Strange 'Black' Orpington

[adoptedbyachicken]

Quote:
They will be exceptional. I had some cross breed black Orp with a Brown Leghorn one year when I just free ranged everything and a hen ran off broody in the woods. Anyway those birds were skinned and the hide treated with salt/borax mix and hung to dry, then given to a friend that ties. He loved them. Almost all the feathers were like those ones you showed, not just a few, so well worth the work to prepare the whole hide. And the rest of the bird tasted just like chicken!

I agree, it's common and we all have to be selective in getting away from it. Black is not the most easy colour.

 

[Cara]

I love an excuse to go fishing

 

[BamaChicken]

I have an awesome blue cockerel hatched out of Blue Boy who is from Sandhill. He looks great but has developed that red streak of feathers on just one wing. My husband loves this particular cockerel but I keep explaining we can't use him. He looks so good other than that red flaw.

 

[Cara]

I don't know why it took so long for me to notice. The sun caught his wing just right today. He might get to stay as a pet though, he's a docile guy. All Orps seem to be though! Soon we'll have more chickens than cattle.

 

[blackclownfish16]

Even though you probabaly don't have to use him, I have the same problem in my mottled houdans. Heres the topic on here https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=126397

He might make your blacks shinier but if I had the option of not using him I wouldn't. Hope that helps

 

[Cara]

Thanks for the link. I think he's going to get rehomed, he's a nice enough guy but not anything I want to breed from.

 

[BoiseBubba]

Wow pretty