The IMPORTED ENGLISH Orpington Thread

[LaylaFlora]

The leg color and skin color is very important, and yellow is never acceptable. Skin and leg color generally do not change, but I think his beak could. I say "generally do not change" because I have seen lots of baby chicks legs look "tanish/yellowish" as babies but will be pink as they mature. I have never seen just a beak or 1/2 beak yellow, if they are yellow pigmented, skin, beak and legs are all yellow usually. If you plan on using him for breeding and his beak is still yellow as an adult I guess I wouldn't use him for breeding.

If you look closely at pictures on market places such as Ebay, there are a lot of eggs advertises as "orpingtons" where the adults pictured clearly have yellow skin. I know I am not the "Orpington Police"

but I have emailed several of them (in case they truly do not realize what they are selling is not what it is supposed to be). But most that I have emailed have not responded but did remove the "pictures" where you can clearly see the yellow legs/beak and still advertise the birds as "pure imported orpingtons"

. Specific auctions were buffs, silver laced and gold laced. The gentleman who had the buffs did email back and said "most" of his buffs in his breeding pens have pink skin (he did remove the pictures of the yellow skinned birds).

I know it does happen from time to time as sometimes genetics that were used to create a color/variety will crop up in subsequent generations in any breeding program. However, it is always wise to not use those birds for reproduction.

Good luck!

Thank you for taking the time to give me so much detailed information. I do not plan on breeding him. He is my daughter's favorite and she is planning on using him for show. It's not a serious thing---all in fun. I just didn't want her to find out that her bird was disqualified on the day of show.

I guess we will wait and see if the beak changes. You have been encouraging and I am hopeful!! Thank you!

 

[boykin2010]

Hello I was wondering if anyone knew about laced orp genetics. I have a Golden Laced Roo over two of my Silver Laced Hens and I was reading for hours last night and found a great website. but.... it was explaining what would happen if I had a Silver Roo over Golden Hens. So I was wondering if anyone knew what would be the offsprings of a Golden Roo over a Silver Hen? Thanks

Please don't do this. This genetic pairing has been proven to produce birds with muddy lacing and problems in future progeny.
Some breeders did this in an effort/attempt to mass produce the SL, but ended up producing a lot of culls and doing the color more harm than good.
There is plenty of genetic diversity already here, so don't do it for the sole purpose of adding new blood.
The silver laced is already struggling from what I see on auction sites and websites. They should have clear, crisp, full lacing, and white legs.

 

[McCoyPoultry]

Please don't do this. This genetic pairing has been proven to produce birds with muddy lacing and problems in future progeny.
Some breeders did this in an effort/attempt to mass produce the SL, but ended up producing a lot of culls and doing the color more harm than good.
There is plenty of genetic diversity already here, so don't do it for the sole purpose of adding new blood.
The silver laced is already struggling from what I see on auction sites and websites. They should have clear, crisp, full lacing, and white legs.

Ok. Do you know where I can get a cockerel or rooster near breeding age? I need to find a roo before they stop laying! Then they would have been just a pretty peice of yard art

 

[boykin2010]

Ok. Do you know where I can get a cockerel or rooster near breeding age? I need to find a roo before they stop laying! Then they would have been just a pretty peice of yard art 

I only have young cockerels available right now. But you could keep an eye on RBA

 

[boykin2010]

I've posted these before I think, but these are some of my SL Orp hens from last year's hatch. As you can see their lacing is complete (around the base of each feather) and the color is dark and clear. I'm using these hens as a model to build the rest of my flock and select youngsters this year to keep. As you can probably tell these are some of my favorites They are definitely a challenge but worth the effort!

 

[crazyhen]

I've posted these before I think, but these are some of my SL Orp hens from last year's hatch. As you can see their lacing is complete (around the base of each feather) and the color is dark and clear. I'm using these hens as a model to build the rest of my flock and select youngsters this year to keep. As you can probably tell these are some of my favorites They are definitely a challenge but worth the effort!

Have you found any secrets in hatching the English type Orps.? I know to increase the fertility about the bumm trimming of feathers but how about hatching. Is it the same temps , humidity etc. I tried some jubilee that were shipped eggs and they all died at about 1 to two weeks in. so did the other people who had gotten eggs at the same time.
PS they were not from you.

 

[boykin2010]

Hi,

I'm sure there are many different opinions from the veteran hatchers on this thread, but I'll share my experiences.
I keep my temperature at 99.9 and humidity at 35% for the entire incubation. That means I don't add any water.
I move the eggs to lockdown on day 19-20. And on the 21st day (when most are pipping or in position to hatch) I'll add a little water to bump up in the 40's and they hatch soon after. I've done completely dry hatches and had success with that as well.

I've got an incubator full of newly hatched chicks as I type this! Better go get them out
Hope this helps

 

[Heartful]

.GLO pullet and cockerel from Over The Top Orpingtons. They are so mellow and sweet, sometimes I wonder if they are sick..LOL

 

[Heartful]

I've posted these before I think, but these are some of my SL Orp hens from last year's hatch. As you can see their lacing is complete (around the base of each feather) and the color is dark and clear. I'm using these hens as a model to build the rest of my flock and select youngsters this year to keep. As you can probably tell these are some of my favorites They are definitely a challenge but worth the effort!

Is it ever necessary to breed SLO back to Black? BTW...I don't know how I got so lucky but 4/5 of the SLO chicks I got from you are pullets and one is a cockerel. (At least that's my best guess) They are super sweet, too.

 

[McCoyPoultry]

Is it ever necessary to breed SLO back to Black? BTW...I don't know how I got so lucky but 4/5 of the SLO chicks I got from you are pullets and one is a cockerel. (At least that's my best guess) They are super sweet, too. 

Wanna send a puller my way lol! Do you have pics?!