Vanessa Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 (edited) ...hello everyone! We finally got our chickens. We got 3 Black Rocks and 1 Buff Orphinpton. I am not sure about the Buff as her comb is not red and very small. Don't know if its because it is a young hen or cause its winter. I have attached 2 pictures so please could you have a look and tell me your opinion. Thank you. Edited December 16, 2008 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palmer06 Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 (edited) Sorry i added your pics as they just come on the screen as code but you got them working now! But your orp looks the same as what i brought my sis so i woluldn`t worrie! I think she has pics somewhere on the forum! I will try and find! Edited December 16, 2008 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanessa Posted December 16, 2008 Author Share Posted December 16, 2008 I am very new to adding photos so bear with me. Was only ment be on there once... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 One of mine looked like that when she arrived, it took her a while to get laying so I am guessing she was a little younger than the other two perhaps as this one is a different breed she is from a younger stock of hens? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombatally Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 She's a lot smaller than my orp and she is about 25 weeks. They do grow really fast though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanessa Posted December 16, 2008 Author Share Posted December 16, 2008 I am sure the bloke said she was about 6 months old. Or could she be an bantam? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 The bigger breeds take a lot longer to mature than the hybrids. She ,aybe just needs a bit more time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 She is definitely NOT a 6 month old large orp. She looks to me like a bantam. You would expect red wattles/comb by now if she is 6 months old, but given the weather its probably just that she is waiting awhile till its nicer and/or she might be a tad younger. Mine reddened up at about 5 months (ie mid Oct) but no eggs till the New Year I'm sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanessa Posted December 16, 2008 Author Share Posted December 16, 2008 She is definitely NOT a 6 month old large orp. She looks to me like a bantam. Daphne, do you think she will be alright with 3 Black rocks? I just don't want to get her bullied by them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 Hello Vanessa . I was just about to welcome you to the forum but then realised you've been a member for ages . Didn't take you long from asking where to get chickens to actually getting them, did it . Your new girls look gorgeous . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janty Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 I would say that she's an Orp miniature given her height next to the others. She is just like my Delia (Orp mini). My cochins were much larger at 6 months and they are roughly the same size as big Orps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 You will need to keep an eye. Orps are docile and I understand BR can be a bit feisty. Added to which she is smaller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanessa Posted December 16, 2008 Author Share Posted December 16, 2008 Didn't take you long from asking where to get chickens to actually getting them, did it . Blame the OH Would it help if she had a few more Orp mini around her. Just thinking might get another couple ones and an extra coop!! God I have been by the bug already!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanessa Posted December 16, 2008 Author Share Posted December 16, 2008 I just had a look at them in their coop to see if they are alright but they are not sleeping on the perches!! Is it normal? We just have an wooden coop with an run and the perches are not very high of the ground. Could it be that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 don't worry. It is 'normal' for chickens to roost quite high up in the wild (like 20 foot up in a tree) but in my experience they don't all want to do this in a domestic setting depending on breed. Orps, for instance, do not need to/always want to roost because of their hefty weight and its not good for them to be leaping about off high perches. Mine sleep on the floor in their coop. Sometimes, people like to help their birds by putting them on the perches so they get the idea (maybe your girls didn't have them where they were before?) Sometimes this works, sometimes not. Also, you need to make sure there is enough room for them to fit on the perch (ie enough space between the perch and the wall). Ideally the perch should be a rounded 'square' or 'oblong' not a round round like a broom handle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanessa Posted December 16, 2008 Author Share Posted December 16, 2008 So could I take the perches out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombatally Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 I agree with Daphne that she could be a minature - look at my photos on the flickr link below and you can see the size of my black orp at only 15 weeks! She's def not a 6 month old orp. I have 3 banties in a coop with 5 big girls including the orp and they are all fine, just keep an eye on them and if there is any trouble (not likely at night as they are dopey) whip her out. Leave the perches in too - mine are in a wooden coop, some sleep on the floor between the perches, some on them - and they all change the next night. Best to have the option although orps shouldn't be made to perch as they can develop keel problems. They're lovely though!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanessa Posted December 17, 2008 Author Share Posted December 17, 2008 Wombatally, I had a look at your pictures last night - you have lovely hens. I like your chicken coop. Where abouts in Northumberland are you? My parents in law live on the border to cumbria and its such a nice country side around there. Well DH kind of agreed that I maybe can have another orp bantam to keep her company. But would like to have a different coulored one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atsw Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 Sorry, came to this a bit late. We have two Orps, who hatched on 22nd April this year. They are now really quite big, and even laying eggs on odd occasions . The picture below shows them alongside our 'old girl', Fifi (who's was in full moult at the time, so looks dreadful, but is doing fine now). She's your regular red hen, so you can see the comparison in size. If your Orp is six months then she must be miniature. With that said, she looks great, so I would not worry. They are a lovely bread. No trouble at all (although can go broody, so watch out for that in the spring). With regard to perching, ours don't, they just crouch down on the bars inside the Eglu, all you see is a big pile of beautiful fluffy feathers once they have settled for the night! Andrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombatally Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 Thanks Vanessa - I made one of the coops out of pallets. We are on the coast of Northumberland near Morpeth. It is lovely up here in the summer but quite bleak in the winter! If you have the chance of another grab it I say!! I'm hoping my girl will go broody in the spring so I can put some eggs under her, you can't have too many and I can't wait to hatch some. If yours is a bantie then I'm jealous - they're lovely. Why not get a black orp bantie too? or a splash... stop now, I'm going to get carried awat again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanessa Posted December 18, 2008 Author Share Posted December 18, 2008 Why not get a black orp bantie too? or a splash... stop now, I'm going to get carried awat again. Well I must confess I am thinking about getting 2 more for her. Maybe one in blue and one in splash Told DH he had expand the run for them - we only have the coop since a week Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
likeastar--x Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 i love buff orpingtons shes lovely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
