The IMPORTED ENGLISH Orpington Thread

[robgray]

Trying to do from my phone so sorry about all the blips!

 

[OnlyOrps]

Wow she looked enormous!

 

[kittydoc]

Recently I hatched out a dozen English BBS orpingtons. They are three weeks old now. With the exception of 1 chick, they all have huge, thick legs and barely any feathers on their wings. The orpingtons are already twice as big as my australorps, but the orps have no feathers and look like fat penguins walking around. Can I assume they are all cockerels due to the size of their legs and their lack of feathers. Just today a couple of them are starting to get tails. Most of them are also starting to grow bigger combs.

Here are five of them. Are the two in the foreground Splash? I thought they were blue but now I'm starting to wonder. The breeder was't much help when I asked.

I would assume the two up front are Splash, but not having bred any myself, that is simply an educated guess. They are not blue (like the one to the far left), and they sure aren't black, so splash is the only option left. I'd give it another week or two before despairing that you got 5 cockerels, but if you have one chick that if feathering in faster, with more of a tail, and thinner legs, then yes, the other five are probably boys. At least you appear to have gotten some splash, which should be useful to almost anyone with BBS. I got my first blue hens this year, and kept a blue cockerel out of one of them to use for breeding next year. If they are English BBS, they will be tall, heavy, and just all around huge (especially the boys). My two cockerels lookied like emus, stretching their necks high, on long thick legs, with not many feathers and practically no tail. Their sister is much smaller, with a much smaller comb, and a nhice long tail--plus she just generally feathered in faster as girls usually do.

 

[ochochicas]

Quote:

I would assume the two up front are Splash, but not having bred any myself, that is simply an educated guess. They are not blue (like the one to the far left), and they sure aren't black, so splash is the only option left. I'd give it another week or two before despairing that you got 5 cockerels, but if you have one chick that if feathering in faster, with more of a tail, and thinner legs, then yes, the other five are probably boys. At least you appear to have gotten some splash, which should be useful to almost anyone with BBS. I got my first blue hens this year, and kept a blue cockerel out of one of them to use for breeding next year. If they are English BBS, they will be tall, heavy, and just all around huge (especially the boys). My two cockerels lookied like emus, stretching their necks high, on long thick legs, with not many feathers and practically no tail. Their sister is much smaller, with a much smaller comb, and a nhice long tail--plus she just generally feathered in faster as girls usually do.

Thanks Kitty. That is very helpful. I actually have 10 chicks and all but one look like cockerels. Their legs aren't long, just thick like little stumps. None of them have tails. Compared to my other chicks, they are mutants. LOL I only wanted on blue hen, so I'm going to try to pick out one pullet and sell the rest.

 

[robgray]

Here is Samson, born Christmas day so he's 5 1/2 months old
He has just had his first crush on an australorp who gave him a run for his money...

 

[ochochicas]

Sold!

 

[mamidei]

Does anyone in southern CA have Isabel cuckoo orps? I'd love to get eggs or chicks locally.

 

[robgray]

Ooooo i would love to get some too...

 

[OnlyOrps]

Does anyone in southern CA have Isabel cuckoo orps? I'd love to get eggs or chicks locally.

not in California but @rockinpaintshas beautiful isabels. I just ordered some from her, they made it all the way down to us in the deep south all healthy and happy. This is a difficult variety to find locally so I just bought from the best source I knew and I am soooo glad I did! She has been an incredible wealth of knowledge and cares deeply for the birds she sends out. They were here in less than a day and everyone was healthy, shiney, fluffy and adorable. Here are some pics of my new babies!

 

[mamidei]

not in California but @rockinpaintshas beautiful isabels. I just ordered some from her, they made it all the way down to us in the deep south all healthy and happy. This is a difficult variety to find locally so I just bought from the best source I knew and I am soooo glad I did! She has been an incredible wealth of knowledge and cares deeply for the birds she sends out. They were here in less than a day and everyone was healthy, shiney, fluffy and adorable. Here are some pics of my new babies!

Thank you so much! Do you know if she ships eggs? I'm pretty sure I've gotta have some at some point