jellybean29 Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 On new years day i opened the hen house to find one of the orpingtons Cordelia had left us a little present. Since then we have had a perfect egg everyday. I thought orps werent good layers expecting to lay around 160 eggs a season. So how long can i expect an egg every morning for? Or could it be that my french copper maran has also started to lay and it will just take time for the eggs to become a darker shade of brown. Im pretty sure its the orp whos laying as she been very noisy lately and squats down when you go to stroke her also her comb is very red. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 Wow, a pure breed laying in the winter! I would have thought being large and feathery like my cochins that they would have had a complete Winter break you may find that she will lay until early summer and then go into a broody episode (mine go broody on and off from April to September!). I don't think you'll get huge quantities of eggs so I would make the most of it whilst she's laying Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 Orps aren't good layers if you compare them to a hybrid or a light pure breed like a leghorn. However, I have found the less well bred they are (ie not exhibition strains) the more likely you are to get eggs. Most of mine lay 3 or 4 a week from start April till EO Sept. If your girl is quite young (eg she was a May or later baby) then its quite common for them to come into lay the first time early in the year - although this may not happen the next year. Regarding broodyness I find them variable - my best orp egg layer last year was a May chick and she started laying in Jan, but she also went broody 3 times! The rest of them didn't go broody once. I've never counted their eggs over a season, perhaps I should. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jellybean29 Posted January 4, 2010 Author Share Posted January 4, 2010 Thanks she is still quite young only being 24-28 weeks. so i guess i will just have to make the most of her laying everyday! she layed us another egg this morning! i wonder how long it will be before the other orpington starts to lay? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 got any string? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 Our Buff laid at the beginning of January last year too. She became the best egg layer of all 3, laying 23 eggs in January, February and March. Then she became broody. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grracee Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 My buff orp started laying about 2 - 3 weeks ago, i also was unsure how good of a layer she would be as before i got them i read up on their breed etc. but since then i have got an egg either everyday or every other day so im very happy, making the most of it. I'm also eagerly waiting for my other buff orp to start laying too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debbie26pet Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 i have a buff orp and she been with my since feb 08, and has laid every day form feb till oct. 08 she went broody for few weeks but last year carried on laying never went broody Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
