The IMPORTED ENGLISH Orpington Thread

[jeremy]

Here's the new home for a single pair mating of Jubilee's... I built this coop in an afternoon with $96 in materials. It's a 3x3' floor with 2' walls and 3.5' rise at center of roof. Our weather is warm enough here in south Mississippi to get by with smaller coops since the birds spend no time in the coop except to sleep, lay, and grab a bite to eat. Otherwise, they are in the run the rest of the day. They'll probably go into this dedicated run this weekend, and I'll start setting eggs in another couple weeks.

Cuuuuute! I'll take 5!

 

[Mahen100]

Treat time!!!! My kids get fresh greens, BOSS daily, and I add a bit of cracked corn when we get below freezing. These are some holdbacks that are hitting 8 months. The pullets have started laying, and the treats make for some really spectacular eggs to eat. In another couple months, they'll get split up into pairs/ trios for the bulk of hatching season.

Great group, and lucky to have you provide those greens. Here is OrpB in the ice and snow today. He may be a daddy in a couple of days if this wiggler in the incubator hatches. He's only 10 months old, and I believe he was crowing mad with cabin fever when the chickens finally ventured outside again just today.

 

[Faraday40]

Great group, and lucky to have you provide those greens. Here is OrpB in the ice and snow today. He may be a daddy in a couple of days if this wiggler in the incubator hatches. He's only 10 months old, and I believe he was crowing mad with cabin fever when the chickens finally ventured outside again just today.

I'm in love. He's so pretty.

 

[Mahen100]

Thank you! Here is the crowing pic I meant to post:

 

[Faraday40]

@Faraday40

That's such a cute picture! Friends for life (or at least another 4-5 years )

As far as the homework, I've found that kids who don't like to read out loud will have no problem reading to an animal. A chick in the lap = a "cheap" reading tutor. I once walked into the family room while my daughter was explaining the story of the loaves & fishes to a very attentive hen.

Yes, a chicken in the lap is a regular scene here, and that was the sweetest roo. He would let our daughter do anything to him, & I used him often in classroom presentations. He never turned mean & DD played "dress up" with him, rode her bike with him in the basket, & even played on the swings with him on her lap. I never realized how rare his temperament was. Unfortunately he mated the hens bald & crowed throughout the day. The neighbors said they liked him, but I didn't want to push our luck with the noise ordinance. We gave him away at 18 months but made sure to keep one of his female offspring.

Everyone keeps chickens for different reasons. As you can tell by now, our chickens are more like spoiled pets than livestock.

 

[Faraday40]

Treat time!!!! My kids get fresh greens, BOSS daily, and I add a bit of cracked corn when we get below freezing. These are some holdbacks that are hitting 8 months. The pullets have started laying, and the treats make for some really spectacular eggs to eat. In another couple months, they'll get split up into pairs/ trios for the bulk of hatching season.

Ohh. I like those colors.
What's BOSS? Is it a type of scratch or seed?

 

[Faraday40]

Thank you! Here is the crowing pic I meant to post:

Still a beauty!
Do Black Orpingtons have more shiny metallic green than other black chickens?
I had a Black Australorp. Pretty, but my Black Orpington out-shines her.

 

[Mahen100]

The green sheen is desirable..he has a bunch. The purple sheen is less desirable. Orp B is one shinny critter, even after two days in the coop without free ranging a bit. I think good orps do have a lot of sheen.

 

[laadeebug]

I have been following this thread for a while and maybe I missed it somewhere but I have a question about my roos crowing and the hens laying.
I have Blue and Blue splash Orps that are 14 months now and have yet to lay an egg. And my roos hardly ever crow. The boys have just recently started to take an interest in the girls but it sure seems like it is taking forever for them to mature. Is this normal?



My boy checking in on his ladies..he he..

 

[Mahen100]

Laadeebug, that is longer than I have experienced here, but I do know that there are wide variations and that these birds are slower than many breeds to come to full maturity. Hopefully, someone will have a better idea than I do about how wide the range of "normal" extends for their egg-laying and mating.