  |
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Spangled Orpington
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
The Spangled Orpington is extremely rare in this country, and good examples
are even rarer!
Our best female hen we bought at the National 2008, she had just won the AOC female class,
and i had to batter my eyelids at the breeder to part with her, she had just beat my female Jubilee hen into second place,
and i wasn't about to leave that show without her!! The breeder also let me have her sister, who was much whiter as she was
a year older, not good for showing anymore, but perfect for breeding as he didn't have a spangled cockerel, so we'd have to
'make our own' using a black cockerel over the two girls, which we have done this year! First generation chicks look very
promising, all showing signs of the white spots, but we know having tried to breed spangled bantams last year, when the chicks
moult out to their adult feathers, they loose all spangles, and go straight black! But if they have them as chicks, at least
we know they carry the spangled gene. Therefore passing them on the second generation if mated all back together or placing
the best cockerel over the parent hens. Fingers crossed!!
Above is an over the top picture of how even the spangleds should
be, this can be improved upon, as we breed more birds.
|
|
|
Our best lady, who won her class at the National 2008.
Above, left, the cockerel we are currently using to produce our Spangled cockerel! From top
breeder, exhibitor and judge of many years, Mr. Brian Anderton. Orpington Club chairman.
This is a close up of how the feather colour should look, notice the green
sheen on the black, this is good, and should be apparent.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
OUR 2ND YEAR OF BREEDING SPANGLEDS
Having 'made' our Spangled cockerel last year, who looked
black, but had a white beak, and white legs, with a red eye, all characteristics of the Spangled, we put him over a couple
of his sisters, who had the same colouration, and his Mum, who won the trophy at the National last year (2009) and her class
at the Federation, we have produced a stunning bunch of chicks, who appear to be pure Spangled, some a little darker than
others, but all showing the Spangled 'spots'. They look two-tone until they moult out into their adult feathers. Pictured
below are some Spangled growers showing this colouration, we'll keep updating the pictures as they grow.
Old standards
|
|
|
|
|
|
|