The IMPORTED ENGLISH Orpington Thread

[Faraday40]

@ColtHandorf
BTW - You should tell your room mate how much chickens like donkeys!

 

[homeschoolin momma]

BTW - You should tell your room mate how much chickens like donkeys!

Lol!
I wouldn't mind a donkey...grandpa wants me to get one.

 

[homeschoolin momma]

I don't think my serama hen fully thought this through......

I don't think it was her idea, but she just went along with it.

 

[ColtHandorf]

@homeschoolin momma @Faraday40

***drum roll***

English Lavender Silver-laced Orps!

A friend wanted some Brahmas and the seller was selling these with them. He had no idea I was planning on making some, so he’s going to bring them up to me (for free) in the next couple of weeks. I am so excited.

 

[Faraday40]

OK. I'm very jealous now.
Congrats on that awesome find. Looks like you're going to need more breeding pens!!!!

Perhaps we can swap some eggs once your lav SLO project is underway!

 

[ColtHandorf]

I know! For now I think I'll just put them in with the regular SLO. I can always swap roosters around. They are only thirteen weeks old currently. Chicks are due to start hatching this week. I'm excited to see what I get.

 

[ColtHandorf]

I candled and tossed the clear ones. I've got 12 eggs with chicks developing. I think I'll move all the eggs into the Rcom when it stops turning. When I got rid of the clear ones I moved all the fertile ones from the Brinsea I could fit and it still turn. So there's two eggs in the Brinsea now. I think I can squeeze them in there if they don't have to turn.

 

[Faraday40]

I decided to do a photo shoot with my sweet Cookie. (Before she goes broody and turns into "Cookie Monster.") Since she's technically an imported orp, I thought I'd share her pics here.

Cookie :
age 6 years

She actually looks a bit 'deflated' I'm so used to taking pics of her all puffed up and surrounded with chicks.

I'm hoping she goes broody soon. Besides the eggs in the incubator which will need a mama, she's been laying soft eggs. My hope is she goes broody & won't have to lay eggs.

 

[ColtHandorf]

First pip this morning in the incubator. I'm pretty sure it's a Silver-laced Orpington egg, but it's turned where I can't see. Thankfully, working from home means I can pull chicks appropriately, so I'll know what egg they came from.

I traded some eggs for a Silver-laced hen and the two turkey hens I brought home a couple of weeks ago. She messaged me to let me know they were hatching and asked about all the weird colors. I assured her they would all feather in Silver-laced, or at least all of mine have. I showed her some baby pictures of last year's chicks and she was relieved. I mentioned when I gave her the eggs some of the birds recessive white. She didn't remember that and when the eggs were hatching she thought the white babies were Bresse that had hopped their hatching basket. I had to help her figure out which ones were Orpingtons by their leg color.

I think I've decided to sell Caspian. I just have two many roosters right now. And I feel so bad for Sterling II watching the girls over in the barn from the yard. The geese hatched out seven adorable chicks, I've tagged you both in a thread where you can see pictures and videos of the babies. They are irritating him on and off. They aren't being outright aggressive, but he's curious about the babies, and they insist on having a ten foot, intruder-free perimeter around them at all times. So I'd like to be able to move him out with the other chickens, but it just ins't possible. Caspian barely tolerates Hollywood being in the pen next door. Derek ignores him so they don't fight, but Hollywood and him are constantly hackling and sparring through the wire.

Suede is doing alright outside. I think he's eating and drinking more. He seems more alert and talkative. I haven't heard him crowing, but the roommate insists she can hear him in the early morning. He's still not walking though. He sort of flap/scooches around to get to his food and water and enjoy the sun or the shade. I just don't know what to do about him. I can't bear the thought of putting him down, but I also don't want him to live his whole life unable to be a chicken, trembling violently when he tries to use his legs to stand and move around. I suppose I'll need to find another Blue male. I might try hatching some shipped eggs if I can find some.

As far as the Lavender Silver-laced birds, I think I've decided to let Hollywood/Sterling cover the Lavender girls when they are old enough and the Lavender boys cover the Normal girls. Once I've hatched out a sufficient number of splits I can put them all back with the Lavender boys and have Hollywood/Sterling back over their hens. But I'm not sure. I'll have to make sure the genetic math adds up correctly.

 

[ColtHandorf]

I've got two chicks out so far and already have another pipped. The humidity keeps spiking up around 80% so I keep popping it open to pull out the shells to let a little moisture out. Of course they started peeping super loud during the Zoom call I just had for work.

*Edited to add: 2 Silver-laced chicks have hatched. 2 Silver-laced eggs have pipped along with one white. I'm dying for the white to make some progress so I can see if it's white or not...lol