The Imported English Jubilee Orpington Thread

[Noelanidawn]

Layer pen.  No point wasting an egg layer if you sell eggs for consumption.  I had never heard of this rumpless condition in Orps, but am not surprised because the gene pool for Jubilees is so small.  I hope you didn't pay much for them.  If you did, then I'd ask for a partial refund.  They are clearly pet quality chickens and should be priced as such.  Just my two cents' worth!  Are you also saying the other 11 were cockerels?  If so, you were really ripped off if you paid much of anything.  While I had one Jubilee cockerel who didn't show his gender until he was pretty old (5 months maybe?), an experienced breeder would have at least had a good inkling of gender by 3-4 months if by no other reason than behavior like chest bumping.  Jubilees also grow more slowly than other English Orp colors like BBS, so it takes them longer (more feed!) to get to a decent weight for meat.  I'm sorry you have had a less than ideal experience.  Unfortunately, it is more likely to happen with Jubilees and the more expensive birds. 

Thanks! No I didn't pay a lot, $85 for 13 birds. The rest are all BBS which what I was really wanting from the group, and most are really nice. Out of the whole group more than half are pullets.I've actually sold a couple of the extra cocockerels already. Over all I'm fairly happy with the birds, and I knew there would be some pets/ culls in the group. I just wasn't sure what to do with these jubilees. They're the only ones I have, and i didn't really want to breed on the weak genes. Plus they don't really fit in with my other orp colors- buff, lemon cuckoo, and BBS.

 

[QueenMisha]

Anybody here who is near Northern CA? A while back I posted seeking advice on the quality of my Jube Orp roo. He turned out to be a Speckled Sussex or cross thereof. This came on the heels of purchasing a lovely and grossly expensive hen to breed him with. So I am of course now in need of a Jubilee Orp roo come spring. Anyone who will have mature roos or older cockerels (at least breeding age) around that time?

 

[berna]

 

[berna]

 

[berna]

 

[BeachBumBiddies]

Anyone ever have trouble with a male that isn't "doing his job" so to speak? I've never seen my cock bird do anything to his hens & I've never heard him crow. Is this weird? Is there anything I can do to make him be more"manly"? Maybe he just hides when he does his business. lol

 

[CrazyChickLady7]

Mine isn't the dominant rooster, so he does neither. Do you have another rooster in with him? How old is be. Jubilees mature slowly, especially the roos.

 

[BeachBumBiddies]

Mine isn't the dominant rooster, so he does neither. Do you have another rooster in with him? How old is be. Jubilees mature slowly, especially the roos.

Thanks for the response. He is by himself with his hens. If I remember correctly he is about 11 months old. I'm just hoping he's not a dud. His girls just started laying, so I guess I should just be more patient, but it seems like I have been waiting for chicks from these guys forever!! lol

 

[RobG7aChattTN]

Good to know. I thought cockerels ALWAYS matured faster than pullets. My hens are fertile because when I had my Jubilees in with my Lavenders I hatched out some crossbreed chicks (either solid glossy black or with copper neck feathers). The Lavender roo was dominant as the Lavenders all matured more quickly. Meanwhile my Jubilee Roos (well, one of them at least) crows like an immature cockerel and I've had zero fertile eggs. I know I saw the Jubilee roo act like he wanted to mate but the Lavender roo would always put a stop to it. Hopefully I'll get some fertile eggs soon.

 

[CrazyChickLady7]

Mine rooster is around 10 months (ish?). I heard him crow once, but it was a long time ago when he wad the only rooster and it was a sad little crow. He still isn't full feathered out, and has never mated (to my knowledge.) For some reason my trio refuses to socialize with any of the other chickens. Even when they sleep they dont roost they huddle together in a pile. The only thing they like is my cat, who I've found sleeping with his head on their fluffy butts so many times.