The IMPORTED ENGLISH Orpington Thread

[LadiesAndJane]

Hi everyone,

I have been scrolling through this thread learning as much as I can from your photos. This thread has been one of the best resources I’ve found as I’ve raised my Silver Laced and Lavenders from hatch.

I’m a new chicken owner and I live in a neighborhood where I can keep 4 hens. When I proposed building a coop to my wife her only request was that I get at least one orpington for her because she thinks they have “Cute Corgi butts”. So I ordered Silver Laced and Lavender Orpington hatching eggs. Due to infertility and damaged air cells we only ended up hatching 2 Lavender and one Silver laced. They are now 3.5 and 4 weeks old.

Based on my readings in this tread and some of your photos I’m thinking that all 3 are cockerels. Could someone with more experience help me confirm this? If I’m dealing with all males here I’d like to try to find another round of eggs and get them going so I can get them to a good size before winter this year.


Lavender 1:
View attachment 2679491

Lavender 2:
View attachment 2679496

Silver Laced:
View attachment 2679499

Same Silver Laced, different angle:
View attachment 2679500

First one may be a cockerel. Second two look like pullets so far. Honestly, they are too young to be certain. The English orps develop slowly.

 

[homeschoolin momma]

Hi everyone,

I have been scrolling through this thread learning as much as I can from your photos. This thread has been one of the best resources I’ve found as I’ve raised my Silver Laced and Lavenders from hatch.

I’m a new chicken owner and I live in a neighborhood where I can keep 4 hens. When I proposed building a coop to my wife her only request was that I get at least one orpington for her because she thinks they have “Cute Corgi butts”. So I ordered Silver Laced and Lavender Orpington hatching eggs. Due to infertility and damaged air cells we only ended up hatching 2 Lavender and one Silver laced. They are now 3.5 and 4 weeks old.

Based on my readings in this tread and some of your photos I’m thinking that all 3 are cockerels. Could someone with more experience help me confirm this? If I’m dealing with all males here I’d like to try to find another round of eggs and get them going so I can get them to a good size before winter this year.


Lavender 1:
View attachment 2679491

Lavender 2:
View attachment 2679496

Silver Laced:
View attachment 2679499

Same Silver Laced, different angle:
View attachment 2679500

Unfortunately it does look like you got the short end of the stick so to speak and got a bunch of cockerels. Don't worry, you have plenty of time to order, hatch and raise babies before the cold sets in.

 

[homeschoolin momma]

I would also add to the above, to order more than you are able to keep. As they grow, you can pick your 3 or 4 and either sell the rest or just eat them.(if you are able to do that)

 

[Fcwham]

I would also add to the above, to order more than you are able to keep. As they grow, you can pick your 3 or 4 and either sell the rest or just eat them.(if you are able to do that)

For sure, I started with 18 eggs hoping to end up with 2 ameraucana and 2 orpington hens, looking like I'm going to get the ameraucana hens out of this batch but strike out on the orpingtons.

Any suggestions on a source for SLOs? I got the last batch from gold feather but if I'm going to go another round of just orpingtons this time I might prefer to get them from someone that specifically breeds to improve the silver lace

 

[homeschoolin momma]

For sure, I started with 18 eggs hoping to end up with 2 ameraucana and 2 orpington hens, looking like I'm going to get the ameraucana hens out of this batch but strike out on the orpingtons.

Any suggestions on a source for SLOs? I got the last batch from gold feather but if I'm going to go another round of just orpingtons this time I might prefer to get them from someone that specifically breeds to improve the silver lace

I am currently looking at Carolina rare chicks and Papa's poultry. They're both sold out until at least mid May though.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

For sure, I started with 18 eggs hoping to end up with 2 ameraucana and 2 orpington hens, looking like I'm going to get the ameraucana hens out of this batch but strike out on the orpingtons.

Any suggestions on a source for SLOs? I got the last batch from gold feather but if I'm going to go another round of just orpingtons this time I might prefer to get them from someone that specifically breeds to improve the silver lace

Carolina rare chickens, they have beautiful birds!

 

[Faraday40]

In 2021, I have not hatched a single SLO chick.

Finally some good news....
1. My SLOs picked up production & most eggs are NOT getting broken.
2. One SLO egg is in lockdown
3. From the dozen I put into incubator last weekend: 8 look developing, 2 unknown, 2 infertile. This isn't perfect, but 70-80% fertility is so much better than the 0-8% fertility I got from my earlier attempts this year.


Now comes the dilemma of whether or not to set the SLO eggs I collected this week. I'll need to start them on Sunday in order for them to hatch with some turkeys already started. I guess I have a few days to decide.

 

[Faraday40]

A friend of mine went to her Farm and Fleet last weekend and found Jubilee English Orpingtons for sale. Sexed pullets for only $13 ea! So jealous.

I went to my Farm and Fleet on Tuesday. There were only 4 Cornish Cross and about 7 red broiler chicks left. Several bins just empty! The labels (from the sold out chick bins) were only common breeds like RIR, BR, EE...

Of course, I got my feed, and I really don't need any more chickens. I can be positive and say that I avoided all the possible temptation.

 

[ColtHandorf]

I go back and forth on Jubilee Orpingtons. The nice ones are nice! But there are so many icky ones.

 

[Faraday40]

I go back and forth on Jubilee Orpingtons. The nice ones are nice! But there are so many icky ones.

x2

I admit I never went as crazy for the Jubilee as other people. Of course I also didn't care for the appearance of a Speckled Sussex either..... until we owned one. LOL