The IMPORTED ENGLISH Orpington Thread

[Christabelle]

My goodness what a bunch of silliness next time I will ask my questions amongst the less hysterical All lines carry unwanted recessive genetics Outcrossing will help These birds are Marc Sacre I am sure the English he imported were not the best of Englands best or they never would have come across the pond I already said I intend to look for a black split for chocolate though there are no shows south of Fairbanks so maybe I will use him to make chocolate sizzles or something

It sucks when you get sold a bird with a fault. You are right that all lines have faults but it is not silliness for it to be concerning, or for people warning how serious of a fault it is. I would be pretty upset if I spent good money on a bird and it had a fault like that. I would be downright mad if that person was breeding a cock bird with that visible fault and did not disclose it. You did not say that was your intent, and I did not see any flaming like anyone thought you were. I think sometimes people can be a bit touchy about things like that... I've spent a lot of money on chickens- lol- so I know I can be... "Silly"

 

[Lots A Cluckin]

We lost another hen today thought thankfully it was just an old layer hen that was not laying any more. But the good thing is we saw the attacker. It was some sort of dog like a yellow lab mix. We have people come through here and dumping off dogs all of the time and I guess this is just another dumped dog..it is time to set the big traps I cant afford to lose anymore Orps I don't have any to spare..we are going to catch this critter one way or another it will be caught. I cant even let my chickens out to get bugs and grass without getting attacked, but that will change soon hopefully.

 

[TheNuttyChick]

Oh, no! Have you been in contact with Animal Control? Even an old layer is still a loss. So sorry.

 

[Lots A Cluckin]

no we dont have animal control around here really...we live in a very rural area and the only thing we have is a samll animal shelter but I dont think they come out and hunt for stray dogs.

 

[laseterlass]

I hatched him and none of the parent stock or the parents parent stock have them So its luck of the draw You know "stuff" happens The only frustrating part is finding a black

 

[Blarneyeggs]

We lost another hen today thought thankfully it was just an old layer hen that was not laying any more. But the good thing is we saw the attacker. It was some sort of dog like a yellow lab mix. We have people come through here and dumping off dogs all of the time and I guess this is just another dumped dog..it is time to set the big traps I cant afford to lose anymore Orps I don't have any to spare..we are going to catch this critter one way or another it will be caught. I cant even let my chickens out to get bugs and grass without getting attacked, but that will change soon hopefully. 

Sorry you're going through this, that Splash girl was indeed a beauty. I'm glad you at least know what you're dealing with now.

 

[BamaChicken]

We lost another hen today thought thankfully it was just an old layer hen that was not laying any more. But the good thing is we saw the attacker. It was some sort of dog like a yellow lab mix. We have people come through here and dumping off dogs all of the time and I guess this is just another dumped dog..it is time to set the big traps I cant afford to lose anymore Orps I don't have any to spare..we are going to catch this critter one way or another it will be caught. I cant even let my chickens out to get bugs and grass without getting attacked, but that will change soon hopefully.

I am so sorry. I have had stray dogs tear the heart out of my breeding program before. Rip pens open and kill all the chicks. Very frustrating. I live in a rural area and if you call the sheriff they say just shoot them. No aninal shelters in this county. I cant believe folks can throw them off with a good conscious. Hopefully you will be able to get him before he gets another one.

 

[Lots A Cluckin]

Quote: yep that is pretty much all you can do around here too if you have a problem with animals you have to deal with it your self.

 

[jeremy]

My goodness what a bunch of silliness next time I will ask my questions amongst the less hysterical All lines carry unwanted recessive genetics Outcrossing will help These birds are Marc Sacre I am sure the English he imported were not the best of Englands best or they never would have come across the pond I already said I intend to look for a black split for chocolate though there are no shows south of Fairbanks so maybe I will use him to make chocolate sizzles or something

You call it silliness, I call it passion.

Yes all lines, all breeds for that matter, carry unwanted traits. But why continue to breed these traits if you know that they exist? Breeding/outcrossing him to another line of birds that doesn't have sprigs won't do anything but continue to produce birds with, or recessively carrying the traits for sprigs. Just because you can't see them, doesn't mean that the genes aren't there.

I would go as far as to say that I bet the source of your rooster didn't know the line he imported carried sprigs, as it can be passed down generation after generation going unknown until 2 birds are bred together who both carry genes for sprigs to appear. It's shoddy luck that you just happened to get a rooster with this issue, but it happened.

I can also say with some certainty that the birds being imported from England are not the "best of the best" by any means. A LOT of the birds that have been imported, no matter the source, need work on type. Why would the Brits give up their best birds to be shipped to the States anyway? They wouldn't.

Chocolates are becoming more and more prevalent, it should be easy to find a rooster to replace him, either a Choc or a Black split to Choc, especially now when we're approaching the end of the summer season and folks who hatched in Spring are selling through a lot of their unwanted stock that they hatched earlier in the year.

Anyways, that's all just my opinion, good luck!

 

[jeremy]

I hatched him and none of the parent stock or the parents parent stock have them So its luck of the draw You know "stuff" happens The only frustrating part is finding a black

Again, just because you couldn't see sprigs in the parent birds doesn't mean that the genes necessary for sprigs to appear weren't hidden in them somewhere. That's what makes eliminating this fault from your flock so frustrating.