What is her color???

[JK Farms]

I bought an Orpington hen yesterday but I'm not sure what her color is. Any ideas? She is the hen in the back not the front. I know the black hen is a jersey giant but the other one is a Orpington of some color that hopefully you guys will know!

 

[kitkat5505]

Cuckoo Orpington

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, hope you are enjoying BYC so far!

I agree that IF it's an Orpington it would likely be called cuckoo. Never seen one though!

They look pretty young still (15 ish weeks is my guess). Do you know how old?

Their feathers also look very tore up! So if they weren't privy to a rooster at their last set up, or bullied by other hens.. I would be on the lookout for parasites such as lice/mites. Only problem is that some species of mite are microscopic and so won't be detected by the naked eye even though you try, until symptoms appear and are noticed. Some species of mite do not live on the chicken, but in cracks of wood and come out to feed on the chickens at night. Even if a bird does get these doesn't mean someone is a bad owner, but they are a part of the environment.

Do you have other birds already? I would consider worming them before they start laying for you to diminish the effect of having to with hold eggs for very long. If you have the $, it's about $15 for a float at the vet to make sure they get treated with the right med for any worms present. Only round worms can be seen in dropping, others must be detected by microscope. I don't recommend random worming because treating for what you may not have or treating the wrong species won't help at all.

Congrats on your new birds!

 

[JK Farms]

Hi, hope you are enjoying BYC so far!

I agree that IF it's an Orpington it would likely be called cuckoo. Never seen one though!

They look pretty young still (15 ish weeks is my guess). Do you know how old?

Their feathers also look very tore up! So if they weren't privy to a rooster at their last set up, or bullied by other hens.. I would be on the lookout for parasites such as lice/mites. Only problem is that some species of mite are microscopic and so won't be detected by the naked eye even though you try, until symptoms appear and are noticed. Some species of mite do not live on the chicken, but in cracks of wood and come out to feed on the chickens at night. Even if a bird does get these doesn't mean someone is a bad owner, but they are a part of the environment.

Do you have other birds already? I would consider worming them before they start laying for you to diminish the effect of having to with hold eggs for very long. If you have the $, it's about $15 for a float at the vet to make sure they get treated with the right med for any worms present. Only round worms can be seen in dropping, others must be detected by microscope. I don't recommend random worming because treating for what you may not have or treating the wrong species won't help at all.

Congrats on your new birds!

She was the low man on the pecking order so her feathers look bad. So far she is fitting in nicely with everyone which is a bonus I was worried about that! She is an Orpington well that's what the person I bought her from said she was. Her dad was so handsome! I'll see if I can get pics of him but he would throw barred colors!!!