*Buff Orpington Thread!*

[Csun132]

The American Poultry Association publishes the breed standards for all breeds of Large Fowl , Bantams, and Waterfowl.It is called the Standard of Perfection. Everyone who breeds birds should own one. It is referred to as the SOP. All breeders who show, or breed very good birds, breed to the specifications in the standard. Hatcheries do not.

There is also a lot of really good information in the SOP. The first 40 pages will teach anyone a lot about poultry, and all the breeds have colored illustrations of correct examples of each breed. Here is a link to the APA : amerpoultyryassn.com.

Thanks DragonLady! I will be checking the site out and book also! Not interested in becoming a breeder but "The Chicken Fever" is like a snowball rolling down a ski slope!! It just keeps on growing on ya!!! Better to be educated on before it reaches that point!!

 

[thedragonlady]

Thanks DragonLady! I will be checking the site out and book also! Not interested in becoming a breeder but "The Chicken Fever" is like a snowball rolling down a ski slope!! It just keeps on growing on ya!!! Better to be educated on before it reaches that point!!

Get your copy of the SOP, and read the first 40 pages over about 10 times. That will save you a lot of mistakes, and $, in chickens.

 

[Searsmom]

Hatchery BOs have had Leghorn crossed in. They will lay well the first year, but tend to burn out quickly. Real SOP bred Orps will lay well for 4 , to 5 years.My SOP Orps lay like crazy, and keep on laying for years.

I got my original BOs from MyPetChicken, which I think come from McMurray. They only laid an egg every day or three, and going into their third year, still an egg every day or three. My EE on the other hand, same age, laid an egg every day for a year and a half straight, then stopped all winter and now I'm lucking to get an egg a week. I have a feeling it's just hit or miss with a hatchery, you may get some that are closer to a real BO and you may get some that aren't. I have large BO hens and small BO hens - I'd assume the larger they are, the closer to what they're supposed to be - dual purpose egg layers and meat providers. Hatcheries are more like putting your money on the billion dollar lottery. What I'd really like to get are some English Orps, those look like feather dusters with legs and I just want to snatch them up and cuddle. Bet they'd really like that.

 

[Johnn]

Bella resting after a hard morning of chasing the girls below her...

 

[Nevaschickens]

Bella resting after a hard morning of chasing the girls below her...

Oh my her face is precious!

 

[Johnn]

Oh my her face is precious!

Thanks

 

[speckledhen]

Seems no one answers my threads much any more. I did post asking if this week old chick was indeed a male, but no answer. It's different than the other Buff Orp and the two New Hampshire sexed pullets so I think this is a sexing mistake due to the lack of tail and the way the wings are coming out. What say you, Buff Orp breeders? Male chick? Seems to be like all the Blue Orp male chicks I've hatched over the years.




The chick in the background looking left has full wings and tail like the others, but not this little one.


Others.

 

[Brookshire11]

Seems no one answers my threads much any more. I did post asking if this week old chick was indeed a male, but no answer. It's different than the other Buff Orp and the two New Hampshire sexed pullets so I think this is a sexing mistake due to the lack of tail and the way the wings are coming out. What say you, Buff Orp breeders? Male chick? Seems to be like all the Blue Orp male chicks I've hatched over the years.




The chick in the background looking left has full wings and tail like the others, but not this little one.


Others.

I'm sorry, I'm no expert with the chick...
I'm really curious about the hen in the background though.
Is that a Swedish flower hen?

 

[speckledhen]

I'm sorry, I'm no expert with the chick...
I'm really curious about the hen in the background though.
Is that a Swedish flower hen?

No, she is a Belgian D'Anver in the Mille Fleur color.

 

[Brookshire11]

No, she is a Belgian D'Anver in the Mille Fleur color.

She's beautiful.

And so are your chicks by the way!

I only have hatchery BOs (and I love them to pieces!), but I've definitely caught Orpington fever...there's a ranch close by that sells Chocolates, Jubilee and Partridge (among others)...I'm having a hard time resisting.

I think my next birds will be better stock.