The IMPORTED ENGLISH Orpington Thread

[rockinpaints]

Hi,

Several pages back people were discussing importation so I thought I would share this link to Widget Creek Farm. They imported Sulmtalers and Carolina describes the process clearly for anyone interested.

http://www.widgetcreekranch.com/import.html

I imported eggs last year and just wanted to add one cost that blew me away..........The egg shipment was late because of a cat shipping at the same time (don't ask....

) so the added vet charge is by 15 minute increments after 4pm (USDA vet to release our eggs) for one hour the cost was $500 penalty for 5 minutes of the USDA vets time. And trust me no amount of complaining, pouting and a little crying did any good at all. That was above and beyond every other charge we paid (and there were lots).

So a total when all was said and done was a whopping $4200....2 shipments, a week a part - 72 eggs each - ..... a lot of stress, 2 trips to Chicago - 700 miles round trip (one had to be an over nighter due to the cat, don't ask.........

). So what was the hatch success? Well the first hatch was pretty good, over 50% but the second hatch was bad (yes, that's right due to the cat.......

).

A year later I have to say it was worth the trips, the money, and even the stress for the lovely birds we ended up with (I don't think my husband agrees with me though

).

 

[delisha]

$4200.00 no thanks. My loving DH would kill me.

On the best note on the face of the planet


GLO's....

 

[heirloomorps]

I need to rant/vent here for a minute... I am getting very annoyed with all of the auctions popping up out of the woodwork for "100% pure imported English Orpingtons" that then advertise birds that are clearly anything but what is stated by the pictures provided by the seller. Some of these ads look like hatchery Orpingtons! They may be a percentage of imported blood but I doubt most are. It's happening all over the auction sites now, as I figured it would eventually but I am more bothered by it than I believed I initially would be. I don't know if it's because people are just ignorant (not stupid, ignorant or uneducated) and they think they have something they don't or if it is just people being greedy trying to make a quick buck with something that is "popular" but I feel like it is doing a major injustice to the birds that are being propagated now (not bred! A good breeder wouldn't offer stock like what I'm seeing and market it!) in the US. I recently received an email asking if I had anything available, I'll withhold who it was from, I honestly don't even know if the person is on BYC... I had to reread this email a few times because I was honestly in disbelief. First the person asks how much I would sell him for but then they clearly don't really want to know because they've "done their research" and the hatchery they have found sells them for only $6 each. I'M SURE this unknown hatchery has birds that are of the same quality that are in my flock... right.

This ties into what I was talking about at the beginning of my post, these beautiful birds that were imported only a few years ago have already fallen into the hands of careless propagators who have hatched and hatched and hatched and sold and sold and sold and now people can't even realize that they are something more special than hatchery stock?!?! Needless to say I did not reply to this person and I don't plan to. If they are on BYC I hope they see my post and reconsider what they are asking. Every time I walk out back to visit my birds I say a quiet thank you to Julie and Joy for working so hard to get these Orpingtons into the States and then to diligently breed these birds in a manner that continues to produce beautiful chickens and then to be gracious enough to share them with their friends. There are other importers now too, but my flock is solely from Julie and Joy so my thanks goes out to them but the other importers (Marc Sacre, Greenfire, I know you have a wonderful imported flock now too Nellie) deserve congratulations too. I hope to see quality lines of these birds continue to be bred by responsible breeders over the years... maybe I should just steer clear of the auction sites out there, my blood pressure got entirely too high this morning!

End rant.

I feel exactly the same as you. We had someone tell us that we should reduce our Black Copper Marans prices as they can get them from a hatchery cheaper. I politely told them that our Marans are bred to the standard and the hatchery birds would not be. They still didn't buy them from us, which is fine. We have a waiting list on their eggs already.

 

[deek]

$4200.00 no thanks. My loving DH would kill me.

On the best note on the face of the planet


GLO's....

CONGRATULATIONS oops. Was I yelling? You've waited a long time and boy was it worth it.

 

[deek]

OMG I do have to agree that chick is too cute. Butterball is a perfect name.

Dear Deek,

Im a young asain girl that's completely riddled with mad squirrels disease and only have months to live. My last wish is for your to send me Butterball free of charge as that would make the squirrel hair growing outta my left knee stop itching so bad. While your at it please pay the shipping and add some of Butterballs siblings in with it for warmth.

Thank u

 

[deek]

I imported eggs last year and just wanted to add one cost that blew me away..........The egg shipment was late because of a cat shipping at the same time (don't ask....

) so the added vet charge is by 15 minute increments after 4pm (USDA vet to release our eggs) for one hour the cost was $500 penalty for 5 minutes of the USDA vets time. And trust me no amount of complaining, pouting and a little crying did any good at all. That was above and beyond every other charge we paid (and there were lots).

So a total when all was said and done was a whopping $4200....2 shipments, a week a part - 72 eggs each - ..... a lot of stress, 2 trips to Chicago - 700 miles round trip (one had to be an over nighter due to the cat, don't ask.........

). So what was the hatch success? Well the first hatch was pretty good, over 50% but the second hatch was bad (yes, that's right due to the cat.......

).

A year later I have to say it was worth the trips, the money, and even the stress for the lovely birds we ended up with (I don't think my husband agrees with me though

).

And, I thank you for it too! I was able to get my beautiful black beauties because of all the hard work. Maybe I'll just bake your hubby a pie...to thank him too.

 

[aveca]

Jeremy, this has been going on for years, I get calls and emails from folks who has bought chicks or eggs from breeders who tell them they bred to the SOP. Then they go to a show and can't beleive how small there birds are. I tell them to get the Poultry Press and look and see who is winning and go that route.  I know with English type birds that won't work as good. On some of the auction places you see some sorry type birds and the people tell they are the real deal and all they are is hatchery birds with a story.

It's pretty sad..it takes away from the good people working above board..people get dissapointed And either give up
Or turn to a different breed..sad because in the scheme of things there are only a handful of people who wanting
The big orpingtons..so it could wind up to be a serious set back.

 

[rockinpaints]

 

[Renie'sPeeps]

OMG I do have to agree that chick is too cute. Butterball is a perfect name.

Dear Deek,

Im a young asain girl that's completely riddled with mad squirrels disease and only have months to live. My last wish is for your to send me Butterball free of charge as that would make the squirrel hair growing outta my left knee stop itching so bad. While your at it please pay the shipping and add some of Butterballs siblings in with it for warmth.

Thank u

hahahaha too funny

 

[thedragonlady]

Hey Jermey was just reading your rant. I completely have to agree with u. I noticed this year that's auctions r popping up for imported Jubilee chicks and their eggs that r obviously half speckled Sussex. I don't know of a line of Jubilees that has been imported that u can breed together and get such poor quality birds. Im thinking these people found a deal on a Jubilee roo and seen dollar signs. I am working on a few projects but am keeping my Imported Orps pure. It makes me wonder also how many people r using pics of birds that r not even theirs to sell chicks and eggs. I feel sorry for the people that pay the imported price and end up with birds that r half at best. If there is a good thing then u will always have other people try to ruin it. I don't believe most these people r ignorant and believe they know exactly what they r doing. I wonder tho about the people that were lied too, being too ignorant to see the obvious difference in what they got and what the birds r suppose to look like and will continuing this horrible pattern. Too everyone that reads this if your Jubilees are blinding Orange and built like a New Hampshire Red then ding ding ding big red flag. I use the jubilees as an example cause that's what Im seeing the most of. Eventually maybe the word will get out and people will do their research b4 they buy and maybe look for quality. I will b working hard to build flocks of the best examples of imported orps in my breeding efforts and culling hard.

To the person that sent u that email........Do u know what an imported English Orp is as I think u have breeds confused? Hatchery Orps r something completely different and if u get those then u r getting what u paid for if not less then. Have this hatchery email u pictures of the actual birds these chicks r coming from and if they cant then u may as well go to tractor supply and buy u some hatchery astrolopes as I think u will find the quality to b the same and u will even save money. If they do send u pictures then keep in mind they r probably their best examples of the breed and Im sure Jeremy would b more then happy to do the same for u. Only then if u r seriously interested in having quality imported birds, then ask him for the price. If u find these birds look nothing alike then take a step back from contacting breeders and do some more research. I would be interested in knowing what hatchery is marketing these as pure imports for $6 a chick and would love to see pics of their adult stock. Something tells me u r not happy with their birds tho or u would have already jumped on the $6 a chick bargain and placed an order instead of sending serious breeders emails asking their prices.

Part of the problem comes from rank beginners reading hatchery catalogues. Most say quite clearly that their Orps are in the English Class.These twits read that, and $6 a chick is a deal. Suggest everyone order hatchery catalogues. Highly entertaining reading, but not when you see one of your birds' pirated photos.

Some of us stopped a person In Tenn in the last few weeks, claiming she had stock from major importers. "Borrowed " photos of legit breeders' birds, with her cute names even. Busted ! We just have to stay diligent.