The IMPORTED ENGLISH Orpington Thread

[keith brickhouse]

birds look amazing on this thread

 

[keith brickhouse]

birds look amazing on this thread

 

[daytonfarm]

How old are they? and what is your reasoning for culling now? These guys take a while to develop. I can't tell from the pictures how good the eye color is or if there are faults with the combs, but if it were me I would hang onto them until they are older to decide.

 

[BamaChicken]

Why would you cull at this age. They look about 2 1/2 to 3 months old. Do they have a obvioius fault we are not seeing in pic? They look pretty good size . You can't really tell who to cull till about 8 months unless it is some really obvious fault like to small, Red leakage, or some other fault. YOur pullet is looking good.

So, I'm going to try to post pictures which are quite poor I'm afraid. Please tell me if I'm making a mistake culling these boys. I plan to keep the pullet regardless for a layer. Thanks in advance. ~Martha

 

[Blarneyeggs]

I'm a bit roo heavy, was breeding for blue, and already have a blue boy in mind for this breeding pen. I only want to hang on to one of these boys if he has fantastic type that I will need to breed back in at some point.

8 weeks old at this time.

The eye color looks light on one and is dark on the other.

 

[lildinkem]

I'm a bit roo heavy, was breeding for blue, and already have a blue boy in mind for this breeding pen. I only want to hang on to one of these boys if he has fantastic type that I will need to breed back in at some point.
8 weeks old at this time.
The eye color looks light on one and is dark on the other.

IF you want just Blues you should use a Black, since going Blue to Blue will produce Blues, Blacks and Splashes. Black to Blue will produce 1/2 Blues 1/2 Blacks
The lite eye is a non desired trait but those eyes can darken by 6 months old. I put a Black pullet out 2 months ago who had a much lighter eye then she has now, And she is only 6 months old

 

[4cats3kids1hubby2many]

4cats3kids: her screen name is 'Beth G.'. She breeds MF Cochins too. I don't know much about English Orps, I hatched out my first Orps this year and am very pleased with the breed. I was looking for some blue to put with my blue boy and got BBS hatching eggs from Beth G. Who is some where in the Northeast, I met her in Massachusettes at a poultry show. I can post pics of the Blacks that I got out of that hatch, and actually would like to hear how they look and if they should be saved from the pot - I really wanted blue, but if their type is good, then maybe no soup.

Schaffer, you are quite close to me, relatively speaking. I had a friend in high school who grew up in Tamaqua and would go back for holidays to see cousins and such.

thank you. (oh, btw....call me 4312 for short). Had I known how much people would use the BYC name I would not had made it so long. LOL.

 

[BamaChicken]

Blarneyeggs this is a young 7 1/2 week old black cockerel I am growing out. I like the way he looks now. I will grow out him and his brothers from a one on one mating I did of a pair that I want to see what they produce type wise in offspring.

Depending on type on birds would deteremine if I kept one with lite eyes. They would have to have something I need to add to my flock. Lite eyes can be bred out.

 

[DaveK]

I'm a bit roo heavy, was breeding for blue, and already have a blue boy in mind for this breeding pen. I only want to hang on to one of these boys if he has fantastic type that I will need to breed back in at some point.
8 weeks old at this time.
The eye color looks light on one and is dark on the other.

If you are after blue using a blue cock will give you at most only 50% blue. In theory. Breed him to blue, black or splash and you still get only about half of them blue. Ratios of course can get really skewed with the smallish numbers most tend to hatch but that's the idea anyway. If one or both of these black babies (and because they are Orps they are practically just out of the shell and will take months to show much of anything) has the good type you like you can get 100% blue by putting them over splash hens. Perhaps from the same person as your eggs came from. Can't see ground color or lacing in a mating like that but all the offspring will be blue.

 

[jeremy]

I'll take those pretty little Black babies if you don't want them!

Your pullet already seems to have a nice round shape.