Splash Orpington or Delaware Orpington ?!

[RoostersAreAwesome]

She was bought as a buff orp. Two of the others we bought with her are def buffs. What's the difference between Deleware Orpington and a Deleware? Why would they have a Deleware stuck in there with the Buff Orps?!

Delaware orpingtons don’t exist. Unfortunately, feed stores often mislabel and mix up chicks in different bins.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

Delaware orpingtons don’t exist. Unfortunately, feed stores often mislabel and mix up chicks in different bins.

When the chicks arrive at our local Tractor Supply, they are set up first in the warehouse for a few days, before being brought out to the chick set ups, in the store to be on customer display. Employees care for them, cleaning, water, feed, etc. You know how retail is...various shifts. I've seen them moving chicks to other bins so they can clean the messy ones better, then get called away, another person takes over & cant figure out what chicks go where. When chicks get moved, some end up in the wrong bins. That's how I ended up with a few black Australorps among my black Marans.

I also got a surprise chick, that looked way different than all the others, too. Still today I have no idea what she is! Her feathers look like a cross between Gold Lace Wyandotte & my gorgeous gold EE...but as a chick she was in with the RIRs...but of course when I was at the store, there were Gold Lace Wyandotte chicks. She lays off white eggs. Obviously, she was moved around by employees, but also the breeder of this bird must've had a different breed Rooster sneaking around, visiting the lady hens, so that particular mix up occurred prior to hatching.

I think we all realize that sometimes it may be a gamble when getting chicks from other souces, but we love our chickens no matter what the breed.

Here's my sweetie, Mystery, she certainly is one.
RIR? NOT!

 

[ShrekDawg]

Delaware Orpington isn’t a thing. She’s just a regular Delaware. Someone probably placed the chick back in the wrong bin. Happens pretty often. She is pretty though and they are excellent layers. I had one before. She was an amazing layer but quite loud hahah

 

[3KillerBs]

Mixed up chicks aren't always the fault of the employees either.

Last year I was in a farm store where I saw a chick jump up to the rim of his feed-trough brooder and jump down into the next bin over. They sometimes mix themselves.

I prefer to buy chicks directly from the hatchery, but if I buy from a farm store I look up the breeds I'm after to make sure I know what the chicks are *supposed to* look like -- not that there aren't times when people could be fooled by similar-looking chicks.

In fact, I had a Lavender Orpington masquerading as a Blue Australorp in my flock for nearly a year before Silver's feather-shredding showed up to reveal her true identity. She'd even fooled the experts here with her photos as a chick and young pullet.

 

[SwampQueenChick]

Delaware orpingtons don’t exist. Unfortunately, feed stores often mislabel and mix up chicks in different bins.

Well that makes sense. I have a lot to learn

 

[SwampQueenChick]

When the chicks arrive at our local Tractor Supply, they are set up first in the warehouse for a few days, before being brought out to the chick set ups, in the store to be on customer display. Employees care for them, cleaning, water, feed, etc. You know how retail is...various shifts. I've seen them moving chicks to other bins so they can clean the messy ones better, then get called away, another person takes over & cant figure out what chicks go where. When chicks get moved, some end up in the wrong bins. That's how I ended up with a few black Australorps among my black Marans.

I also got a surprise chick, that looked way different than all the others, too. Still today I have no idea what she is! Her feathers look like a cross between Gold Lace Wyandotte & my gorgeous gold EE...but as a chick she was in with the RIRs...but of course when I was at the store, there were Gold Lace Wyandotte chicks. She lays off white eggs. Obviously, she was moved around by employees, but also the breeder of this bird must've had a different breed Rooster sneaking around, visiting the lady hens, so that particular mix up occurred prior to hatching.

I think we all realize that sometimes it may be a gamble when getting chicks from other souces, but we love our chickens no matter what the breed.

Here's my sweetie, Mystery, she certainly is one.
RIR? NOT!

View attachment 3281364
View attachment 3281361View attachment 3281362View attachment 3281363

Thank you so much for your response. Enjoyed the pics of your sweeties! As I said in a earlier post...I have a lot to learn about chicken breeds! I've always just bought chickens and never really cared much about what breed they are. My daughter and I are starting to get into the breed thing and it's a little overwhelming

 

[SwampQueenChick]

Mixed up chicks aren't always the fault of the employees either.

Last year I was in a farm store where I saw a chick jump up to the rim of his feed-trough brooder and jump down into the next bin over. They sometimes mix themselves.

I prefer to buy chicks directly from the hatchery, but if I buy from a farm store I look up the breeds I'm after to make sure I know what the chicks are *supposed to* look like -- not that there aren't times when people could be fooled by similar-looking chicks.

In fact, I had a Lavender Orpington masquerading as a Blue Australorp in my flock for nearly a year before Silver's feather-shredding showed up to reveal her true identity. She'd even fooled the experts here with her photos as a chick and young pullet.

Well that's hilarious In the future we will probably buy from a hatchery or breeder too, especially since we are getting into more breed specific chicks.

 

[SwampQueenChick]

Delaware Orpington isn’t a thing. She’s just a regular Delaware. Someone probably placed the chick back in the wrong bin. Happens pretty often. She is pretty though and they are excellent layers. I had one before. She was an amazing layer but quite loud hahah

This one is certainly a sweetie

 

[Fran James]

Well that makes sense. I have a lot to learn

Delaware Orpington isn’t a thing. She’s just a regular Delaware. Someone probably placed the chick back in the wrong bin. Happens pretty often. She is pretty though and they are excellent layers. I had one before. She was an amazing layer but quite loud hahah

 

[Fran James]

I could be wrong this looks like a Delaware Orp to me. Nice one too!