The IMPORTED ENGLISH Orpington Thread

[Faraday40]

*repeats to self* I do not need more babies. I do not need more babies. I do not need more babies.

Yes, Get used to saying that one!

USER=230376]@Faraday40[/USER] - Do any of your LF English boys breed Cookie?

The "good" mature roos do not mate Cookie. She's smaller but also faster than the LF orps, so they'd have to catch her first. However, the naughty, inexperienced cockerels will sometimes grab and mate her. When my wonderful blk/lav roo (Mr Dummy-Pants) was in charge, he protected Cookie & the other hens as well. He allowed them to mate if it was consensual, but if a hen squawked, he'd quickly teach him a lesson in respect! Likewise with my Sebright. She's a tough bird and regularly beats up the orp roos for fun, so they try to avoid her. (Flock politics)

My males sleep in the garage, so when they 1st get let out, there's a flurry of mating. (They're been without females for the whole night! LOL) At that time, Cookie's usually right next to me for protection - just like she did with our old roo.

 

[Faraday40]

@flgardengirl
I'm loving all the chick pics. Keep them coming!
Where did you get your eggs? (Or did you buy them as chicks?)

 

[flgardengirl]

I bought eggs. I would have got chicks if they were available at the time. I normally have a bunch of broodies so havent had to use my old incubators in several years. No one was broody this time when I decided to get English Orp eggs so I had to drag out the old incubators and I think they have about had it I wont use them again lol. Anywho I got a few babies so I'm happy.
I will be ecstatic if I end up with a Isabel Cuckoo pair.
I also had ordered Gold Laced english orp eggs but none developed at all. Booo! Either non-fertile or too rough in shipping. I really hate shipped eggs.
I've had Lavender Orpingtons before (not English) and Buff Orps before.
We had these two Buff Orpington roosters who were in love or should I say, LUST with our male buff colored Pomeranian. When we let the orp roos free range they would stalk that poor dog and try and climb on his back and mate him! Boy he hated those roosters. It was hysterical to see the Pomeranian running across the yard then 2 dumb horny roosters chasing him. The dog would then turn and bark at them and they would run for dear life then later try and do it again. The dog and the roos were about the same size and fluffy so I can see how they could get confused.

 

[flgardengirl]

Here's a photo of a few Male Lavender Orps I used to have. I had 4 and they were like giant puppies following me all over the yard. If I sat down in a chair they all ran over and fought over who would get to sit on my lap and get snuggled. The girls were sweet too but these boys were sweeter

 

[Faraday40]

When I think of seeing chicken in a pot, I imagine this:

not this:

Your Pomeranian story is too funny! Poor blond, fluffy, creatures.

 

[flgardengirl]

Haha that's actually where the two buff orp roos went. When we decided we had too many roos we sent a bunch to freezer camp. Mostly only the naughty ones.
I would never do that to my Lav roos though. They were so crazy about jumping into pots, wheelbarrows, baskets, anything they could find. They would pretend they were preparing a nest lol.

 

[ColtHandorf]

ColtHandorf, Yes the English Chocolate Cuckoo Orp is a standard size. I hear ya about the size and mating. I will have to see what kind of roo he is and how big he will get. Ideally, if I do put them together it would be very briefly only to mate.

That's good. We don't want any Bantam Orpington pancakes.

Because the legs are white, I'm pretty sure the white chicks are from my laced orps. The eggs were collected while the flock was still in breeding groups. At 1 week old, I thought the Colombian one was male & the other white a female. Now my predictions have reversed. Of course they could both be male.

Hmm, that's interesting. I keep hearing that Silver-laced Orps will throw Columbian chicks because they carry the Columbian gene. I'm not sure what causes all the other genes to not present though. I thought in that last big set of colored chicks I was going to get some but both the Whites don't have any stray dark feathers anywhere. They've rapidly begun growing on me. I think they are quite cute.

Jewel is my orig "big blue orp." She makes gorgeous babies of all colors.

Well it sounds like everyone needs a Jewel. If Dahlia keeps laying these very round eggs, I'll easily be able to tell her's apart from the Silver-laced. Not that I plan on having her in with them once they've been separated out for breeding. Although I might cross Hollywood over her, just to see what I get. I wouldn't mind Silver-laced birds with her size.

She's smaller but also faster than the LF orps, so they'd have to catch her first.

Good on her for being quick on her feet. I saw someone selling out their whole bantam flock on Facebook and though of you but it was pick-up only and they were several states away.

Cookie's usually right next to me for protection - just like she did with our old roo.

That's so sweet. My geese are pretty good at policing the roosters when they get too rough. Suede still hasn't figured out anything but the chase. He can't catch them and Hollywood would probably flog him if he did. Now that he's the most mature rooster he's one of those leaders who occasionally catches their underling off guard, just so they don't forget who's boss. He is not the benevolent overlord that Sterling was.

I also had ordered Gold Laced english orp eggs but none developed at all. Booo! Either non-fertile or too rough in shipping. I really hate shipped eggs.

Honestly that's one of the biggest reasons I haven't had any eggs shipped in. I've preferred to find local breeders, or to pick them up on my own. Combine the actual shipping with me having to hatch them in an incubator that has a less than amazing track record (all my eggs develop and I only ever manage to get the first two to hatch successfully because the humidity jumps so high the others drown after they begin pipping) and I haven't ordered any. I've thought about trying it with Serama eggs, but I figure those are probably more delicate than the Orpingtons'.

 

[ColtHandorf]

So it got down into the high 20's last night and I'm happy to say everyone was alive and well this morning, although absolutely disgusted with the thick layer of frost on the ground when I let them out. The geese of course are un-bothered by the cold. They were serenely floating in their pool before I let them out. The older Orpingtons charged out to wander the yard looking for whatever it is they think they'll find with frost that thick. The babies all minced like little ladies stepping to avoid puddles. lol

 

[flgardengirl]

Wow you are really getting chilly already. We are barely flirting with the 49/50 Fs at night for a few nights, then it will head back into the upper 50's/60s for awhile. Days are 70s/80s.
I am in NE Florida, on the coast, so we have some freezes between mid Dec through the beginning of March. I use a greenhouse for a lot of tropical plants even though Im in Florida lol.
I'm really bummed about my Gold Laced Orp eggs. Its expensive to ship stuff and no result. Im just going to be happy with the ones I hatched for awhile and maybe get some more Orpington varieties next year. I think I will get some turkeys this spring and some more bunnies.
Have you guys ever used those little red light laser cat toys for your baby chicks? I was dying laughing because I was shining it on the floor of their brooder and they were all chasing it like crazy! One chick was sure he had it -and ripped off a piece of paper towel that they are on and ran around with it. The he saw the red light dot and dove for it and another grabbed the paper towel strip and so on. They had a blast.

 

[homeschoolin momma]

When I think of seeing chicken in a pot, I imagine this:

My DH saw the pot of chickens and said "that's a big cup of soup!" Then you posted the picture....lol
Great minds think alike.....