Who else loves their Orps? Orp lovers and Orps ONLY Thread. If you are going to hate on Orps, you aren't allowed.

[TheOddOneOut]

All cockerels

-squints suspiciously-
Ok, Meanshiner.
Roger that.

 

[Sally PB]

My BO cockerel went for my arm today, feet first. Fortunately, I had my winter coat on. Or maybe it was the coat he was after? He got "pecked" several times for his behavior. He seems to hate the color blue, and the coat is a bluish green; but definitely more green than blue. When I go in wearing that coat -- since it's different and new to them -- I take in treats, so to offset the Scary New Thing with something good. I wish I could explain to him his behavior is what got his two cockerel bros culled. (They were MUCH worse.)

I'm thinking if I hatch some BO x BA eggs next spring, if I get a cockerel (probably will, cuz, ya know, that's how it goes), by then my pullets will be hens and they might teach a new boy some manners.

This guy is handsome, but not the sharpest beak in the flock. He can't seem to figure out horizontal nipples at all. I put a waterer with HN in the coop, and took the open waterer out. He seemed very "off" the next day, and I wondered if he was dehydrated. He was. I put the old waterer in the run, and he went right over and drank. Dumb cluck!

Dang, didn't mean to hate on him; he's good with the girls, and that's what I need more than him liking me.

 

[The Happster]

A funny story related to the cochin/orp rivalry.. I posted about this a bit ago, but I went to tractor supply in the spring to get Lavender Orpingtons, and they gave me Gold Laced Cochins! Serves me right for not knowing what the chicks looked like beforehand! One of these days I'll get those gorgeous Lavender girls, mark my words!

Think I'd sit down and cry.
After chopping the fluff off the Cochin trotters, obviously.

 

[Sally PB]

I have a color question. If I somehow ended up with a LO pullet, and crossed my BO with her, what would the coloring be? Or is it total heresy to mix colors on an orp? Not looking for show birds, obviously!

 

[The Moonshiner]

I have a color question. If I somehow ended up with a LO pullet, and crossed my BO with her, what would the coloring be? Or is it total heresy to mix colors on an orp? Not looking for show birds, obviously!

A lot like a black sex link. Of course the males wouldn't be barred.
Pullets can get a varied amount of leakage. Anywhere from very little to half the bird. Males usually always get some in the hackles, back, shoulders and saddle feathers but the amount will vary.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

I have four Buff Orpingtons who are about six months old.
I have a question for those who have friendly Orpingtons. It was never my goal to have a lap chicken, but since she started laying Clara has become so friendly! She squats when she sees me and sits calmly on my lap when she didn't like to be touched before.
She does peck me sometimes. She often pecks my boot and if I pick her up, she pecks my gloves, the sleeve of my jacket etc. Is this something that I should try to stop or is it okay? I know that they do explore their world by pecking, so I am not sure if it is curiosity or something else (dominance?)
Thanks for any advice you have for a lap chicken newbie.

She sounds sweet!
I have a hen that loves to peck gently at my shoes...I had boots with flowers on them, she pecked the flowers. Now I have plain boots, if I stand still long enough, she stands on my shoe and looks up at me, makes me laugh every time. I currently have 38 chickens, she's the only one that ever gave a hoot about my shoes. Just chalk it up to a unique personality & enjoy.

 

[ColtHandorf]

One of these days I'll get those gorgeous Lavender girls, mark my words!

Save yourself the heartache and don't get them from a hatchery. And I'd be very particular about which breeder you get them from. Not just any ol' person on Craigslist or Facebook will have birds that look as nice as the ones posted. Most Lavender Orpingtons are complete garbage in my opinion due to unscrupulous breeding practices.

I have a color question. If I somehow ended up with a LO pullet, and crossed my BO with her, what would the coloring be? Or is it total heresy to mix colors on an orp? Not looking for show birds, obviously!

Blasphemer!!! No, you can totally cross them. Lavender when bred to anything other than Lavender will act like Black. So you'll get some black birds with buff/gold/red leakage in the hackles, breast, and wing bows/saddle (in the cockerels).

 

[Orpingtons Mom]

I adore my big roly-poly Orps. I would dearly love to have them snuggle up with me at bedtime... buuuttt that’s not in the cards. But it would be so nice...all those feathers...

I just got some Crele English Orpingtons... and their Personality seems completely different. It looks like at about 2 1/2 weeks their wings have all filled out. So they go racing around the brooder Flapping their wings. And they are total goobers. Here’s one:

My SLO’s are stately. Except when they run. With their bloomers down to the ground and that absurd rolling run.

I adore my birds. Here are the SLO’s posing...

 

[Orpingtons Mom]

I think you meant to put Cochins. Kill all Orpingtons.

WHAAAA? Did you think we would just ignore this if you put in little tiny print??

I’m outing your sneaky subliminal messages!!

 

[JadeFarms]

WHAAAA? Did you think we would just ignore this if you put in little tiny print??

I’m outing your sneaky subliminal messages!!

I don’t take it back. I’d do it all over again.