My red orpinton girls are looking like they arent orps at all! help!

[oesdog]

~I looked up saddle feathers so i know what you mean now, i have no idea what to do with them now. none of them are crowing (they should be by now i assume if they are male)

Oh poor you - Not too many option! Freezer came to mind! - I had 6 chicks and 4 turned out to be big old roo boys. I had to find new homes for them. My Maran chick had a big fluffy butt. That bird would squat like a girl but it also had those horrible old boy feathers speckled hen was talking about and it would do that Roo boy dance? We called it the He/she bird. After we got it a new home because it went along with another hand reared bird it finally started to crow! It was 9 months old! We couldn't keep Roo boys here either.

Oes - best of luck finding homes!

know how it feels!

 

[aoxa]

Meg is out of that huge exhibition size Orp stock. If you've ever seen them at shows, the hatchery Orps pale in size comparison.

Yes I had one until very recently. She suffered from internal laying, and died overnight. Poor thing.. we called her Sausage Fingers..

Wish I had her long enough to know if she would do well in a show. She went broody and after that was over, her egg machine was just not working properly. Is that common in heavy breeds like this? Anyway.. Another discussion for another time. But they are big birds!

 

[LizzieJ]

I thought maran when i saw them too! glad its not just me that spies the maran type markings on them. will take some more pictures today and post them. i will listen to more experienced hen keepers when they say roo's though and have found a place for them on a breeding farm nearby. its a shame because they are beautiful birds

 

[Habibs Hens]

they are defo not british orps

they are far too slender to be british orps

plus red orps are not a recognised breed so there is no breed perfection in them

 

[TexasLady]

My Orps (from USA) are definitely much, much larger. They are only about six months or so, and they are not at all small. These birds don't look related to Orps to me, but then I haven't shown the breed.

 

[rebel-rousing-at-night]

Im not doubting your expertise, im relatively new to chicken keeping and still not 100% sure of myself with them. (expertise wise) ive taken a good look at the one you said (angel) and she does indeed have those saddle feathers..............i think i may be going back to the breeder about her/him! it could be possible that the last one is a rooster as im only just getting an egg a day from them. i think its time to strangle a breeder! thanks for your help!

Kookie is a rooster too. Note the red on his wings. That is a rooster pattern. It's a shame that some people will tell unexperienced buyers that roosters are hens. Hope you get things straightened out.

 

[LizzieJ]

Thanks all for your help, I will keep you updated on what happens next but i think they will be going to a new home on a farm nearby. the farm might not take them if they arent pure breeds though so could be problematic....................oh dear!