The IMPORTED ENGLISH Orpington Thread

[jeremy]

...If Orps are not bred correctly the will lose egg production quickly.

Walt

Breeding for what traits helps to maximize egg production Walt? (-or any other more experienced breeders?)

I found adding new blood to my existing lines helped the production of my birds tremendously.

 

[thedragonlady]

Breeding for what traits helps to maximize egg production Walt? (-or any other more experienced breeders?)

I found adding new blood to my existing lines helped the production of my birds tremendously.

I've found that the shorter an Orp's back is, the fewer eggs it will lay.Some of the very short backed imports have shoulders and hips that form a square if you measure them. I breed for a good, wide rectangular body, looking down from on top. Couple that with a good deep breast, and you should have a good layer.A good strong looking head, and correct running gear are very important too for foraging ability.The Orps that just waddle about, due to those very short backs, just don't cut it.

 

[rockinpaints]

Breeding for what traits helps to maximize egg production Walt? (-or any other more experienced breeders?)

I found adding new blood to my existing lines helped the production of my birds tremendously.

I would be interested in this information as well, always open for better ways to boost egg production (naturally).

 

[jdoane]

Would love to hear what people think of our 21 week old English Orp pullet, Bella. I really am new to chicken raising and primarily got my pullets for eggs and fun. All my others are hatchery birds but I happened to end up with this one non-hatchery bird. My girls will be doing their first 4H show this summer and Bella seems like an obvious choice to show. But she is very nervous and I'm not sure she could handle it!

 

[TNBEARCHICK]

In the search for yet more new colors of Orps, a key thing seems to have been forgotten here. Orps are DUAL purpose birds, who are supposed to lay well, and then have a good enough carcass for Sunday dinner.Do we want to perpetuate new colors in Orps, that cannot fulfill the requirements of the standard of BOTH countries ?

I agree we raise multiple breeds and colors and I will always breed for production and type. To me if a bird does not lay eggs its not much good. People do forget dual purpose is part of the breed.

 

[Chickengirl1304]

I agree we raise multiple breeds and colors and I will always breed for production and type. To me if a bird does not lay eggs its not much good. People do forget dual purpose is part of the breed.

I agree, and maybe someday, we can work with some of these newer colors to lay better. Orpingtons are such beautiful, friendly birds, the US can only get better with more of them

 

[TNBEARCHICK]

Yes for sure, I think we should be. We have bought several rare or project breeds and intend on helping improve all of them
The Orps are my favorite and the breed we have the most if but we enjoy them all. For now we take some feat fir unrecognized colors and breeds but who knows one day maybe we will be ready.

 

[delisha]

Would love to hear what people think of our 21 week old English Orp pullet, Bella. I really am new to chicken raising and primarily got my pullets for eggs and fun. All my others are hatchery birds but I happened to end up with this one non-hatchery bird. My girls will be doing their first 4H show this summer and Bella seems like an obvious choice to show. But she is very nervous and I'm not sure she could handle it!

does she have a single comb? On my computer it is hard to tell..It almost looks like a pea comb?

 

[jdoane]

does she have a single comb? On my computer it is hard to tell..It almost looks like a pea comb?

She has a single comb. It's just still small. She is developing more slowly than my other birds (they are hatchery so she should be slower right?)

 

[Chickengirl1304]

holy Lord, I plucked/trimmed my Isabel Cuckoo Orpington butts a while ago and they're the fluffiest things! there are down feathers all over the yard haha! Now their shape looks funny because they have no fluff skirt in the back