Old English Game Orpington and Plymouth Rock

Old English Games have been around since recorded history and come the closest to being like wild jungle fowl. In many parts of the country they live in a feral state. The breed is highly territorial so the roosters must be seperated or live on a large parcel of land where each cock can have his own territory. In the southern half of the country they do just fine roosting in trees and dont require a hen house. Mom used ours to keep the bugs out of the gardens because they are excellent fliers. They also relish eating ticks which can cause disease. Old English Games and Aseel hens are the best mothers in the chicken kingdom. Most every egg they incubate hatches and they protect the baby chicks with their lives. They are very resistant to evading predators. The baby chicks can fly not long after they hatch and roost with mom. For show they say to dub the comb but I wouldnt on the standard size because you might have problems with animal rights activists. The breed can get along fine with a little hen scratch and oyster shells once grown and allowed to free range. They dont lay many eggs and their meat gets tough if they are not eaten young. They are great for incubating eggs from non setting breeds. Since they automatically go broody when they find a nest of eggs. Orpingtons are a very nice breed wonderful layers and also a good table bird. If you live up north this breed is for you. They lay right through cold weather. My buff orpingtons and cochins are allowed to brood fall chicks because of all their feathers and big warmth producing body. Brahmas and jersey giants also fit into this category. Often you get poor hatches with an incubator however hens usually do a terrific job. I have lost many chicks due to my electricity being off because of thunder storms. Once eggs get chilled in the incubator embryo’s usually die. The cheap incubators are junk so dont purchase them. I have had only the buff and black varieties. Make wonderful show birds being calm and beautiful. They are good layers of large brown eggs. They must be kept out of the rain because their fluffy feathers doesnt repell it. Cocks weigh around ten and hens eight pounds. Sun will bleach the buff color so if showing keep your in shade. Plymouth Rocks are an american breed developed in the middle of the 19th century. They are the female half of the cornish rock cross. They have a nice thick meaty body and are good brown egg layers. Barred is the original color variety. White Rocks are one of the most common commercial breeds in the entire world. The cocks go about nine and a half pound and the hens around seven. Will sometimes go broody. They are fast growers and big eats because of their metabolism. Sometimes Plymouth Rock roosters get aggressive after two years old.