The IMPORTED ENGLISH Orpington Thread

[Faraday40]

*Excited squeal*

I got my first White Orpington egg of the year. I'm not claiming the pullet egg someone laid off the perch over the weekend. This one was in a box in a lovely nest she made. I'm also getting some F1 Blue Silver-laced eggs from Kate pretty regularly so while everyone else is holding out, I'm going to do weekly or twice weekly settings of eggs to see if I can't have some spring chicks to work with.

Congrats!

I know the feeling. As the hens and pullets start up their production for the year, it's almost like getting that 1st egg all over again!!! Collecting eggs never gets old for me. I love walking out to the coop and getting daily gifts of eggs. I currently have 5 orps laying and a collection of 2 dozen eggs sitting in a turner on the table. As I add the newest ones, the older eggs go into the fridge for eating.

I'm not actually planning on putting them into the incubator. BUT, they're ready to go if a hen decides to go broody. OR Maybe another local chicken person will be in need of fertile eggs. OR There's some other egg-hatching emergency. I doubt I'm the only person on BYC who has a stash of emergency hatching eggs laying around the house. The bigger problem is keeping them out of the incubator. (The flock is not separated in the winter, and I already have some test eggs due next week. I should at least see how those hatch out before making any decision to add more.)

As far as your blue SLO project, @ColtHandorf , you should just hatch as many of Kate's eggs as you can. English orps can suddenly stop laying if they experience the slightest bit of change. Add or subtract one chicken from the flock, change the roost, another hen goes broody, a new feed bowl, or even just a change in weather and BOOM, the girl goes on an egg strike for weeks to months!

 

[ColtHandorf]

I know the feeling. As the hens and pullets start up their production for the year, it's almost like getting that 1st egg all over again!!! Collecting eggs never gets old for me. I love walking out to the coop and getting daily gifts of eggs. I currently have 5 orps laying and a collection of 2 dozen eggs sitting in a turner on the table. As I add the newest ones, the older eggs go into the fridge for eating.

I love getting eggs when it's not wet, or cold, or when it's nearly dark, or after I've just wrangled a Pomeranian gander back over the fence into his pen.

I'm not actually planning on putting them into the incubator. BUT, they're ready to go if a hen decides to go broody. OR Maybe another local chicken person will be in need of fertile eggs. OR There's some other egg-hatching emergency. I doubt I'm the only person on BYC who has a stash of emergency hatching eggs laying around the house. The bigger problem is keeping them out of the incubator. (The flock is not separated in the winter, and I already have some test eggs due next week. I should at least see how those hatch out before making any decision to add more.)

The purebred eggs go straight into a turner and are rotated out, FIFO, first-in, first-out. The "kitchen" eggs go straight to the fridge. An you're definitely not. I'm pricing a new Sportsman for the Spring just to hatch all the eggs.

As far as your blue SLO project, @ColtHandorf , you should just hatch as many of Kate's eggs as you can. English orps can suddenly stop laying if they experience the slightest bit of change. Add or subtract one chicken from the flock, change the roost, another hen goes broody, a new feed bowl, or even just a change in weather and BOOM, the girl goes on an egg strike for weeks to months!

Don't I know it!? I have every intention of setting everyone of her eggs. And Ruby's too when she starts. Of course by then the normal Silver-laced hens will be laying, so I'm going to have to get a small coop built for them, or have them moved into a finished breeding pen. I seem to recall a way of doing something with food coloring to tell what hen lays which egg...but I'm drawing a blank on it now. I'll have to Google or search the forum.

 

[Faraday40]

I seem to recall a way of doing something with food coloring to tell what hen lays which egg...but I'm drawing a blank on it now. I'll have to Google or search the forum.

Drops of food coloring on/in vent. Gel kind is more concentrated and works better.

I know someone else who bought hideous, distinct shades of long-lasting lipstick. She said it worked and the lipstick was for the chickens only. But to this day, I still have vivid disturbing images about application in my head.

 

[Faraday40]

Just to tempt everyone, look what I just saw on ebay
https://www.ebay.com/itm/6-SILVER-P...717211?hash=item1f1df7111b:g:gS0AAOSwp69gCIGp

and of course it's the same person who's selling the bantam orps
https://www.ebay.com/itm/6-PURE-ENG...756274?hash=item1f1df7a9b2:g:YkIAAOSwJhZeC588

I've been drooling over that seller's bantams for well over a year. Has anyone on this thread received eggs from this breeder?

 

[ColtHandorf]

Drops of food coloring on/in vent. Gel kind is more concentrated and works better.

Yes, that's it. Have you ever used the method?

I know someone else who bought hideous, distinct shades of long-lasting lipstick. She said it worked and the lipstick was for the chickens only. But to this day, I still have vivid disturbing images about application in my head.

That is horrifying and disturbing...

Just to tempt everyone, look what I just saw

Cruel. They are so pretty, but a starting bid of $52 for six eggs? I just can't justify that knowing I wouldn't get a darn thing to hatch. I wish they'd just sell the eggs straight. Their auctions always get really high.

bantam orps

I love those, too.

I've been drooling over that seller's bantams for well over a year. Has anyone on this thread received eggs from this breeder?

A friend of mine was bidding on the eggs, but they got really high and he backed out. If I could contact the breeder directly and purchase eggs and have them shipped I'd be tempted.

 

[ColtHandorf]

Now look what you've done...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NPIP-6-Lav...lationExplorer&_trksid=p2047675.c100010.m2109

 

[Faraday40]

Now look what you've done...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NPIP-6-Lavender-Silver-Laced-Orpington-Hatching-Eggs/154298562248?_trkparms=aid=1110006&algo=HOMESPLICE.SIM&ao=1&asc=20131231084308&meid=914dc228362144149e89322cf4d09c80&pid=100010&rk=4&rkt=12&sd=133646717211&itm=154298562248&pmt=0&noa=1&pg=2047675&algv=DefaultOrganicWithAblationExplorer&_trksid=p2047675.c100010.m2109

Yes. I was looking at those too. I'm going to stick with the blue and black SLOs and lavender/black for my 2 breeding groups. BUT, I really, really like the look of penciled orps. IF I happened to take a road trip to Wisconsin, I know of 2 places with nice English orps. I might be able to talk myself into chicks or an egg pick up. I don't have the space to add another breeding group, so I'd end up keeping one as a pet and selling the rest.

 

[ColtHandorf]

You can just send the rest to me.

 

[Faraday40]

I think Xansie will come around when she hears Mai Mais chick peeping.

Well, Xansie left the nest around Christmas and MaiMai is still inside the house. (I normally would have her outside in the coop by now. With single digit temps and another 6" of snow on the way, I decided to let her stay inside a couple more days.)

So guess where I found 2 bantam eggs today? Yes. In the nest under Xansie. She wasn't even exposed to the peeping chick yet!!!
@homeschoolin momma You know my chickens and their personalities very well.

Xansie is not full broody, but I expect it will happen before the 5 orps and 6 serama eggs hatch.

 

[edgarmongold]

Been researching when and where the term “English Orpington” was coined.
Google so far has taken me to Poultry Club of Great Britain where breed originated and American Poultry Association SOP and both just use the name Orpington.
Was hoping for some background from Greenfire Farms who I think imported them here in USA but they are not listed so apparently they have moved on to other breeds.
Any information appreciated