The IMPORTED ENGLISH Orpington Thread

[ElitePoultry]

It is absolutly freezing out this morning..the birds come out, but they dont stay long..usually its in the 40s through 60s this time of year..it has barley budged out of the 20s .. expecting a possible winter storm next monday

hopefully after next week, things will improve

at least the sun is out..Boo is miserable, he came out for a few mins but went right back in..cant wait for it to warm up..hes going to get a good bath. Hes not really dirty , but has some dirt bath residue ..

Looking at your pictures makes me love the Buff color more and more. Its just so vibrant! I bet even at night in a dark coop those Buffs shine like the sun!

They are really beautiful birds!

Elite- are those mottled? They're so cute.

Congrats Will be fun to watch them grow ")

Thanks Renie!! Im really excited to take pictures of them as they mature. The Spangled Orps really go through a transformation in their first year of growing. They start out like a 2 tone. Black on top and white on the bottom. It "Mottles" more as they reach maturity into signature mottled look. Its gonna be fun to do Timeline pics at the end of the year!

Pretty babies. Louise has such nice birds. They will be a real asset in your breeding program. Would love to see pictures of them in a few months.

Thanks Dee!

Louise has BEAUTIFUL birds!!! I feel very lucky to have them.

Trust me, You guys might get tired Of Spangled/Mottled pictures this year LOL! I have a lot I want to do with them, so Im anxious to get started.

For now.... THEY ARE GONNA BE VERY SPOILED CHICKENS! LOL

Beautiful birds everyone. I love all the different colors. The jubilee and mottleds are so eye catching.

Everything about breeding, buying, caring for and improving these birds is a learning process. I learn everyday. Sometimes I learn by reading or talking to veteran breeders and sometimes I learn the hard way. I tried to buy the best stock I could afford and find when I started. I think most people do. But now it's up to me to continue with them and continue improving what I have. I do give out names to where my stock came from because most people want to know where my birds came from. I also sell eggs, chicks and birds to help offset my cost. But I try to be honest and upfront with my birds. Your name and reputation is all you have.

I do have a vision of what I'm breeding for and what I want my birds to look like. Goals are important. You have to know where your going. Otherwise how will you get there. But when it all boils down I just want to be able to enjoy the birds I have. I think it's true to say that we all enjoy big, fluffy birds of all different colors. That's what drew us to the English Orps to begin with. I don't post a lot on here. I am a busy stay at home mom that manages our cow herd and horses. As well as take care of my flock of Orps and Cochins. I also do not like drama, which I feel like surfaces a lot on here. But I do stalk this thread to see everyone's beautiful birds and learn from others posts. So thank you to everyone that posts such great info about genetics and breeding. I do appreciate it even if I don't post it.

x2

 

[delisha]

Elite- are those mottled? They're so cute.

Ok, can someone tell me what a quad is.....is it 3 hens and one roo or 2 roos and 2 hens? I want to take your advice and only keep a trio or a quad of really nice birds....but I've also been told to keep a backup roo in case something happens to my main roo. I love so many colors of the orps,but I have limited space and I want my birds to be comfortable and happy, I don't want the problems that come with overcrowding. So, I'm going to pick the best of each color with this years hatch and then go from there.
I promise one day I won't ask you fine folks to hold my hand anymore, but for now I have questions Thank-you for being patient with me.
So, let's say I start a pen from 2 different lines and then breed the daughters back to the fathers...what do I do when the original pair get old? Breed brother to sister? Add a new line?

Asking questions is good.

I am sure many can give you advise for breeding.

In a Trio or a Quad..In a breeding season take notes. What chicks belong to what hen. (They all have the same sire)
Bred the best daughters to the Father and the best sons to the Mother.
Now you have a house and barn full.
You are shooting for better than what you started with. Improving your own new line. Keeping only the best.

Just as an example:
You purchase a trio..they are beautiful. You can't imagine improving them. However.. The roo needs better tail feathers, but he produces all good tail feathers..he is a keeper.
If he produces all bad tail feathers you need to find a male in your line that can produce better tail feathers.

Note taking, reading and asking questions is the way to go. Keep contact with the person who sold you the birds. Take pictures and keep with your notes.

 

[JHorn91180]

Ok its been confirmed. My biggest typiest English black Orp will b spending the spring/summer with Big Boy(imported lav roo I posted the pic of) and me and my buddy r gonna split the chicks from this breeding which will all b splits to lav but 100% English. Our hope is by next season we will actually have a nice line of lavs that r actually English in type here in the states and will keep everyone posted on this project. Good thing is Mrs. Buttersworth is huge has a huge saddle and her skirt drags the ground and she lays almost daily. Everyone cross your fingers we r successful with our combined efforts on this project.

 

[Robert Blosl]

I was lurking and saw this Buff Male out of the corner of my eye as I was reaching for a cup of coffee. First thing I said to myself was WOW what buff Color on him.

I am not a Orpington guy but I sure like his color. Spring is coming. Our Wild Black Berry vines are blooming. Wont be long all of us will be free of the cold weather. Bob a lurker.

Edit: I went back and read some of your earlier posts and saw my named mentioned in the Heritage Large Fowl Tread I started about 2 1/2 years ago.

There are to reasons people fail with large fowl Rhode Island Reds and that is crossing strains and the neck color on the females being to much black. In strains you are better off sticking with a line like Mr. Brown from Indiana. If you cross Mr. Browns line with Mr. White Line from Calif you are introducing new blood and faults will pop up. Normally it takes about five years to clean up. Most people get so fouled up the give up the line or breed.

The secret I have learned in breeding is find the top breeder who has been breeding say ten years or more who has culled and culled to the cream of the crop comes to the surface and then get say two males and two or three females and start a line breeding program. Hatch about 20 chicks from each female and cull hard as your eye can see to your standard of perfection. I also, tell people to find a friend or buddy and go partners with them. They may live only 400 to 600 miles apart from you but you can swap a bird every four or six years and give each other new blood but it is still the same strain. This keep you both with the original blood lines like Mr. Brown and you will not have the culls but the distance from each other give you a increase in vigor and that's like a big old out cross with out the head aches of bad genes coming to the surface.

That's my two cents worth. At a local show I helped put on this past weekend a friend of mine won Champion large fowl of the show with one of my old old Rhode Island Reds from a sub strain out of Colorado. He did not want to buy a ad from me at the show to put in the Poultry Press until he had the correct spelling of the fellow in Colorado who sold him the chicks he raised and won with. That is nice when you give credit to the fellow who sold you your start.

I have been accused of name dropping my old line of Rhode Island Reds which go back 20 years. But I tell them who they come from to give credit to him for his work and then the lady he got his birds from in 1960s. She started out in 1912. Today because of some dedicated breeders this old line is still pure and 101 years old. How many lines of large fowl are alive today that have not had any new blood introduced in them. I don't know of many or none but these. That's my two cents worth and I will go back to my two treads and keep plowing along.

Promote your Orps they are a great all around chicken.

 

[lildinkem]

I was lurking and saw this Buff Male out of the corner of my eye as I was reaching for a cup of coffee. First thing I said to myself was WOW what buff Color on him.

I am not a Orpington guy but I sure like his color. Spring is coming. Our Wild Black Berry vines are blooming. Wont be long all of us will be free of the cold weather. Bob a lurker.

Edit: I went back and read some of your earlier posts and saw my named mentioned in the Heritage Large Fowl Tread I started about 2 1/2 years ago.

There are to reasons people fail with large fowl Rhode Island Reds and that is crossing strains and the neck color on the females being to much black. In strains you are better off sticking with a line like Mr. Brown from Indiana. If you cross Mr. Browns line with Mr. White Line from Calif you are introducing new blood and faults will pop up. Normally it takes about five years to clean up. Most people get so fouled up the give up the line or breed.

The secret I have learned in breeding is find the top breeder who has been breeding say ten years or more who has culled and culled to the cream of the crop comes to the surface and then get say two males and two or three females and start a line breeding program. Hatch about 20 chicks from each female and cull hard as your eye can see to your standard of perfection. I also, tell people to find a friend or buddy and go partners with them. They may live only 400 to 600 miles apart from you but you can swap a bird every four or six years and give each other new blood but it is still the same strain. This keep you both with the original blood lines like Mr. Brown and you will not have the culls but the distance from each other give you a increase in vigor and that's like a big old out cross with out the head aches of bad genes coming to the surface.

That's my two cents worth. At a local show I helped put on this past weekend a friend of mine won Champion large fowl of the show with one of my old old Rhode Island Reds from a sub strain out of Colorado. He did not want to buy a ad from me at the show to put in the Poultry Press until he had the correct spelling of the fellow in Colorado who sold him the chicks he raised and won with. That is nice when you give credit to the fellow who sold you your start.

I have been accused of name dropping my old line of Rhode Island Reds which go back 20 years. But I tell them who they come from to give credit to him for his work and then the lady he got his birds from in 1960s. She started out in 1912. Today because of some dedicated breeders this old line is still pure and 101 years old. How many lines of large fowl are alive today that have not had any new blood introduced in them. I don't know of many or none but these. That's my two cents worth and I will go back to my two treads and keep plowing along.

Promote your Orps they are a great all around chicken.

We all can learn alot from Bob. I wish we could talk him into breeding Orps. But I am sure he has his hands full with Rocks and Reds. Thanks for the great advice Bob. Many can learn from your (is it now 50 plus years you have had birds?) wisdom and experience. And for more of Bob go to his Large Fowl Heritage thread. Loads of great posts!

 

[aveca]

I was lurking and saw this Buff Male out of the corner of my eye as I was reaching for a cup of coffee. First thing I said to myself was WOW what buff Color on him. I am not a Orpington guy but I sure like his color. Spring is coming. Our Wild Black Berry vines are blooming. Wont be long all of us will be free of the cold weather. Bob a lurker. Edit: I went back and read some of your earlier posts and saw my named mentioned in the Heritage Large Fowl Tread I started about 2 1/2 years ago. There are to reasons people fail with large fowl Rhode Island Reds and that is crossing strains and the neck color on the females being to much black. In strains you are better off sticking with a line like Mr. Brown from Indiana. If you cross Mr. Browns line with Mr. White Line from Calif you are introducing new blood and faults will pop up. Normally it takes about five years to clean up. Most people get so fouled up the give up the line or breed. The secret I have learned in breeding is find the top breeder who has been breeding say ten years or more who has culled and culled to the cream of the crop comes to the surface and then get say two males and two or three females and start a line breeding program. Hatch about 20 chicks from each female and cull hard as your eye can see to your standard of perfection. I also, tell people to find a friend or buddy and go partners with them. They may live only 400 to 600 miles apart from you but you can swap a bird every four or six years and give each other new blood but it is still the same strain. This keep you both with the original blood lines like Mr. Brown and you will not have the culls but the distance from each other give you a increase in vigor and that's like a big old out cross with out the head aches of bad genes coming to the surface. That's my two cents worth. At a local show I helped put on this past weekend a friend of mine won Champion large fowl of the show with one of my old old Rhode Island Reds from a sub strain out of Colorado. He did not want to buy a ad from me at the show to put in the Poultry Press until he had the correct spelling of the fellow in Colorado who sold him the chicks he raised and won with. That is nice when you give credit to the fellow who sold you your start. I have been accused of name dropping my old line of Rhode Island Reds which go back 20 years. But I tell them who they come from to give credit to him for his work and then the lady he got his birds from in 1960s. She started out in 1912. Today because of some dedicated breeders this old line is still pure and 101 years old. How many lines of large fowl are alive today that have not had any new blood introduced in them. I don't know of many or none but these. That's my two cents worth and I will go back to my two treads and keep plowing along. Promote your Orps they are a great all around chicken.

Hey Bob, glad to see you pop in to see us..these birds are the product of some other breeders inventive thinking and an importers keen eye on good foundation stock..I just try to feed them the very best to enhance their work...I will be getting some serious coaching on buffs..have had other varietys for a while now...i think everybody knows who they are..(Marc, Vickie) Thanks for all of the great info you post on heritage thread..I read over there all of the time..you have been way more than a big help to a lot of people..love the orps have 2 young folks joining me with some this year..getting the next generation excited about them.

 

[aveca]

We all can learn alot from Bob.  I wish we could talk him into breeding Orps.  But I am sure he has his hands full with Rocks and Reds.  Thanks for the great advice Bob.  Many can learn from your (is it now 50 plus years you have had birds?) wisdom and experience.  And for more of Bob go to his Large Fowl Heritage thread.  Loads of great posts!

Bob is a true asset to the poultry world..so informative.

 

[tkay6205]

I am hoping to get some ideas here. For years I have used stock tanks for brooders. Well they take up a lot of room and thinking about doing something a little different this year. I am wanting to get some ideas. What do ya'll use for brooders or what does our setup look like? I would like to do something stackable if possible, and easy to clean and senitize is preferred. I love the idea of GQF brooders but they are so pricey. I also just saw the GQF Start and Grow Unit. Wow, great idea but still pricey. Anyways would love to hear some thoughts from ya'll!! Thank you.

 

[aveca]

I keep a lower number in large plastic walmart Tub, they wind up outside in heated a frames when it gets nicer out..I do small batch at a time.

 

[deek]

It is absolutly freezing out this morning..the birds come out, but they dont stay long..usually its in the 40s through 60s this time of year..it has barley budged out of the 20s .. expecting a possible winter storm next monday

hopefully after next week, things will improve

at least the sun is out..Boo is miserable, he came out for a few mins but went right back in..cant wait for it to warm up..hes going to get a good bath. Hes not really dirty , but has some dirt bath residue ..

Lynne! You've got some show stompin' birds there! WooHoo!