The IMPORTED ENGLISH Orpington Thread

[The Happster]

Gorgeous!

What breeds? Cochins and Orps?
Keep me updated with their growth. Really cute birds.

 

[ColtHandorf]

Thank you. It's a horrible pain to try and edit a post from the phone, so I always post the pictures and then go back on the computer to edit what they are. But yes, Bantam Lemon Blue Cochins, Silver-laced, Blue, Black, and Splash English Orpingtons, and one Serama.

 

[ColtHandorf]

I need it to stop drizzling by the time I get off work. I didn't get the barn watered yesterday and I don't want to go out there in the cold and wet to get wetter and colder. lol

 

[Faraday40]

Here are some of Xansie's (my silkie) chicks. They hatched throughout the month of September. Xansie adopted them all.

These orp girls are getting big- fast. Already much bigger than mama.

They have some serama "sisters"


... and a brother

 

[ColtHandorf]

I took some pictures this weekend too. It wasn't too cold and stopped raining so they were feeling photogenic.

Derek, Anne, Elizabeth, Diana, and Jane. Odette was already on the roost for the night. Anne is finally in feather again. Derek needs to molt still, and the young girls haven't started laying yet. They may hold off until the spring.

The Blue pen, with Suede, Agatha, and Agnes. Dahlia, the Black hen was up on the roost. The little pullet in the barn is the oldest F1 Blue x Silver-laced cross. She's laying and I'm getting ready to set her up where Hollywood can have conjugal visits to get some F2's on the ground. Maud, the Mauve pullet, is looking rather exceptional too. Agatha desperately needs to molt. But Agnes is stunning.

The Silver-laced pen looking like a hott mess compared to the other Orpingtons. They were much too busy enjoying hen scratch to look up for photos. All the older girls are molting and the younger ones need to molt into their pretty big girl feathers.

Cadbury and a chocolate pullet or two. They were not feeling very photogenic either.

I have a pretty large set of eggs due to hatch this week. I'm quite pleased with how everyone is looking.

Can anyone confirm for me what the possible colors will be from the Blue cockerel over the Mauve pullet? I can't figure it out on the chicken calculator.

 

[Faraday40]

Can anyone confirm for me what the possible colors will be from the Blue cockerel over the Mauve pullet? I can't figure it out on the chicken calculator.

My guess is the usual 50% blue, 25% black, & 25% splash.... but half may carry the choc gene but not show it.

If the reverse (mauve cockerel) you'd get more variety. OR If you kept one of the males (hiding the choc gene) you could have a surprise choc offspring in future generations.

 

[Faraday40]

@ColtHandorf
Your breeding pens are looking great and the flocks look very happy! I know it was a lot of work setting everything up but it looks like it paid off.

Do you have Lavenders? Did the laced lavs ever work out?

Do you breed turkeys and geese too - or are they just pets?

I verbally sold 2 of my turkeys today. It's certainly been a love/hate relationship. There were several times I felt like processing them on the spot. Annoying, brainless, funny-looking, clumsy, turkey bullies! Other times.... good, sweet, pretty, comical, entertaining turkeys!

They're bullies sometimes and I believe they may have eaten a couple day old chicks. However, they are also very good flock protectors. I decided since we're not getting the usual large family together, I only need to process one turkey. That left me with 2 extras. Several people tried to buy them from me. When I called the 1st person back, it was an instant yes. She wants them for pets/breeding, so my kids will be happy. I'm feeling better already.

Of course by next year, I'll probably miss them. So when asked if I want any turkey hatching eggs, I'll forget all the problems and answer Yes.

 

[ColtHandorf]

Your breeding pens are looking great and the flocks look very happy! I know it was a lot of work setting everything up but it looks like it paid off.

Thank you! I still have some things I'd like to work on. I still need to build some real roosts for them, plus I need to finish getting down all the mulch/wood chips for winter. I'm trying to figure out the best way of setting up the Blue Silver-laced (and Lavender Silver-laced) birds for breeding. I've got a few months on the Lavenders thankfully, but I do need to get the little F1 pullet with a rooster where I can tell her eggs apart from the Silver-laced.

Do you have Lavenders? Did the laced lavs ever work out?

In the whole panic of not having a job and Amanda moving out, I down-sized on a lot of the birds that didn't have a point/purpose. Those birds included both of the Delaware hens, the Russian Orloff, Dorcas, the Lavender Orpington, and Sterling, the yellow-legged Silver-laced Orpington Rooster. They all went to a really good home together as a flock for a family so I was pleased.

Flash forward to today, and I'm actually getting two Lavender pullets from a friend that decided he doesn't want them. He's also bringing me a Chocolate Pied Muscovy hen since I managed to raise seven drakes over the summer. Plus four Bourbon Red Turkey hens (he's trading those for all my Blue Slates so we can diversify and not compete with each other), a Blue Ameraucana and two Splash Copper Marans pullets to lay some pretty eggs for the dozens I sell, and a trio of Pomeranian geese as he's downsizing on his geese.

In regards to the Lavender Silver-laced, yes, I did end up with a pair. When I'm not trying to decide if the chickens or me eat for the day, I'll be ordering another set of chicks next year. But in the meantime, I'm going to let the cockerel cover the whole Silver-laced pen for a couple of months when he's old enough. I'm planning on selling/processing all the cockerels produced from him and then breeding him back over his split daughters to produce a large group of birds that are not so closely related to the original pair. I'll also put a Silver-laced rooster over the pullet and do the same. Sell/process all the cockerels and let their uncle cover them. After a few clutches I'll put them back together. I'm hoping all the random girls (Mars Bars, Ameraucana, and Marans) can help him from over-covering the one pullet and with their egg color I should be able to tell them apart.

The pullet is really pretty, the cockerel doesn't look quite right, which is another reason I'm hoping to cross him over to some well-laced pullets will help with the lacing. I'll try and get some pictures of them today. They aren't very outgoing. They aren't overly shy, but they like lounging a lot.

Do you breed turkeys and geese too - or are they just pets?

I did breed Blue Slate turkeys this year as well as successfully raising the American Buff Geese for the first time. Currently I have two Lavender hens, one Blue hen, and a Blue tom. Those will be going to live with my friend after work today and I'll be getting the four Bourbon Red hens. A neighbor's dog got his tom, but he's trying to find me another one. I told him no rush. I won't need him until Spring. If I get one now I just have to feed him through the winter. lol I have two pairs of American Buff Geese, Golly and Georgia, and Beaux and Beatrice. I'll be getting a trio of Pomeranians tonight as well. I plan on breeding them next spring. I also have the Pearl, Lavender, Royal Purple, and White guineas. I kept all the breeding Serama pairs but sold the Black-tailed White Japanese, Barred Rock Bantams, Silver and Gold-duckwing OEGBs, and all the random girls that Amanda got at Tractor Supply. The Chocolate Orpingtons moved into that chain-link dog run, along with the little Silkie. He's so dumb I can't bear to get rid of him. But I really have to find him a few girlfriends and a place to keep them for breeding. I also kept the Lemon Blue Bantam Cochins who are the most adorable things ever.

They're bullies sometimes

Umm, all the time...lol But they are super sweet, silly, dumb, and frustrating. lol

Of course by next year, I'll probably miss them. So when asked if I want any turkey hatching eggs, I'll forget all the problems and answer Yes.

Of course. I didn't want turkeys at all, but after having them for a while, I know I'll miss hearing the hens purr and forage when I'm letting them out in the evenings.

 

[ColtHandorf]

Also when it's not completely freezing I'd love to talk some project Blue Silver-laced eggs out of the two of you @Faraday40 and @homeschoolin momma.

 

[ColtHandorf]

I’m posting from the phone so it won’t be very eloquent, but I grabbed a couple pictures of the Lavender Silver-laced when I got home from work and it was getting dark. Be honest and tell me what you think. I like the pullet. I’m not too sure about the cockerel.