Meet the Lavender Orphington,
They are a large fluffy, friendly hen – have a profusion of feathers which makes them seem much larger than they actually are.
They are known to be curious, docile, cuddly and quite smart, which makes them adorable!
As they are so calm and quiet they are often lower in the pecking order than the more assertive ladies of your flock. They do get picked on by other hens, so be aware of this and deal with it as needed.
They are said to be good foragers although they are more likely to hang out near the feeders – being a bit on the lazy side.
As with all Orpingtons the Lavender should appear as a heavy, broad bodied bird standing low to the ground. The back should be short and curvy. The tail is a bit on the short side. Although they are a large bird it is quite compact in its physique. A mature rooster will weigh in around 10lb with a mature hen weighing 8lb or so.
If you’re a free-range fanatic and love to let your birds roam free the lavender sits in the middle of the pack. They love to forage, and won’t go hungry when they have plenty of vegetation, bugs, and grubs to devour. But they are a tad clueless when it comes to keeping an eye out for predators.
Lavenders are extremely friendly, in most cases, and will choose to spend time near you while you are out doing the chores. If you’re looking for a friendly companion free-ranger, the Lavender is a great choice (especially because the roosters do not tend to be aggressive).
As with most Orpingtons, they are a fairly steady layer. They should produce around 170-200 light brown, medium sized eggs per year.
Since Orpingtons are known to be broody, you can expect them to go broody about once a year. They make wonderful mothers, so if you have any eggs that need hatching, slip them under your Orpington!
High temperatures and heat can be a problem for Orpingtons because of their dense feathering. They need shade, cool water and dust bath areas readily available to help cool them down. Another problem with excessive sunlight is that it will make the Lavender color fade a little into tan/yellow overtones in mature birds.
The Lavender Orphingtons coming in this week are pullets, $12.00 each. Call or come in to Pre-Pay for your chicks to assure you will get them, they will be put on hold for you for 24 hours. We ordered extra because these birds are very popular. Order should come in on Thursday.
We also have our rare chicks ($4.75) Barnvelders and Speckled Sussex
