The Imported English Jubilee Orpington Thread

[Greg88]

9 week old Jubilee orp.
I am thinking pullet?
I have 3 others, but pictures did not turn out, will have to re-do
Thoughts?
Pullet or Roo?
Too much white?

 

[bramblefir]

9 week old Jubilee orp.
I am thinking pullet?
I have 3 others, but pictures did not turn out, will have to re-do
Thoughts?
Pullet or Roo?
Too much white?

That's a cockerel for sure. The comb and wattles are developing and reddening, and it's showing a lot of white on the breast which is common for mottled males.

I wouldn't even start looking at the quality of the color and pattern until after 16 weeks when the juvenile molt is all completed.

 

[wyandodo]

Right, the mottling will increase with every molt making them more and more white as they age. I think (but I'm not 100% certain) that the difference between your pullets with more blue and those with less is the Columbian gene. I'm thinking the girls with less blue might be heterozygous for the Columbian gene.

Do you have access to good quality Speckled Sussex over there? If you do, you might consider a little side project to eventually cross into your main project. I would get a really good Speckled Sussex cock and cross him over the 2 best Blue Jubilee pullets/hens. Cross the best resulting cockerel back over the same 2 hens and then select the offspring for type and color. You can keep selecting each generation for type and color and mix in some of the offspring to your main project too to improve color.

When it comes to speckled Sussex, I think I only saw them once on an exposition. They aren't common at all her in Belgium. There was one hen I liked (picture underneath) but she wasn't for sale.


Now I have this 5 year old rooster that is looking really good. Judge for yourselves.


I don't mind using other races to improve color and markings, but I think this rooster might just have what it takes to improve the blue jubilees. Soon I will try out a cross with a blue mottled Ancona bantam because I really like their fine pattern.

Interesting thoughts about the influence of the columbian gene. I will look into that.
Do Orpington breeders use speckled Sussex to improve the markings?
Is it possible the marking also depends on the E-locus? Wheaten vs. e^b/e^b...

 

[Greg88]

couple more. Thinking pullet for the white banded one and cockerel for the green banded?
hope I am wrong and both pullets?

 

[bramblefir]

When it comes to speckled Sussex, I think I only saw them once on an exposition. They aren't common at all her in Belgium. There was one hen I liked (picture underneath) but she wasn't for sale.


Now I have this 5 year old rooster that is looking really good. Judge for yourselves.


I don't mind using other races to improve color and markings, but I think this rooster might just have what it takes to improve the blue jubilees. Soon I will try out a cross with a blue mottled Ancona bantam because I really like their fine pattern.

Interesting thoughts about the influence of the columbian gene. I will look into that.
Do Orpington breeders use speckled Sussex to improve the markings?
Is it possible the marking also depends on the E-locus? Wheaten vs. e^b/e^b...

That is a very fine looking cock bird. Nice and broad with that rich mahogany color.

From what I understand the Speckled Sussex has been used in the Jubilee Orpington in the past and also some American breeders used the SS to create the Jubilee Orp here before it was widely available.

What I've read is that the columbian gene is responsible for the black (or blue, etc) color next to the mottled tip. Without columbian the chicken is just mottled. That's why I suspect your pullets with less black/blue markings are incomplete columbian.

Your suggestion about the E-locus got me curious and I went and did a little research on it. It sounds like the e^b birds show better black banding than the E^WH birds.

 

[KayTdid]

Could someone please explain how to breed blue jubilees? Do you cross a splash orpington with a jubilee to get the blue color?

 

[EastNashChick]

This is probably a stupid question, but I thought I'd ask in the hopes of being wrong. I have an English Jubilee Orpington hen, 2 Dominiques, and 2 pure BBS Ameraucana hens-all 1-2 years. This is a backyard flock that free ranges, about 1/4 acre, and lots of bushes, a deck, and a shed to hide under.

We have had 4 roosters in the last 2 years, 1 Ameraucana and Dom who attacked us, 1 SFH / Dom cross who was lovely and killed by a feral cat protecting the girls, and one gorgeous black AM who was wonderful except during his hormonal stage he attacked my favorite Dom hen and bloodied her badly quite a few times until she stopped laying for 2 months. He had to go too-(to a good home where he attacks no hens now.)

I really want a docile roo to protect my flock while free ranging and be kind to us and the hens. I am now considering a Jubillee roo as its a breed we haven't tried - and in theory, should be the most docile of the 3 breeds.

My concern would be weight. Is an English Jubillee Orp Roo too big for my Dom and Ameraucana hens? Would I be endangering them if I got one? I don't want anyone crushed. If so, I'm going back to a Dom or Ameraucana and trying to find one 9 months or older. Thanks.

 

[bramblefir]

Could someone please explain how to breed blue jubilees? Do you cross a splash orpington with a jubilee to get the blue color?

You would cross a jubilee cock over either a blue mottled or splash mottled hen. Then cross the blue pullets back to a jubilee male. Roughly 1 out of 16 will be blue jubilee.

 

[bramblefir]

This is probably a stupid question, but I thought I'd ask in the hopes of being wrong. I have an English Jubilee Orpington hen, 2 Dominiques, and 2 pure BBS Ameraucana hens-all 1-2 years. This is a backyard flock that free ranges, about 1/4 acre, and lots of bushes, a deck, and a shed to hide under.

We have had 4 roosters in the last 2 years, 1 Ameraucana and Dom who attacked us, 1 SFH / Dom cross who was lovely and killed by a feral cat protecting the girls, and one gorgeous black AM who was wonderful except during his hormonal stage he attacked my favorite Dom hen and bloodied her badly quite a few times until she stopped laying for 2 months. He had to go too-(to a good home where he attacks no hens now.)

I really want a docile roo to protect my flock while free ranging and be kind to us and the hens. I am now considering a Jubillee roo as its a breed we haven't tried - and in theory, should be the most docile of the 3 breeds.

My concern would be weight. Is an English Jubillee Orp Roo too big for my Dom and Ameraucana hens? Would I be endangering them if I got one? I don't want anyone crushed. If so, I'm going back to a Dom or Ameraucana and trying to find one 9 months or older. Thanks.

I used to have a huge Langshan that was significantly bigger than all of hens and pullets, the smallest being a Hamburg. He never hurt any of the girls, but they did squeak a lot when mounted. I would think an English Orpington will be fine with your flock as far as size.

 

[KayTdid]

You would cross a jubilee cock over either a blue mottled or splash mottled hen. Then cross the blue pullets back to a jubilee male. Roughly 1 out of 16 will be blue jubilee.

Thank you for answering my question. No wonder they cost so much! That is a lot of trouble for only a few blues. I guess I'll be looking to breed something a little easier...