The IMPORTED ENGLISH Orpington Thread

[matte]

Hey Jeremy-

Since nothing else is going on, I'll post a few pics I took this week.



Here is the same rooster standing alert-


And, a blue pullet. Not the best lacing, but one of the shorter backs in the flock-

 

[jeremy]

matte, thanks for the pictures. I love when others share pics of their birds.

Do you plan on putting that Black roo with your Lavs? You should, you'd be well on your way to some NICE Lavs by doing so.

 

[tennesseeckn]

This thread has gotten quiet.

Ummm... that was probably my fault. I guess pullet vs. hen head diameter isn't scintillating conversation. Who would have thought?

 

[matte]

Definitely. He probably weighs double what the lav roosters do. But, probably not until later in the year.
I'm planning to hatch as many lav x lav as possible this spring to collect all of the mottled lavenders I can.

All of ours have gone crazy laying this week. 14-16 eggs/day from 18 hens/pullets.

 

[jeremy]

Ummm... that was probably my fault. I guess pullet vs. hen head diameter isn't scintillating conversation. Who would have thought?

I meant to reply to that Daphne, thank you for reminding me!

I definitely have noticed that not only my hens heads but their entire bodies have gotten wider going into their second year. I've spoke to Joy about this and she said these birds do continue to mature and grow after a year old and honestly, they seem even more beautiful in their second year. My birds are bigger, my Blues lacing is more distinct than before and they just seem rounder.

This is my Thelma's head just a few weeks ago, she will be 2 in August.



This was her sometime last year.





This was when she was still a pullet, I think around the same age as your girls... I love this picture, it looks like she's squashing her sister to me.

If you're pullets are only around 7 months old, give them some time, they're still babies! I'm sure they'll mature to be as big as the broad side of a barn soon enough.

 

[jeremy]

Definitely. He probably weighs double what the lav roosters do. But, probably not until later in the year.
I'm planning to hatch as many lav x lav as possible this spring to collect all of the mottled lavenders I can.

All of ours have gone crazy laying this week. 14-16 eggs/day from 18 hens/pullets.

Awesome, I can't wait to see pictures of some of those Lavender Mottled birds! Do you plan on working on Black Mottled, too?
I wish my Orps were laying... I haven't collected a single egg since around October...

 

[tennesseeckn]

I meant to reply to that Daphne, thank you for reminding me!

I definitely have noticed that not only my hens heads but their entire bodies have gotten wider going into their second year. I've spoke to Joy about this and she said these birds do continue to mature and grow after a year old and honestly, they seem even more beautiful in their second year. My birds are bigger, my Blues lacing is more distinct than before and they just seem rounder.

This is my Thelma's head just a few weeks ago, she will be 2 in August.



This was her sometime last year.





This was when she was still a pullet, I think around the same age as your girls... I love this picture, it looks like she's squashing her sister to me.

If you're pullets are only around 7 months old, give them some time, they're still babies! I'm sure they'll mature to be as big as the broad side of a barn soon enough.

I wasn't trying to hint, but that is reassuring. My older girls are soooo pretty. I was just worried that I was going to take these amazing creatures and ruin them somehow. I read something about crow heads on some and it planted a seed.

I love Thelma. She reminds me of my Astrid. This was taken back in the summer. (Sorry, cell phone picture) She's the only girl that didn't molt at all.

 

[jeremy]

Astrid is beautiful.

I worry about the same things. I fret over my juveniles growing out now all the time.

Is their lacing crisp enough?
How is their type?
How many points do their combs have?
How much do they weigh?

Mind you... my oldest juvies aren't even 5 months old yet. I think I need to calm down...

I would love to see more pictures of your birds!!!

 

[PatS]

I love the English Orpington's size and wonder if you can share your experiences about broodiness. My American hatchery orps are small, but it is easy to sustain my flock because they lay regularly (almost daily) in the spring through fall and each year at least 1 out of 4 will want to try to go broody. How do the English girls compare?

 

[jeremy]

Almost every one of my girls went broody at one point or another this past spring and summer.

It got a bit ridiculous.

The one hen that I let raise chicks was an excellent mother that brooded them until they were almost 6 weeks old.