The IMPORTED ENGLISH Orpington Thread

[lildinkem]

I definitely am curious to see some Spangled Orps. It is funny that even the pure and the best of the best Spangles look a bit like Speckled Sussex. And those birds would fit right in here in the USA where most of our Orps look like SS and Orp mixes. Thankfully for ladies like Julie and Joy that trend is starting to turn for the better.

 

[jeremy]

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Well, they're all nice pictures Matt!

If we could get some Jubilee Orps over here, I would focus my attention and breeding efforts around them entirely. I love, love this color!

 

[hinkjc]

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The biggest problem with getting and maintaining size on mottled/spangled and jubilee orps is there are not enough people working on them. With limited gene pools, size tends to get lost or has less focus. While we still have a little ways to go on ours, the size is coming along nicely with the color. Thank goodness we have enough varied genes and color varieties to work with here, since we seem to be going at it on our own in the US.

 

[justuschickens59]

While I am working on my English blues and blacks, it is definitely slow going. I'm so thankful for Julie and her English birds. It really helps that we can swap birds in order to work on both our lines and establish another gene pool. I want nothing more than to be able to look out in my yard and see flocks of big fat English Orps waddling around. I also would love to see other people who appreciate these beautiful birds as well be able to have a better access to them.

I would love to see ALL the varieties of Orpingtons from the UK here in the US. There just really is no comparison between the US Orps and the UK Orps.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I found the message from Cheryl. Mine are 50% English from Tuffoldhen's stock. Both are beautiful blues with great lacing. (well the boy is still feathering in, but he looks like he'll be a darker blue) As soon as I can upload photo's I will. I never would have been able to afford these English Orps otherwise (hubby would KILL me for spending that much on eggs), so I'm grateful to Cheryl for letting me have these two.

 

[lildinkem]

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The biggest problem with getting and maintaining size on mottled/spangled and jubilee orps is there are not enough people working on them. With limited gene pools, size tends to get lost or has less focus. While we still have a little ways to go on ours, the size is coming along nicely with the color. Thank goodness we have enough varied genes and color varieties to work with here, since we seem to be going at it on our own in the US.

I just have the one Spangled pullet. Now I need to make an English Black cockerel to take to her for next fall. I am in the same boat Julie was in when she just had Charlie. How to build a line with one bird as your main building block for a great UK flock. Except my Spangled is not UK. She is a mutt. Just 75% APA Orp lines. And even those were not all Black Orps.
I think she will fill out fine size wise. Now I need to make some more somehow. For now I think taking my one Spangled pullet back to her daddy can bring about a few more. I also have one cockerel who is a full brother who is only Silver and Black. But, he looks like a Silver Penciled mix on top of a Silver Laced. I think he may be able to make more. He is going to be bigger. I also have a Silver Penciled pullet to take him too as well, she is full bro/sis.
Either Father to daughter or brother to sister I think will yeild some more looking like her. I don't think I have to worry for quite some time with size. The Spangled pullet's father is 11 lbs. My most important decision after I make a few is to divide up the very best pullets to themselves, including taking the best Spangled cockerel back to her & then put each pullet in a 4' by4' pen and hatch out and return each next generations pullets back to the hen's pen where they came from. And try to establish a series of new lines by using this method of breeding. Eventually getting the numbers up to three or so hen/pullets per pen. I figure IF lucky to have 4 or 5 nice pullets to try this out next year. Out of the ALL Black BUS pullets I have now, I know I can make some in decent numbers. Definitely a long term project. Really a challenge to make it happen with one bird. But worth the try.

I wonder what I would get IF I take Julie's Splash cockerel I have to the Spangled Pullet? A Blue Spangled?

Oh also forgot to say we had our first egg last nite. These are a Feb 4th hatch. So right on time the way I figure. I seen everyone talking about when their birds lay.
I like the idea of using him on everything I have worth a darn, as Harry said to do, plus putting him on the Spangled. Knowing I will get Blues who I then can take back to her, IF she lives and does not get eaten, then to get the UK influence and hope for a Black cockerel to take back to mom, the Spangled. And by then I should have a few sisters to use a UK like cockerel with the Spangled gene

 

[BamaChicken]

Sad news is I am not getting enough eggs to eat much less enough to sell eggs or hatch chicks.
Good news is I feel great.

 

[justuschickens59]

My girls aren't cooperating much these days either Julie. I started to say they were "laying down on the job," but that's definitely not true !!! I wish they WERE "laying" down on the job

 

[jeremy]

I collected 4 eggs over the past 3 days... from a flock of 19 hens... I know how you both feel, Joy and Julie.

 

[kathyinmo]

About the only thing laying here are my Delawares ..... 9 eggs a day, from 10 girls. AND, a couple of them are even molting!