The BANTAM ORPINGTON Thread

[Caitlin_VT]

I am looking for someone who will sell me some good quality bantam orpingtons. I don't need show quality, but I have no desire to order from a hatchery again. I live at high altitude in Colorado so can't do hatching eggs unless there is someone who also raises birds at a high altitude. Can anyone recommend some good sources?

Have you tried shipped eggs at all? I sold some last year to a person in CO and as far as I know had a pretty good hatch rate.

 

[Godiva]

I tried hatching eggs here and had only one chick hatch and I have since moved to a higher altitude. It is a recipe for wasting money believe me. I used to hatch in SC with no problem, but since being in CO I have had no luck at all. I'm not willing to do hatching eggs again unless the eggs are coming from a reasonably high altitude - the shells are more porous and let more oxygen through when they are laid at high altitudes apparently. We are at 7400 ft .... Where in CO was the person you sold to? Maybe they'd have some chicks come spring that I could buy from them ... or eggs for that matter.

 

[MelissaZeno]

My current flock is all large breeds, if my large hens hatched out bantams would the bantams be ok once they were integrated into my existing flock?

 

[Caitlin_VT]

I tried hatching eggs here and had only one chick hatch and I have since moved to a higher altitude. It is a recipe for wasting money believe me. I used to hatch in SC with no problem, but since being in CO I have had no luck at all. I'm not willing to do hatching eggs again unless the eggs are coming from a reasonably high altitude - the shells are more porous and let more oxygen through when they are laid at high altitudes apparently. We are at 7400 ft .... Where in CO was the person you sold to? Maybe they'd have some chicks come spring that I could buy from them ... or eggs for that matter.

Looked back and it was Pueblo CO. Not sure what the elevation is there! I have heard the same thing about altitude and hatching... Must be frustrating!!

 

[Faraday40]

Godiva
So sorry you can't hatch chicks up there. Would baby chicks (from lower altitudes) have similar breathing issues?

I got my hatching eggs shipped from NC to IL & had a 65% hatch rate. (Not bad for the distance) The 2 bantam eggs were thrown in as extras & only Cookie hatched. We are pleased with her so far, and she can hold her own with the LF. She's not overly tiny since she's an English bantam orp.

I think they ship chicks as well as eggs. Coastline Poultry is the name. However, you may be able to find them cheaper elsewhere. NC to CO would be a long trip for those day old chicks.

 

[Godiva]

Thanks Faraday, the chicks don't seem to have any issues with breathing. It is just the porosity of the egg shells that is an issue. I may look into that breeder if I can't find anyone closer. Thanks!

 

[Peanutsmomma]

Godiva
So sorry you can't hatch chicks up there. Would baby chicks (from lower altitudes) have similar breathing issues?

I got my hatching eggs shipped from NC to IL & had a 65% hatch rate. (Not bad for the distance) The 2 bantam eggs were thrown in as extras & only Cookie hatched. We are pleased with her so far, and she can hold her own with the LF. She's not overly tiny since she's an English bantam orp.

I think they ship chicks as well as eggs. Coastline Poultry is the name. However, you may be able to find them cheaper elsewhere. NC to CO would be a long trip for those day old chicks.

Thank you so much for mentioning Coastline Poultry. I just bookmarked them as I want to buy some Bantam Orp eggs for my sweet little Choc Orp, Snickers to hatch. I saw where you mentioned earlier that Cookie is broody again. How is that going? Did you get her some eggs? Our little chocolate girl is 7 months old and has not laid yet so I am very impressed that Cookie already gone broody twice.

 

[Faraday40]

Thank you so much for mentioning Coastline Poultry. I just bookmarked them as I want to buy some Bantam Orp eggs for my sweet little Choc Orp, Snickers to hatch. I saw where you mentioned earlier that Cookie is broody again. How is that going? Did you get her some eggs? Our little chocolate girl is 7 months old and has not laid yet so I am very impressed that Cookie already gone broody twice.

The "Cookie crumbled." She was broody for about 1.5 weeks, then abandoned her golf balls. I tried to get her back into the mood by putting her in the quiet, darkened garage - even used a few real eggs- but she simply changed her mind. I put the egg pile out into the coop to see if I can entice another hen to volunteer for my daughter's project. I wrote "BAD" all over the eggs so I wouldn't accidentally collect them. DD was nervous that the hens wouldn't sit on them b/c of the writing. I told her not to worry b/c chickens can't read.

As far as Cookie, she's not broody, nor laying this week. When she is laying, she's amazing & gives daily eggs. Cookie's not a cuddler, but she does like sitting on someone's arm or shoulder - like a parrot. She's always in the middle of the flock. When I returned her to the flock, she worked her way back up the pecking order. The 1st night back, I couldn't find her on the roost. After a few min of panic, I found her literally sleeping under the rooster. I pulled her out so the poor guy could sit, but she quickly wiggled her way back in place. He had to spend the night standing up, but at least she kept his feet warm.

 

[Peanutsmomma]

"I told her not to worry b/c chickens can't read."

Seriously, I think Cookie, "The Bantam Menace" needs her own thread!

 

[Peanutsmomma]

Ok, everyone I need some advice about my sweet little bantam chocolate roo. We got he and his half sister back in September from a less than desirable breeder situation and unfortunately they were riddled with parasites and infections of several kinds. It has been a long 5 months getting them healthy but we got the ok from the vet 2 weeks ago to introduce them to our original flock.

Here is a pic of Snickers and Coco (Coco is the roo).




Snickers is 28 weeks and weighs 4 lbs. Coco is 26 weeks and weighs 3 lbs. He has had that curly feather business since he was little so I feel like he has a problem digesting/absorbing protein. And even though he has been given a clean bill of health by the vet he still has yet to have a normal looking solid bowel movement (Snicker's poops are perfect). They have been on Scratch and Peck feed since they were chicks and when I tried to take them off the starter feed they and put them on the grower feed they just didn't eat as well and there was undigested grain in their poop even though they were getting plenty of grit. I feel comfortable leaving them on the starter (20% protein) especially when it looks like he needs all the protein he can get. I do realize that I will have to change her to layer in the not too distant future as she looks like she is becoming sexually mature.

I guess I would like to know if any of you have had a bantam orp roo that was very slow to mature (no crowing yet but he has started doing his little rooster dance) and what do you feed them so that they thrive? I forgot to mention that our little guy does not like meal worms, BOSS or eggs! Yep he is kind of finicky. He does free range for about 4 hours every day so his Scratch and Peck feed is augmented with all the goodies that free ranging provides. I just wish I could figure out why he always has runny poops??? Have any of you ever had a chicken that lived an otherwise healthy life while they never having solid bowel movements?