The BANTAM ORPINGTON Thread

[gootziecat]

Either my camera has given up the ghost or it has decided to refuse all rechargeable batteries. I've ordered another but it'll be a week at least before receiving it. I'm sorry. I know pictures would be helpful. Suffice to say, one chick has wing feathers that actually curl up towards and over the back. Short of frizzles, I've never seen anything like these feathers, and frankly, I've never had smooth feathered chicks before that look quite like this. I'm just trying to find out whether anyone else has had something similar and whether it straightened itself out (no pun intended) once the mature feathers came in.

 

[Sagetown]

Either my camera has given up the ghost or it has decided to refuse all rechargeable batteries. I've ordered another but it'll be a week at least before receiving it. I'm sorry. I know pictures would be helpful. Suffice to say, one chick has wing feathers that actually curl up towards and over the back. Short of frizzles, I've never seen anything like these feathers, and frankly, I've never had smooth feathered chicks before that look quite like this. I'm just trying to find out whether anyone else has had something similar and whether it straightened itself out (no pun intended) once the mature feathers came in.

Man; No wonder you are concerned. Sounds like you've got some doozies. Pics would be great.

 

[gootziecat]

Bad batteries. Now I'll have 2 cameras. lol.
Here are some pictures of the choc Orp chicks. The last one isn't very clear but you can see the white tips that meet each other over the back and poor feather quality.

Since this is the predominately popular color of Orp bantam chicks these days, seems like some one on here would have some experience with them. I understand the feather quality isn't so hot on them being a double whammy of dilute. How much does it improve as adults? And how many generations of breeding to blacks with feather quality does it take to get the feathers decent again?

 

[Sagetown]

They have the feathering of a 2 week old chick. Are you feeding them a High Protein Diet. 28% Game Bird feed is good for growing bantams. It encourages good feather development.

 

[Don Chandler]

My chocs has some white in there wings when they are young, when they get there good feathers they should be gone. My blacks do the same thing.

 

[Sagetown]

My chocs has some white in there wings when they are young, when they get there good feathers they should be gone. My blacks do the same thing.

As does my Rhode Island Red Bantams. They shed several times the 1st year, and get prettier too.

 

[gootziecat]

Sagetown, they are on a Blue Seal multi-flock, which is somewhere around 20-22% protein. They also get hard boiled egg every day. Yes, their feathering is far behind their age, which is 4 wks. I read somewhere the choc Orps are slow feathering. HA! Understatement. My Cochin bantams are 2 wks younger and are feathered out beautifully, much farther ahead in growth and quality of feather.

Absolutely, Don. White on the wings, especially the first primary, is fairly common. White tipping other places are too, especially on blacks. My point here was, in an otherwise too dark picture, to see where the wing feathers curled and met.

While no one can tell me how MY birds are going to turn out, I was hopeful there were others on here that have experienced the same feathering quality and could give me guidance as to what to expect in the long run, or at least their experiences.

Thanks all.

 

[Caitlin_VT]

Bad batteries. Now I'll have 2 cameras. lol.
Here are some pictures of the choc Orp chicks. The last one isn't very clear but you can see the white tips that meet each other over the back and poor feather quality.

Since this is the predominately popular color of Orp bantam chicks these days, seems like some one on here would have some experience with them. I understand the feather quality isn't so hot on them being a double whammy of dilute. How much does it improve as adults? And how many generations of breeding to blacks with feather quality does it take to get the feathers decent again?

I have had some cockerels that feather in VERY slowly. Then, on the other hand, others that feather in normally. As far as feather quality - your confusing it with Lavender. Lavender has some major issues (fretting), while chocolate has the issue of becoming dull and diluted without the addition of black. For some reason, black brings back the darker, richer chocolate color.

White feathers are normal on black and chocolate chicks. They will fall out and be replaced with normal colored feathers for the bird.

 

[gootziecat]

edited

 

[Sagetown]

Sagetown, they are on a Blue Seal multi-flock, which is somewhere around 20-22% protein. They also get hard boiled egg every day. Yes, their feathering is far behind their age, which is 4 wks. I read somewhere the choc Orps are slow feathering. HA! Understatement. My Cochin bantams are 2 wks younger and are feathered out beautifully, much farther ahead in growth and quality of feather.

Absolutely, Don. White on the wings, especially the first primary, is fairly common. White tipping other places are too, especially on blacks. My point here was, in an otherwise too dark picture, to see where the wing feathers curled and met.

While no one can tell me how MY birds are going to turn out, I was hopeful there were others on here that have experienced the same feathering quality and could give me guidance as to what to expect in the long run, or at least their experiences.

Thanks all.

It appears that you have all your marbles together, and your only problem is the Chocolate Orpington chicks are naturally slow developing. That's interesting. Keep us informed. I'd like to see how they turn out.