one that had a broken leg I fixed, I understand how loveable they are. I did get another one, so I have 2. They are good layers, not trouble makers, mine just invited themselves into the flock without a look. And their curiousity is hysterical. Mine have to be right there as I build a pen or whatever.

I also have Polish (favorite), and JG's (favorite #2). I have some blue JG's from Kathy, which are great egg layers. I have one BO roo that I wanted to rehome, just could not do it. He got behavior modifictation x1, and was fine. He is very friendly now, very attached to me, but doesn't like to be touched. I always get the feeling that he watches me-still trying to figure me out.

I have other breeds I like but not enough to sing their praises.

Just had to put my 2 cents in!

 

[Serrin]

I hear you loud and clear Cyn! I too can do without all of the drama and people nit picking over the smallest details. I'm not a breeder by any stretch of the imagination and likely never will be. Or at least not one that could ever take themselves that seriously. And as much as is raises my hackles anytime someone says "well, they're just chickens", well, yeah, they are just chickens. We're not talking about a $100K horse here. But they're still special li'l animals.

I love my mutts the most. Their looks, their personalities, their hybrid hardiness....they are simply a total package for me. And while I tip my hat to those who strive to breed to the standard, I do think there are many who take the whole thing way to seriously. Let's face facts...in the very beginning of the domestication of chickens, they were ALL MUTTS!

Kathy used to have a great quote in her signature line. Something about how it's only through the arrogance and ego of humans that we think we can improve on what Mother Nature, in her perfection, created in the first place!

Mutts have no drama associated with them like the purebreds. They simply are what they are. And that suits me just dandy! Now, having said all of that, I still want to endeavor to create the Delawegger such that they will ultimately be recognized by the APA!

OK, I'll get off of my soap box now....as you were friends!

 

[Cetawin]

Well I agree Cyn. If one more fidiot ( new word for seminolewind) tells me Lancelot has red bleed through I am getting a 10 day mandatory vacation myself. I am sick of it. I know he does, I do not care and he long ago earned the right to be head honcho around here....end of story. Perfection of a rooster has little to do with an SOP in my opinion but him doing his job and then some makes him the perfect rooster...Lancelot has given that so SOP BE ******!

 

[seminolewind]

Thankyou for the new word, Cetawin!

Serrin, I have yet to see a pic of a mutt posted on line and get negative comments!!!

I breed for personality, LOL.

 

[kathyinmo]

Kathy used to have a great quote in her signature line. Something about how it's only through the arrogance and ego of humans that we think we can improve on what Mother Nature, in her perfection, created in the first place!

Written by NotAFarm, Mary.............

....(read man as mankind)...standard bred poultry are man's creations.....Icelandics are God's creations. Icelandic ancestors were gathered by the Vikings, brought to Iceland and then allowed to be what God intended, free-ranging, diverse, unique, beautiful. Man is never satisfied with what God has done, he feels the need to try to improve on it....to strive for the "Standard of Perfection", to show everyone how great of a "creator" he is. I love Icelandics because they are truly a "pure" breed, not a man-made one.

 

[speckledhen]

Exactly! That's one reason I think Icelandics are so appealing to me. I didn't mean to unload all that; it certainly wasn't directed at anyone here, just was something I had on my mind when I saw the category mentioned that seems to have folks at each others' throats all the time. Of course, there's nothing wrong with a person having or concentrating on whatever he/she wants in the way of chicken breeds. It's just when all the bickering starts and the "my bird is superior to your bird because it's rare and cost as much as my riding mower" that gets to me.

 

[kathyinmo]

Drama? Ha..... I see drama everywhere on BYC, as well as other poultry sites I visit. I don't see it as a negative so much. I see it as passion. Many are passionate about what they do with their chickens. It is hard work to breed chickens to the SOP. I also find much inspiration in posts that some may get ticked about. It inspires me to continue to work hard on culling and making choices with what I have. Personally, I get sick of the attacks on the ones that ARE working hard to do this.

Mutts are mutts..... love 'em or leave 'em. No matter. One thing for sure, there isn't alot of effort or difficult selection in the process of producing them, and there plenty of them available.

BYC is notorious for comments like, "Oh, they are so beautiful," even in the midst of a thread talking about SOP, culling, etc. I don't find that so helpful myself. Even annoying, to me. BYC is kinda like American, ya know. America has traditionally been referred to as a "melting pot," welcoming people from many different countries, races, religions, all hoping to find new opportunities, a better way of life, etc... It is this diversity that makes America what it is, and at the same time, creates challenges. See the similarity to BYC?

To each his own.........

OH, wanna see a picture of one of my 100% pure imported English Orp boys????