The IMPORTED ENGLISH Orpington Thread

[ColtHandorf]

I can probably get some better photographs this weekend when the sun is in a better place. All the new birds were settled last night and were checking stuff out this morning before I left for work. I only snapped one quick picture of the Pomeranians this morning. They are way back in the back. You can actually make out the Bourbon Red hens in the barn with the White Orpingtons also.

 

[Blarneyeggs]

I have not heard anything bad about Fancy Chick. I met a few people who have ordered chicks through them.

I got some of mine from Ewe Crazy Farms (no longer in orps) which sold their stock to what is now Carolina Rare Poultry. I think Papas Poultry also has decent imported orps but shipping from CA to PA is not very practical.

So I did end up getting some chicks. They have grown out a bit and I have to say I’m very disappointed in the tail set on the Black Pullet. What do you all think?

 

[homeschoolin momma]

So I did end up getting some chicks. They have grown out a bit and I have to say I’m very disappointed in the tail set on the Black Pullet. What do you all think?

View attachment 2399272

They look like American orpingtons.

 

[Faraday40]

So I did end up getting some chicks. They have grown out a bit and I have to say I’m very disappointed in the tail set on the Black Pullet. What do you all think?

View attachment 2399272

The tail does look kind of tall & pointy. Was she sold as a black orp or as an "English" orp? Due to limited bloodlines, some people breed the American and English together.

When I started out about 9 years ago, my lavs were 50% English, 50% American orp. That's what I could afford and very few people had pure English orps for sale. My 50/50's had good egg production, great combs, and size.... but needed a lot of work on the body shape. Over the years, I kept picking out the best for breeding as I continued to add some 100% English Orps. It took a long time to get the Big Fluffy butts on my lavs and black/lav splits.

This is what my pullets look like. This may be about the same age as yours?

As they age, pullets will get more round. The feathers are loose, hiding their legs, so they sort of glide across the ground.

 

[ColtHandorf]

I’m very disappointed in the tail set on the Black Pullet. What do you all think?

My first thought was that they are American (APA) type Orpingtons. They don't look particularly English to me. Although sometimes they fill out a lot more than you'd think in the 4-6 month range. However, all of them look pretty leggy.

They look like American orpingtons.

x2

@Faraday40 and @homeschoolin momma what do you think about those Lavender Silver-laced I posted? I know I posted a ton of stuff/pictures, so you may have missed them.

 

[homeschoolin momma]

My first thought was that they are American (APA) type Orpingtons. They don't look particularly English to me. Although sometimes they fill out a lot more than you'd think in the 4-6 month range. However, all of them look pretty leggy.



x2

@Faraday40 and @homeschoolin momma what do you think about those Lavender Silver-laced I posted? I know I posted a ton of stuff/pictures, so you may have missed them.

I think the pullet looks nice. The cockerels lacing looks light from the pictures. His comb looks nice and straight, but it looks like it has extra points to it. Hard to tell.

 

[Faraday40]

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.

View attachment 2396932View attachment 2396935View attachment 2396936

Well, I have to say I like the lav laced..... because I like both lav and laced orps. Your Female looks nice and round. The males are always awkward and leggy at that age, so I wouldn't worry about that right now. His wings also look awkward. Mr Potential was like that. I worried that he might have spilt wing, but it got better with age. Someone told me there is some relationship between temp fluctuations and unusual (uneven) feather growth in young orps. The answer is always "wait and see"

Is his eye OK? Looks like some white. Could be a bit of discharge or the eye is off center.

I actually had a GLO hen with an eye really off center. It really looked gross but didn't affect her quailty of life. I was sad I couldn't breed her but didn't want to chance putting that in the flock genetics.

Normal side

Bad eye. She hatched like that. It could have been caused by the long shipping distance of the eggs, but I think it was genetic

 

[ColtHandorf]

I think the pullet looks nice. The cockerels lacing looks light from the pictures. His comb looks nice and straight, but it looks like it has extra points to it. Hard to tell.

His lacing is not well defined. He also has some pencilling/odd feather patterns going on too. I'm hoping when he molts into his big boy feathers, he will look better. He does have a great comb with no side sprigs. You know I've never counted his points I was just so tickled I had a pair and not two cockerels. I will have to look and see how many he has when I'm out feeding and watering.

I checked the incubator this morning before I ran out the door. I had one White Orpington out and seven or eight little Lemon Blue Cochins. I'm really hoping there a bunch more babies when I get home. I think I'm going to do one more big hatch this winter and then take a break through January and February at least.

 

[ColtHandorf]

Someone told me there is some relationship between temp fluctuations and unusual (uneven) feather growth in young orps. The answer is always "wait and see"

You know I would believe it. All the birds that were young when it was so hot and dry in the summer down here are feathering in weirdly. All the Orpingtons that is.

Is his eye OK?

Yep, his eye is good. I'll try to get some better pictures of them this weekend. There's never time before it gets dark when I'm getting off work now.

 

[ColtHandorf]

How was everyone's weekend? I didn't have a chance to grab some better pictures of the Lavender SL over the weekend. I stayed busy doing a bunch of other stuff.