[Dizzycow]

Hi all,
A couple of years back I saw Chocolate Orpinton eggs reach hundreds of pounds on ebay. There are some on just now for the usual hatching egg price. Does anyone know why this is? Were the other eggs super-duper? Any other opinions on the breed would be helpful. I have Cream Legbars and Light Sussex. As I sell the eggs good layers are essential.
Cheers!
 

[Victorian Farmer]

The reason for this was there was only 3 UK breeders with the best chocklets . "The Chocolate Or pington Bantam has probably caused the biggest stir in the poultry... The Chocolate gene was discovered by the late Dr Carefoot in 1995.                                                                                                        David Pownall     pure bred poultry and rob boyde ://www.keiths-orps.co.UK/categories/bantam/chocolate.html      rob boyde sold his stock to me and his and mine stock  went to clitharo mart  and sold the folowing spring there is no good stock left i then went for cream legbar which again  went mad i then sold that stock and havent done eney think else . I'm naw looking at the next big thing the black split or pington in the pic i bought 2 brothers both  split chocklate  he won the Edinburgh show first time they cost me £400 for the 2 this is some of the most expensive stock ever bought the eggs from this stock was £6 each then  .very sad that it onley lasted 18 months market swopt with bad stock becouse you need the black  opington to keep them going .I dont think i will ever have better birds than these.           

[Padge]

VF please explain black split     we currently have orpington bantams in our incy and hope at least a few will hatch   tho of those we bought a lot candled clear

[Dizzycow]

Hmmm. I'm not much clearer, thanks though. I might just fling a lot of eggs into the incy and get LS x CL mixes. They lay lovely green eggs!
 

[Victorian Farmer]

A black split or pington carries the chocklate gene when put to a nother hen the chocklate gene carries so a black cock with a black hen the young will be black chocklate and split .You need a breeder that has the best or pingtons and get some eggs to get quality stock. so iff i wonted blue or pingtons i would get eggs from mull sue legit the stock is the best  opingtons this is her stock Scottish national this is a way to get good stock a chocklate orpington has to be made from a black to keep the coler  dark why have cheap stock when you can make youre own a nother breeder W BURDETT

[Padge]

Ahaa....thanks VF 
The eggs we bought were from Keiths orps     web shows nice looking birds   despite lots candling clear would hope for a couple of decent birds 

[Victorian Farmer]

It will take months of hard work disappointment to get 4 hens and 1 good cock .Take my new project silver lace wyndotts iv bought 2 from 1 place 2 from a nother etc and naw the cock bird . I will then  breed for young hens i will then get eggs from a good breeder to get good cock birds .When Happy i will sell AL but the best 3 hens and 2 cock birds that will be the foundation stock .The next spring i will decide 2 new cocks or some better hens and that way you will move forward . i only keep good standard birds .And thats the same for my sheep the best rams etc

[Padge]

I understand the disappointment VF  had plenty    last year we bought a fair few hatching eggs many of which (and of those that did hatch) were nothing like the fabulous examples shown in the ads      some of those that did hatch were stunningly poor examples   none of which we kept.We had a disastrous fox attack on our holding which has left us almost starting from scratch  and very luckily we've been helped along by friends on forums    Will be waiting to see what we get...if anything from these eggs   and looking around for others as you say   this is only the start of a bit of a project so we'll see where it takes us    I watch with interest your progress

[Victorian Farmer]

let me no where you are i have a big diary of eggs and forget e bay .I dont no which way the hens will go as feed wether will be bad for 2013 .Most eggs were lost in the pawer that went dawn  young stock aswell

[Padge]

Mornin VF      we're Lincolnshire.........I'm sure there are some people that have decent stock on ebay.......we just haven't found them 
Sorry to hear you've lost birds thru power failure.....   blinkin fox is more than bad enough