The IMPORTED ENGLISH Orpington Thread

[thedragonlady]

Unnamed blue rooster. This is the one I really don't know about. I question his color and he just looks funny to me. Wondering if he will change much in the next few months.

He would not stay still for a good head shot. Kept trying to get in my lap.

I like this Blue boy. You need to give him time. I think his comb will be better than Louis's too.

 

[deek]

Dee your GL girl at the trough is just fabulous.  You did good girl

Thanks Julie, I have tons of Cocoa Butter again. PM me if you need any.

 

[deek]

Ok everybody I finely made it home to Alabama, Got the pens set up somewhat & the birds settled in & it is so hot here but so glad to be home.

Glad to hear your move is now behind you and you are home.

 

[alibra]

Thanks for the compliment on Louis. I did not breed him though so I can not take credit. Next year when I have chicks off him I can start taking a bit of credit. Right now I am trying to decide if I should even bother keeping the other two.
Alibra, I like your splash roo, but I am so new to this my opinion is suspect. Can not really tell on the hens.

I'm hoping his leggy-ness can be bred out

 

[delisha]

Kiniska, I like your blue male. For a young bird he has a really nice front already. It will get better and better. He looks like he has nice lacing too.

I do like your other birds too..Give them a few more months.

 

[curranchickens]

Hi there! I am fairly new to breeding chickens for high quality results. I searched high and low for the best start I could. I purchased a trio of 100% English Orpingtons, one black roo, one black hen and one blue hen. They are large! And so beautiful! I hatched out 35 chicks a few weeks ago (like 3 almost 4 weeks). I can not keep that many though. I want to sell some but am not sure how to decide which ones to keep and which ones to sell. I keep reading to keep ones with good shape but I don't know what shape that is! I can not find picture of perfectly shaped chicks. I know there are some I can part with right off because of simple reasons... A few have a white feather or two growing in. A few have yellow beaks when they are supposed to be black and a few have partially yellow feet which are also supposed to be black. Any advice? I am going crazy standing here staring at these chicks!

Oh and one more question. If a chicken breed is supposed to have a black beak and not having a black break is a disqualification then does every inch of the beak have to be solid black? I have some that are black but have just a speck of yellow (or natural color). Would those be DQ because the ENTIRE beak is not black? Or do they only worry about the primary color?

 

[Christabelle]

Hi there! I am fairly new to breeding chickens for high quality results. I searched high and low for the best start I could. I purchased a trio of 100% English Orpingtons, one black roo, one black hen and one blue hen. They are large! And so beautiful! I hatched out 35 chicks a few weeks ago (like 3 almost 4 weeks). I can not keep that many though. I want to sell some but am not sure how to decide which ones to keep and which ones to sell. I keep reading to keep ones with good shape but I don't know what shape that is! I can not find picture of perfectly shaped chicks. I know there are some I can part with right off because of simple reasons... A few have a white feather or two growing in. A few have yellow beaks when they are supposed to be black and a few have partially yellow feet which are also supposed to be black. Any advice? I am going crazy standing here staring at these chicks!

Oh and one more question. If a chicken breed is supposed to have a black beak and not having a black break is a disqualification then does every inch of the beak have to be solid black? I have some that are black but have just a speck of yellow (or natural color). Would those be DQ because the ENTIRE beak is not black? Or do they only worry about the primary color?

I am pretty sure you need to grow them out to near maturity to see what you have.

 

[piglett]

Thanks for the compliment on Louis. I did not breed him though so I can not take credit. Next year when I have chicks off him I can start taking a bit of credit. Right now I am trying to decide if I should even bother keeping the other two.

i like to keep a backup boy
if a coon get into your coop & kills your only roo then what do you do?
also 2 roos can fight off things with big teath better than just 1 can

however if you have a near by source for another roo & you have an animal that clearly doesn't meet any of the standards then yes i would rehome him


just my 2 cents worth
piglett

 

[Kiniska]

I like this Blue boy. You need to give him time. I think his comb will be better than Louis's too.

Kiniska, I like your blue male. For a young bird he has a really nice front already. It will get better and better. He looks like he has nice lacing too.

I do like your other birds too..Give them a few more months.

Thank you ladies. I pretty much figure I will have to wait until Spring to decide which one to breed. Renie tells me they are not full grown until they are 16 months old. Have to remember patience. They are not fighting and the two black guys seem to be buddies.

I think Piglett is correct that it is good to have more than one rooster. My plan is to build a third coop where the best roo and 4 of my best hens will be allowed to have youngsters. The other two will stay with the laying hens as body guards. If two roosters end up being nice enough to breed guess my husband will have to help build two instead of 1 more coop.

Thankfully we have plenty of room to expand and no neighbors to complain.

 

[delisha]

Quote:

Kiniska, I like your blue male. For a young bird he has a really nice front already. It will get better and better. He looks like he has nice lacing too.

I do like your other birds too..Give them a few more months.

Thank you ladies. I pretty much figure I will have to wait until Spring to decide which one to breed. Renie tells me they are not full grown until they are 16 months old. Have to remember patience. They are not fighting and the two black guys seem to be buddies.

I think Piglett is correct that it is good to have more than one rooster. My plan is to build a third coop where the best roo and 4 of my best hens will be allowed to have youngsters. The other two will stay with the laying hens as body guards. If two roosters end up being nice enough to breed guess my husband will have to help build two instead of 1 more coop.

Thankfully we have plenty of room to expand and no neighbors to complain.

Sounds like a great plan!