quickcluck Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 (edited) are they too young for me? I've got the offer of some orps. What do you think? He says they are free running and on growers Edited July 22, 2009 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 my two orps I just got are 12 weeks... what orps are they??? I LOVVVVVE orps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 erm, probably! I got 5 of our last lot at about 10-12 weeks, and they thrived. you will need: separate accomodation from the big girls chick food rather than layers orps are quite slow to mature I think, so you will have to be patient on the egg front. lovely birds tho, and although they look huge they are so fluffy its like touching a cloud!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 If you have separate accommodation for them, you should be fine. They'll need growers pellets instead of layers. It's a good age to get them if a) you can sex them - or have plans for the cockerels b) you want to socialise them easily They won't be able to mix with the big ones until they are about the same size - generally about 17-18 weeks or POL See what others think too Tricia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falkor Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 My original 3 chooks were 10week Orps...they were also my first back garden chooks! As long as they are off heat (and I would expect them to be at 10 weeks although i have seen it!) then i don`t see why not! The only thing I can think of that is different to older birds is that they should be fed growers pellets and no oystershell. And remember it will be a good while before they can be introduced to your existing flock so seperate accomadation will be for at least two months if not more. Orps can be slow to mature so you may not have guarenteed girls And as Cookie says.....what colour are they? Are they minis or Large fowls? We love Orps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 my plan is to keep mine seperate for a fair few weeks to let them grow up... I have split my WIR in two to allow this I have growers pellets for them, and they soon tuck them back.. and grit with no oyster shell in. I think you will be fine with them, as long as you are prepared in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eggregiousness Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Sorry to change the subject slightly but why no oystershell? Also, I was going to order 2 10 week old female Cochins from the dtb and they didn't mention that they could not be sure of the sex at that age. Is it not possible? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falkor Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Forgot to add....... I took the roosting bars out of my when mine came as 10weekers as I was told by my ex FIL the farmer that Orps bones are still developing at that age and they shouldn`t roost as it puts pressure on the legs before they are grown. Roosting bars went into the eglu at about 22 weeks...eggs took another month or two.... Oyster shell is extra calcium needed to form strong egg shells, as growers are not making egg shell the additional calcium that they would get from the oyster shell would have to go somewhere and can cause deformaties on the bone (i think that is it) In some cases with pure breeds sex can be obvious from an early age...but it is a possibilty that they are slow to mature and what is sold as a girl can turn out to be a boy. Angels4 on the forum had this with a buff orp not long ago. If the breeder is good then they should take back a wrongly sexed bird...the only problem being that you might be left with one girl on her own of to intergrate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 mine are sleeping in a covered cat box, and very cosey they are too.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted July 22, 2009 Author Share Posted July 22, 2009 They have splash, buff & partridge, and a orp/wyandotte cross!!!! they will be seperate in an eglu in a segregated section of the WIR. have have been sexed are are living outside and on growers pellets... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falkor Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 ooooh PARTRIDGE!!!! Orps have such a nice nature So are you going to go for it? Are these instead of your reserved ones? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted July 22, 2009 Author Share Posted July 22, 2009 they could well be, although not good for egg production.... I like the sound of the orp/wyandotte cross... Is very temping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falkor Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 My 2 orps are currently laying eight to ten eggs a week between them....obviously this is likely to stop over winter...depends how many eggs you need i spose yes the cross sounds pretty.....have you seen them yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 splash are gorrrrrrrrrrrrgeous! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted July 22, 2009 Author Share Posted July 22, 2009 palmer are they teeny tiny eggs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falkor Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Not at all! More often than not they are bigger than my hybrids eggs. I have stopped weighing them but when i was doing so the orp eggs were coming in around 63-69g. Also the yolks (the best bit) are MUCH MUCH bigger than the hybrids My orps are LF....I would assume a mini would lay bantam sized eggs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted July 22, 2009 Author Share Posted July 22, 2009 cookie i cant find your pics! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 I have an orp x wyandotte (bantam) she is very pretty and soooooooo soft If they have wyandotte in them it should up the egg production a bit And yes of course you will be fine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 cookie i cant find your pics! these are mine... I am just about to upload some more pictures actually Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted July 22, 2009 Author Share Posted July 22, 2009 Ooooooooooh lovely are they bigger than your dog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falkor Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 There was a thread recently called Orptastic with LOADS of pics on but I think that was delected in Christians mad five mins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Ooooooooooh lovely are they bigger than your dog slightly deceptive photo, she IS small but this photo makes them look larger than they are... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falkor Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Yup they are dinky little ladies at the mo.....Mum and dad were very impressive weren`t they CM! here is my Splash for your info and this is what my lot looked like at 10 weeks edited to resize GIANT pics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted July 22, 2009 Author Share Posted July 22, 2009 lovely. I am gonna ring him and see if i can go for a visit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 oooh good idea, I tried to find a splash but couldn't and then came across this lady and I think these are beautiful (although I didn't at first) I was a bit like and then I saw the mum and it was decided. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
