The IMPORTED ENGLISH Orpington Thread

[ColtHandorf]

Okay so here are my tentative orders for Spring chicks. I haven't placed them yet, because I'm going to immediately experience buyer's remorse.

Papa's Poultry:

Lavender Silver-laced x 6 - $35.00 each = $210.00
Blue, Black, Splash x 8 - $15.00 each = $120.00
Chocolate x 4 - $15.00 each = $60.00
Silver-laced x 4 - $20.00 = $80.00
Lavender x 4 - $20.00 = $80.00

Total: $550.00 (before shipping)

Carolina Rare Chicks

White x 4 - $20.00 each = $80.00
Blue, Black, Splash x 4 - $25.00 each = $100.00
Lavender x 4 - $20.00 each = $80.00
Black Mottled x 2 - $22.00 each = $44.00
Chocolate x2 - $22.50 each = $45.00
Silver-laced x 4 - $25.00 each = $100.00

Total: $449.00 (before shipping)

Cackle Hatchery

Silver-laced x 6 (female) - $19.95 each = $119.70
Rouen x 5 (female) $7.95; x 1 (male) $4.75 = $44.50
Silver Appleyard x 5 (female) $14.65; x 1 (male) $7.10 = $80.35

Total: $244.55 (before shipping)


I've lost my mind. Every bit of it. I really just want to see what the Cackle Orps look like and I decided if I'm going to have ducks I should at least have ducks that I like/want.

And I also need to buy the supplies to build the new breeding pens. I can't remember if I've shared what my goals are but this is what I'd like...

That is a future projection of the set-up I hope to have built before March of 2021. Currently pen numbers 3, 4, 5, 20, 21, and 22 (plus the fenced in backyard) exist. The end goal is this:

1. Grey Saddleback Pomeranians & Khaki Campbells
2. & 3. American Buff Geese, Chocolate Muscovy, (and possibly Guineas)
4. Bourbon Red Turkeys
5.
6. Silver-laced Orpington
7. Blue, Black, Splash Orpington (Mottled)
8. Blue, Black, Splash Silver-laced Orpington
9. Chocolate & Mauve Orpington
10. Lavender Silver-laced Orpington
11. Recessive White Orpington
12. Porcelain Silkies
13. Bantam Lemon Blue Cochins
14. American Seramas
15. American Seramas
16. American Seramas
17. **Bantam English White Orpington
18. **Bantam English Jubilee Orpington
19. **English Jubilee Orpington
20. **APA Bantam Buff Orpington & Call Ducks
21. Grow-out
22. Grow-out

** Are tentative as I have leads on them, but honestly I may need additional space to grow birds out next year. So we'll see where that goes.

With the addition of the Rouens and Silver Appleyards I may phase the Khaki Campbells out, or find somewhere else to keep the ducks.

Tell me I've lost my mind...

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Okay so here are my tentative orders for Spring chicks. I haven't placed them yet, because I'm going to immediately experience buyer's remorse.

Papa's Poultry:

Lavender Silver-laced x 6 - $35.00 each = $210.00
Blue, Black, Splash x 8 - $15.00 each = $120.00
Chocolate x 4 - $15.00 each = $60.00
Silver-laced x 4 - $20.00 = $80.00
Lavender x 4 - $20.00 = $80.00

Total: $550.00 (before shipping)

Carolina Rare Chicks

White x 4 - $20.00 each = $80.00
Blue, Black, Splash x 4 - $25.00 each = $100.00
Lavender x 4 - $20.00 each = $80.00
Black Mottled x 2 - $22.00 each = $44.00
Chocolate x2 - $22.50 each = $45.00
Silver-laced x 4 - $25.00 each = $100.00

Total: $449.00 (before shipping)

Cackle Hatchery

Silver-laced x 6 (female) - $19.95 each = $119.70
Rouen x 5 (female) $7.95; x 1 (male) $4.75 = $44.50
Silver Appleyard x 5 (female) $14.65; x 1 (male) $7.10 = $80.35

Total: $244.55 (before shipping)


I've lost my mind. Every bit of it. I really just want to see what the Cackle Orps look like and I decided if I'm going to have ducks I should at least have ducks that I like/want.

And I also need to buy the supplies to build the new breeding pens. I can't remember if I've shared what my goals are but this is what I'd like...

View attachment 2487532

That is a future projection of the set-up I hope to have built before March of 2021. Currently pen numbers 3, 4, 5, 20, 21, and 22 (plus the fenced in backyard) exist. The end goal is this:

1. Grey Saddleback Pomeranians & Khaki Campbells
2. & 3. American Buff Geese, Chocolate Muscovy, (and possibly Guineas)
4. Bourbon Red Turkeys
5.
6. Silver-laced Orpington
7. Blue, Black, Splash Orpington (Mottled)
8. Blue, Black, Splash Silver-laced Orpington
9. Chocolate & Mauve Orpington
10. Lavender Silver-laced Orpington
11. Recessive White Orpington
12. Porcelain Silkies
13. Bantam Lemon Blue Cochins
14. American Seramas
15. American Seramas
16. American Seramas
17. **Bantam English White Orpington
18. **Bantam English Jubilee Orpington
19. **English Jubilee Orpington
20. **APA Bantam Buff Orpington & Call Ducks
21. Grow-out
22. Grow-out

** Are tentative as I have leads on them, but honestly I may need additional space to grow birds out next year. So we'll see where that goes.

With the addition of the Rouens and Silver Appleyards I may phase the Khaki Campbells out, or find somewhere else to keep the ducks.

Tell me I've lost my mind...

You are appealing to the wrong crowd if you want us to tell you that you have lost your mind!
What exciting project(s)! I am following along with you.
I have been reading every thread I can find on the chocolate silver laced after your response to my post. Possibilities, possibilities...

 

[Faraday40]

So, I made the grave mistake of writing to Papa's Poultry to ask if they would consider shipping to Hawaii! They did not say no!!!
They have not done it before but are willing to look into the process. Holy cow (or chicken) if it works out I will have to rethink my current flock to make room for these beauties! Was thinking their mixed box of English Orp chicks if they will send chicks. Coming from California, not too long of a trip for chicks. Of course I am jumping the gun here so to speak, but I am very excited just thinking about the possibility!
If I were to pick specific colors, which colors would work best breeding with my SLO (other than another SLO)? Thinking I would keep a cockerel. The breeder we have here has the silver laced and red laced I believe, but no other colors, so I could consider breeding other varieties, no competition then. Any thoughts? May be just a mental exercise if it does not pan out, but interesting none the less.

The SLOs are amazing in both beauty and temperament. If you're dreaming about orps, they're a great starting place. Lavender orps are also in demand. (At least around here)

I had some choc cuckoo orpingtons. I liked the idea of sexlinked purebred orp chicks. There's absolutely no demand for roosters in my area, so I thought it would be super easy to sell the sexlinked females. What I discovered was those chocolate cuckooo chicks look ugly and awkward from 1 week to 5/6 months. They are gorgeous as adults (But since it was my 1st year breeding cuckoos and my hens were solid, I had no example to show of a pretty adult.) When people came to buy a choc cuckoo, they took one look at the straight run lavender chicks and fell in love. There's something about those lavenders that makes them irresistible as chicks. That awkward stage doesn't seem to hit the lavs as hard. I usually sell the straight run lav chicks for $15ea. and started pullets for $25-35 Meanwhile, people would offer only $4-5 for a very rare purebred choc cuckoo female chick. At 4 months, I just had to unload them and sold the females for $15 a piece. The next year, several customers sent me pics of their stunning beauties and wanted more. By then I didn't even have a single one. I decided to go for the silver laced and kept my lavs and blacks.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Thanks for your reply!
I love the lavender orpingtons, too. They are beautiful. I live in a rural area with a limited market. I doubt most people will appreciate the gorgeous english lav orps when they can get the hatchery quality for so much less.
I love the look of the laced birds. Hoping to work with a laced project of some kind. We will see!

 

[Faraday40]

Tell me I've lost my mind...

Yep You've got a terrible case of chicken math. You put the rest of us to shame. Do you have a pond for the waterfowl? You could skip the breeding pens and let the geese, guineas, and turkeys be your guardians. (My turkeys were great hawk protection.) If foxes & coyotes are a threat, you may need to invest in a good guard dog.

Are there any English orp breeders in your area? If so, you may want to split an order with them. It would help bring the shipping costs down. Then of course, you'd also have someone to trade with down the line.

Another creative way to skip the shipping is to get them from Cackle via a store. Our nearest farm store (Farm and Fleet) uses Cackle hatchery for their "chick days". Basically I put in a special order with the store, and my chicks arrive with their big order. The store gets quantity discounts. My chicks get put in the storage area and kept away from the public (cuts down on the stress). If you call around to the stores you can easily find out which hatcheries they use and how to go about placing a special order. You'll probably have to buy a min number of chicks...... but I doubt that would be a problem.

 

[ColtHandorf]

Yep You've got a terrible case of chicken math. You put the rest of us to shame.

I know. It's terrible.

Do you have a pond for the waterfowl? You could skip the breeding pens and let the geese, guineas, and turkeys be your guardians. (My turkeys were great hawk protection.) If foxes & coyotes are a threat, you may need to invest in a good guard dog.

No, there are ponds located on every property around mine. I want to keep them segregated for breed purity though, so breeding pens will be a must. I'm hoping to have the geese separated out this weekend because there's already debauchery, male x male pairings, and inter-breed pairing occurring. Can't have them laying eggs filled with abominations. lol

The waterfowl I'm hoping to "pasture". I keep looking for inexpensive stock tanks but they may have to make do with kiddie pools.

Are there any English orp breeders in your area? If so, you may want to split an order with them. It would help bring the shipping costs down. Then of course, you'd also have someone to trade with down the line.

There are, and I could ask around. I didn't want to get the order too large for fear they can't fill it, but that's not a bad idea.

Another creative way to skip the shipping is to get them from Cackle via a store.

There is only one mom and pop feed store in the area, and I think they use Ideal? but I could always call and check.

You'll probably have to buy a min number of chicks...... but I doubt that would be a problem.

Now see here...lol It's bad enough I'm looking at buying a new Sportsman to handle all the eggs this year...lol

 

[Faraday40]

I'm hoping to have the geese separated out this weekend because there's already debauchery, male x male pairings, and inter-breed pairing occurring. Can't have them laying eggs filled with abominations. lol

Had a similar problem last weekend when visiting @homeschoolin momma. We brought our dog along to play with their dogs. We confirmed a few things:
1. Our dog loves to run and play in their big open pasture.
2. Our dog can open their gate in under 5 sec.
3. Their dog, Ranger, is a lover - not a fighter. It didn't even matter to him that our dog is male! LOL

 

[ColtHandorf]

Honestly I could care less about the males breeding each other so long as they still venture out of the pool to the hens. Golly (Buff male) was breeding a Pom male (or at least suspected male). I've seen both Poms I think are ganders breeding in the pool. No one loves on the Pom hen. And then one of the Pom ganders stole Georgia from Golly and screams all day if anyone gets within fifteen feet of her. I just want my two Buff pairs happy in a pen and the Pomeranians in a pen so I can figure out who's, who.

 

[Tehwrd]

I processed an 11lb hen this summer. (Stood on scale with her & subtracted my weight. Did it 3xs because I didn't believe it.) She was overweight and had a heart condition which is why she was culled. Most of our orp hens weight 8.5 -10lbs. The lavs & blacks are larger. We had a 14lb rooster for many years. He was like family, so we we never ate him.

We don't name the males until they're over 5-6 months and we've decided to keep them. In fact, right now I have one named "Fluffy-Butt" because that was his nickname. He made the cut to be our breeder this spring but has yet to be named. We ate "Mr. Potential" and "Nice Face" LOL

Wow!! 14 pounds?!? Waiting for names sounds like a good idea.

 

[Faraday40]

Wow!! 14 pounds?!? Waiting for names sounds like a good idea.

What's funny is how some poor chickens are not named, yet others have multiple names and nicknames.

EX:
Cookie, aka "the Bantam Menace" and "Cookie Monster" when broody

Darling (kids called her "Egg" when she had no tail due to molt. Now they're calling her "Chubby Chicken". She's not fat! She's just extra fluffy!)

Mr. Potential loved the toddler next door, who fed him kitchen scraps daily. He was called ____'s Rooster. Also "Pig" because he'd follow anyone anywhere to eat treats.

Does anyone else have multiple names for indiv birds? (It also keeps my DH guessing on how many chickens we own.)