The IMPORTED ENGLISH Orpington Thread

[Faraday40]

So I just found these within a forty-five minute drive of the house...

https://nacogdoches.craigslist.org/grd/d/point-chicks-layers-roos-selling-out/6967231811.html

What are y'all's opinions on them? I have prices on everything they are selling. I'm going to have to ask them if they'd be willing to split up some of the pairs, as I don't need that many friggen roosters. lol I'm already way too rooster heavy. I do not need those chocolates, but my god they are soooo fluffy! I am however very interested in the Blue, Black, and Splash birds. And the one White, provided it's recessive.

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Wow! You seem to find many orps for sale in your area. Around here, a lot of the people selling orps have ones related to mine. LOL

Sometimes people sell birds in pairs/trios as a way of getting rid of the males. Basically the price is for the female & the male is free. If you don't take the males, the price may not go down. If he's selling his breeding groups, then you can ask where they orig came from, if they're related, if there are any traits that may pop up, etc. If they're the birds he carefully selected (keeping the very best for himself each year ) then it could end up being pretty good for you.

Most of those orps in the ad pics look nice, round, & fluffy. I did a quick google image search and I see no evidence that he cut & pasted. That means the pics are probably his. (I really hate it when people sell things and don't use their own pics!) The lavs look like they have the American body-type and the chocolates have the English body type. If he's selling for health reasons make sure it's not because of the chickens' health. You can look for signs of good care or neglect when you visit. As hard as it would be to walk away, never buy a bird - or any animal - who looks unhealthy. You need to protect your own flock first.

BTW- As you know, I share my opinion A LOT. Just know that advice / opinions are just that. There's no right or wrong way to do things. i'm certainly not saying that everyone selling on Craigslist is dishonest. I just want to help people avoid possible heartache and loss by bringing home a less than healthy bird and then introducing illness into a flock. Most of the time, the people whom I've met via chicken sales have been wonderful and honest. Once you start talking with the seller, I'm sure you'll be able to tell. It's also a good idea to exchange ph#s / email so you can give updates or ask ?s. Most people would enjoy an occasional update on how their former flock is doing.

 

[homeschoolin momma]

The lavs look like they have the American body-type and the chocolates have the English body type.

Was going to say the same thing, but Faraday beat me to it!

 

[PlainOrpingtons2018]

@ColtHandorf your babies seem to be growing out nicely! Test breeding the whites would be the only way to know if they’re recessive or not. Regarding the other babies they look like they’re all doing well!

About the birds that are available I can’t say much on the chocolates due to that 1 pic that isn’t at a great angle. The bbs don’t look too bad, you can’t just young birds too much because sometimes they will surprise you once they’re full grown! Lol

 

[Faraday40]

Had a nice visit with @homeschoolin momma this weekend.
Here's a pic of some of her pretty lavender bowling balls. (hatched June 6th)

A couple of them somehow ended up in my car when leaving.

 

[Faraday40]

On a sad note, the promising laced orp cockerel who I was hoping to breed next year was killed by a hawk on Sat.

These were the last pics I had of him. Those yellow shanks were starting to lighten.

RIP sweet boy.



He was my fav SLO from this summer hatches & the only male SLO I kept. I have just a few SLO eggs due to hatch on my birthday, so perhaps I'll get lucky & hatch another pretty boy like him. (As usual, I hatched out more females this year.)

@homeschoolin momma has a very nice one of my SLO roosters. (May even look a little better than his dad, Mr Wonderful.) I may just have to drop off a female for him. I have 1-2 extra pullets that could work if you have the room. This way I can have a "back up" flock residing at your house in case anything tragic happened to mine.

 

[ColtHandorf]

Aww. Sorry to hear about the little cockerel. I have to count myself lucky in that regard. I haven’t lost any to hawks or any mammal predators yet.

So I did a thing...

I brought home a gorgeous Black Orpington pullet and a handsome Blue Orpington cockerel, in addition to three younger Blue pullets and one Chocolate. The picture of the adults is a better picture of them when they weren’t in a molt. They are much more skittish than my birds but I’m loving them already.

@speckledhen Your posts of Suede years and years ago is what made me fall in love with English Orpingtons. If you don’t mind, could I name my little man Suede, after your gorgeous rooster in his honor?

I sold a Lavender cockerel (plus a bonus roo...) and four little pullets yesterday. I still have nine cockerels and the three pullets I’m keeping. I’ve got to find someone to take these boys. They are turning into very grumpy teenagers, constantly squabbling.

The gimpy Silver-laced is still hanging in there, and I’ve started the Vitamin B regime to see if it helps at all. I noticed a Lavender pullet limping yesterday afternoon. Her toes keep curling up on one foot when she walks. I’m literally going to lose my mind if I’ve managed to contract you know what. Like I don’t know what I’ll do. I’m hoping it’s something wrong with the feed they are on, so I’m going to change it up and start feeding them something different in addition to the vitamin supplement.

 

[speckledhen]

@speckledhen Your posts of Suede years and years ago is what made me fall in love with English Orpingtons. If you don’t mind, could I name my little man Suede, after your gorgeous rooster in his honor?

Aw, that's a nice tribute to my wonderful guy! Thank you, Colt. It's a good name. He sold a lot of people on the Blue Orps back before they were so popular. He had his flaws, but he was very well-loved by many here on BYC and hundreds have his progeny.

 

[Faraday40]

@ColtHandorf
Congrats on the new birds. They look very good.

 

[Faraday40]

Speaking of new birds.....
I decided to take some pics of my newest addition.

It turns out she is a very good match for me. After the 1st few pics, she started posing by turning her head slightly to give me different angles. Such a great little model. I can easily see more photo shoots in her future.

Then I discovered that she really likes neck rubs:

She's still not the cuddly, docile orp I'm used to but now that I know her weakness is neck & cheek rubs, we'll get there soon.


@homeschoolin momma
Hopefully the next time you see her you won't need the fishing net to hold her.
Thank you again, dear friend. I love both of them very much.

 

[homeschoolin momma]

Hopefully the next time you see her you won't need the fishing net to hold her.
Thank you again, dear friend. I love both of them very much.

You are so welcome! You've done so much for me in the past, this is just a small way to say thanks.

Now to find them names.
Maybe
Belle
Beatrice

Or
BoBby
Beux

Tee hee!