The IMPORTED ENGLISH Orpington Thread

[wekiva bird]

Merry Christmas everybody !!!!!

 

[Blarneyeggs]

How did you luck out? FIRST SNOWFALL ??? Up here in Northern Maine we have had snow almost constantly since Halloween! How did you only get such a little amount of snow and here we got over 12" this last storm! Geez Louise someone has to speak to that weather man!!

Wow nice, is that a Pygmy or a Dwarf? Those are huge birds regardless! I am still learning but how well do they lay eggs? I have read the imported Orpingtons don't lay very well. (please forgive my Orpington newbie numbness )

She is a Dwarf Nigerian. My Orps (part English import) are not laying at all right now, I do not provide extra lighting, but I expect them to kick back into gear shortly as the Solstice has past.

 

[aveca]

Wishing each & everyone a very merry Christmas & a happy new year :
Finely some time off work !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wooohoo

 

[aveca]

not sure how we got so lucky with the snow..last year same way..didnt have to plow the driveway once..2 years ago it started snowing in november..didnt quit until may..thought that winter would never end.talk about cabin fever...

 

[rockinpaints]

not sure how we got so lucky with the snow..last year same way..didnt have to plow the driveway once..2 years ago it started snowing in november..didnt quit until may..thought that winter would never end.talk about cabin fever...

BEAUTIFUL PICTURE!

 

[rockinpaints]

Phanton rooster...You should post the info about the defect so that people who are buying stock and see that consider that it might be congenital defect..it threw me, healing scabbing on top of toes looks like past cases of frostbite I have seen..so maybe it should be posted on injurys diseases ect..but valuable info for people shopping birds..a new englad winter can be pretty brutal even in enclosed pens..the coldest temps ever recorded were on mt washington .

I haven't been on here lately and was going back through trying to catch up and saw this post. Yes, it is a genetic defect. The first line of Lemon Cuckoos we had seemed to be fine. Then I purchased from a different breeder last year (really prefer not to say who as they do not have poultry anymore) for breed diversity - I thought. Once I had crossed these birds into my own line I started noticing with the next generation the chicks with no toe nails. It wasn't just on the middle toe either, I saw it on complete feet. The birds were completely normal other wise but it was difficult, nearly impossible to scratch as chickens do, without the toe nails.

I love the color but we culled them all rather than produce that type of defect. I am really sorry, and probably should have posted something back then. I have never seen it in any of the other birds that we have raised before or since. And I had not seen that on GFF's website till today. It is my thought that it takes two genes. Our line did not visibly have it and neither did the second birds we bought but when we bred them together we started seeing a few chicks with it in every hatch.

If it was just a cosmetic defect probably wouldn't be as bad but the fact that they can not scratch the ground without those nails makes it a consistent problem.
Good luck!

 

[rockinpaints]

HAPPY HOLIDAYS to all of you!!

 

[Phantom_Rooster]

I haven't been on here lately and was going back through trying to catch up and saw this post. Yes, it is a genetic defect. The first line of Lemon Cuckoos we had seemed to be fine. Then I purchased from a different breeder last year (really prefer not to say who as they do not have poultry anymore) for breed diversity - I thought. Once I had crossed these birds into my own line I started noticing with the next generation the chicks with no toe nails. It wasn't just on the middle toe either, I saw it on complete feet. The birds were completely normal other wise but it was difficult, nearly impossible to scratch as chickens do, without the toe nails.

I love the color but we culled them all rather than produce that type of defect. I am really sorry, and probably should have posted something back then. I have never seen it in any of the other birds that we have raised before or since. And I had not seen that on GFF's website till today. It is my thought that it takes two genes. Our line did not visibly have it and neither did the second birds we bought but when we bred them together we started seeing a few chicks with it in every hatch.

If it was just a cosmetic defect probably wouldn't be as bad but the fact that they can not scratch the ground without those nails makes it a consistent problem.
Good luck!

Nellie, I am glad to see that I am not the Lone Stranger who knows about the genetic defect. I had some of these birds and was really disappointed about the missing toe nails. I would really like to see this variety get through this problem. I can't say for sure that this was the real problem in this instance. It is suspected to be frostbite. But, I felt that I needed to share what I knew about the the genetic problems. No harm was meant to GF, because they shared the same problem as we all did with this variety. I think some breeders won't admit it though. I shouldn't have said that. But, I think it might be so. I am really glad that you chimed in. Thanks, Alton

 

[Phantom_Rooster]

Merry Christmas to all Chicken Lovers and everyone else also.

 

[thedragonlady]

Nellie, I am glad to see that I am not the Lone Stranger who knows about the genetic defect. I had some of these birds and was really disappointed about the missing toe nails. I would really like to see this variety get through this problem. I can't say for sure that this was the real problem in this instance. It is suspected to be frostbite. But, I felt that I needed to share what I knew about the the genetic problems. No harm was meant to GF, because they shared the same problem as we all did with this variety. I think some breeders won't admit it though. I shouldn't have said that. But, I think it might be so. I am really glad that you chimed in. Thanks, Alton

Hats off to Nellie, Alton, and Greenfire for letting people know about this problem. Keeping it hidden will not help solve it. It will take test breedings to eradicate it I think so everybody will benefit by working together .

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERY ONE !