[uba]

Hello all,

We are ready to add another four hens to our existing flock of three Orpingtons. Our wish list is for one buff orpy, one light sussex, one dark brown egg layer and one blue egg layer.
 In an ideal world i suppose we would get them all on the same day from the same breeder to reduce the number of new introductions so one of my questions is does anyone in the Lincolnshire area raise all of the above?

 Of the dark egg and blue egg layers which are good family birds?

[joyfull]

for the dark brown eggs you need a good strain of Marans, I have a lovely cuckoo Marans who is very matronley  .
The only true blue egg layer is the araucana but these can be quite flighty and do like to be free ranging so I would suggest a hybrid along the lines of a cream legbar or columbine.

[CoopersCoop]

I have a Columbine, and she is beautiful, and lays gorgeous eggs. Her temperment is really docile and sweet. Would really recommend!

[kegs]

This supplier looks good and seems to have all of the birds you have mentioned.  Hopefully they aren't too far from you.

http://www.poultry.allotment-garden.org/poultry-suppliers/breeder.php?no=16

[uba]

I think I left a message with them earlier Kegs but i might try them again now its later in the day

[YoungChickenLover]

Burford Browns for dark eggs and Legbars for blue are great. I have 2 of each, and they are friendly and stunning. We also have Light Sussex, which are also brilliant. You can purchase all three from Legbars Of Broadway. They provide courier service, which takes the stress away from transportation.
Good Luck!
Weasel and The Chooks
P.S What colour Orpingtons  do you have? I have two Gold Lace Hens, who are just coming into lay.

[uba]

Nice one I will have a look at them thx Chicken lover! To be honest I have been through a stack of the breeders in my area linked on here and I am struggling a bit so this might be the answer.

My orpys are a white (Gertie), a pretty gold lace (Henrietta Peck) and a scruffy gold lace called erm (Mrs Clucks).......

[GYO Girl]

I have a Marans and an Araucana, however do be careful which breeder you select as my Marans eggs are brown with dark brown speckles rather than the all nice dark brown I'd hoped for, and the araucana eggs are more olive green than blue!  Both came from the same breeder on the same day.  They do still make my egg helter skelter look pretty though.

[joyfull]

araucana eggs have a very big spectrum of colours (I do have a chart somewhere) and olive is one of the colours. However most people want blue so yes do ask to see the ones that the breeding birds lay