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[Nicola O]

In the spring I would love to get some Orpingtons or some of the other larger breeds.

 

Am I right in thinking that they are too big for an eglu ? I've been watching a couple on e-bay but I don't want to bid for them if it wouldn't be suitable for the big birds. Perhaps I'd be better off getting a wooden house or start saving for a cube (would the big, heavy breeds be O.K. with the ladder?).

 

Advice would be gratefully appreciated.

 

Nicola.

[Janty]

I wouldn't put Orps into an eglu myself. My cochins and brahmas have been inside mine (their choice) but it's been a squeeze. My cochins and brahmas (heavy breeds) live quite happily in the cubes and have no problems with the ladder so I'm sure that Orps would be ok too.

[Falkor]

I have three orps (not the massive super dooper ones though) in an Eglu.

 

I called Omlet before I purchased the Eglu and they said the Eglu would be fine.

 

My ladies are only 14-15weeks old at the minute so they are fine and as I work from home they free range in the garden from breakfast time to bedtime so no issues with the run being too small as they are hardly ever in it!

 

My Orps are SO friendly! You will love them.

[Janty]

Aren't your Orps miniatures though?

 

I have an Orp miniature and she is nowhere near the size of my cochins.

[TAJ]

Full size - not in an eglu, but fine in a cube - I am surprised at the Omlet advice was they would be OK as their own written instructions with the Eglu say it is unsuitable for orpingtons.

 

Tracy

[laurmurf]

I've got my girl Willow - a black orpington - in our eglu with a cream legbar, she's about 20 weeks now and she fits fine in the eglu. I suppose she'll get a bit bigger, but she's not as big as I imagined she'd be by this age. We had Buffy in there too before we lost her, the 3 girls fit absolutely fine - particularly as they free range all day. Unless they double in size i would have thought you could fit 3 orps in an eglu if they're out and about every day.

 

My orp is as mad as a box of frogs and wildly flighty - rather alarming in a big-boned girl like her!

[Nicola O]

Thanks for the advice everyone - I'm really taken with the idea of a some super duper large chooks so it looks like I'll have to start saving for a cube .

 

Nicola.

[laurmurf]

Aren't your Orps miniatures though?

 

I have an Orp miniature and she is nowhere near the size of my cochins.

 

Janty - i might have been sold a pup, so to speak, but would I see a big difference in a LF orp at 20 weeks in comparison with my hybrids? Willow is a bit bigger than my reverse sussex hybrid - so big but not huge. Is it possible she's an orp mini? I don't know the size difference between the two.

 

by the way - congratulations on your win, You will defintiely need a visit to Krispy Kreme when you collect! I am still planning a trip to Lowestoft early in the new year so will be keen to visit to see your Omlet village and it's new residence!

[Janty]

I will go and look to see if I have any photos of Delia with one of the cochins.

[Janty]

Thanks for the advice everyone - I'm really taken with the idea of a some super duper large chooks so it looks like I'll have to start saving for a cube .

 

Nicola.

 

If you want large chickens why not have a look at brahmas and cochins. They are so lovely and totally mad. Every day my two cochins go bounding up to one another, stare each other out for thirty seconds or so then both back off and turn away as if to say 'Can't be bothered right now'.

[Janty]

Aren't your Orps miniatures though?

 

I have an Orp miniature and she is nowhere near the size of my cochins.

 

Janty - i might have been sold a pup, so to speak, but would I see a big difference in a LF orp at 20 weeks in comparison with my hybrids? Willow is a bit bigger than my reverse sussex hybrid - so big but not huge. Is it possible she's an orp mini? I don't know the size difference between the two.

 

by the way - congratulations on your win, You will defintiely need a visit to Krispy Kreme when you collect! I am still planning a trip to Lowestoft early in the new year so will be keen to visit to see your Omlet village and it's new residence!

 

My Delia is not bigger than my hybrids. I haven't got any photos but will try and take some at the weekend.

[Gallina]

My Orpingtons are more than twice the size of my hybrids, and I think it would be very cruel to keep them in an Eglu, where they would not be able to stand up straight.

 

I dare say there are undersized Orpingtons, so if you have some that have not grown to average size it would be all right. (I have a Cochin like this, perfectly healthy but small, and she would fit in the Eglu, whereas my other Cochin wouldn't.)

 

Pure breeds take longer to get to full size than hybrids. I am not sure when an Orpington reaches full size, but a Cochin takes one year. So expect them to continue growing....

[laurmurf]

thanks, Gallina, I hadn't thought about slow growing and was just beginning to think I'd been sold an orp miniature instead of LF. We'd love her just the same, mind, but we were keen for a big girl.

 

We're plannng to integrate next week, so Willow and little Anya will move to the cube around then. (an empty eglu.... oh dear, what shall I do with it? )

 

My request for advice before we got orpingtons was about whether they would be able to climb a ladder to the cube - which I'm glad you advised me on Gallina, because the breeder told me orpingtons couldn't climb ladders. I will be glad that Willow starts climbing before she's fully grown

 

One warning for potential orp owners - they scoff for Britain!

[Robbo1962]

I always thought that orps are happier free range or certainly having plenty of space, they are not particualarly good in confined spaces. I have two full orps along with 4 'normal' sized hens and they all pile into the cube and squeeze into the nesting box! They have alots of space and are rarely confined to a small space.

My young buff orp laid her first egg yesterday - she shouted about it I can tell you!

Sara

[laurmurf]

I always thought that orps are happier free range or certainly having plenty of space, they are not particualarly good in confined spaces. I have two full orps along with 4 'normal' sized hens and they all pile into the cube and squeeze into the nesting box! They have alots of space and are rarely confined to a small space.

My young buff orp laid her first egg yesterday - she shouted about it I can tell you!

Sara

 

How old are your girls, Sara? When did you start to notice the size difference between your orps and your hybrids? Fab news that your lovely buff orp laid her first egg yesterday too; I thought they wouldn't lay in the winter so was expecting to wait until spring for a first egg from Willow.

[catherinee99]

I have a buff rock bantam who is like a buff orp but very small. She lays little beige/cream eggs and is so friendly. She is the same colour as the large ones with similar feathers but just smaller.

[chelsea]

I had cochins in an eglu, and I still do when I go on holiday (once a year it goes over my sisters).

 

I think the run is the major problem with the eglu and large breeds, because the eglu run is so low, the cube run which is higher or your own self built run would be better for the bigger breeds.

[chelsea]

 

They are so lovely and totally mad. Every day my two cochins go bounding up to one another, stare each other out for thirty seconds or so then both back off and turn away as if to say 'Can't be bothered right now'.

 

My 2 fluffsters do exactly the same Janty like they are challenging each other.

 

I cant praise cochins enough though, am addicted and OH says I can have more next year.

[Janty]

 

They are so lovely and totally mad. Every day my two cochins go bounding up to one another, stare each other out for thirty seconds or so then both back off and turn away as if to say 'Can't be bothered right now'.

 

My 2 fluffsters do exactly the same Janty like they are challenging each other.

 

I cant praise cochins enough though, am addicted and OH says I can have more next year.

 

 

Have you thought about frizzle cochins.

 

They are so funky and gorgeous.

[chelsea]

 

They are so lovely and totally mad. Every day my two cochins go bounding up to one another, stare each other out for thirty seconds or so then both back off and turn away as if to say 'Can't be bothered right now'.

 

My 2 fluffsters do exactly the same Janty like they are challenging each other.

 

I cant praise cochins enough though, am addicted and OH says I can have more next year.

 

 

Have you thought about frizzle cochins.

 

They are so funky and gorgeous.

 

not actually seen any are they bantam sized though? as if so they will not get on with my top chook Evil Ella.

[Janty]

No, they are full sized cochins. I saw white ones at a breeders last year and they were lovely. You should get some pekins...they will amuse you in the same way as the cochins do.

[chelsea]

No, they are full sized cochins. I saw white ones at a breeders last year and they were lovely. You should get some pekins...they will amuse you in the same way as the cochins do.

 

 

ooh, they sound lovely.

 

Pekins are noisy though arent they? ....cannot have many more noisy hens! Even though the cochin girls are noisy when they egg announce, they are broody so much that it doesnt really matter.

[Janty]

I wouldn't say that pekins were noisy compared to cochins.

 

Mrs. Beeton and Popcorn will shout at me if they haven't had their snuggles or if I have thrown treats and they are not getting their fair share but I couldn't say they were generally noisy.

 

Mind you, thinking about it, Popcorn shouts if the big girls are in the cube nesting box...she lies privacy when laying. She will shout until they get out.

[Egg Lou]

No, they are full sized cochins. I saw white ones at a breeders last year and they were lovely. You should get some pekins...they will amuse you in the same way as the cochins do.

 

 

ooh, they sound lovely.

 

Pekins are noisy though arent they? ....cannot have many more noisy hens! Even though the cochin girls are noisy when they egg announce, they are broody so much that it doesnt really matter.

 

I have three pekins who are my cuddlest and quietest girls! don't hear anything much from them except a "purring" when they snuggle up for a cuddle! Mind you they aren't laying yet so could change

 

I guess it also depends on the individual bird but my hybrids are far more noisy!

 

Love all the breeds you have mentioned so good luck with your choice

[Janty]

You might find that they develop into feisty little horrors with attitude when they start laying.

 

Still wonderful and friendly though.