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[Johnn]

Hi john she's such a trooper! How long until the babies hatch?

15th of May

 

[monkcat]

Got a question for you Orpington knowledgeable peeps. I have a group of chickens, two of which are BO. One is a cockerel, one is a pullet. They are about 8 weeks old, fully feathered out and growing like weeds. They actually seem older to me in appearance. But after doing a count, I believe 8 weeks is about right.

We recently got 5 chicks. Two are Dominiques, three are Silkies. They are all about 3-4 weeks old. For the past week, the babies have been in the coop with the others but are in a separate cage. Am hoping to acclimate them all to each other to avoid injury to the smaller chicks. When the big kids are all outside in the run, I let the littles out in the coop to run around. Today, I was putting everyone back in their places and hanging out with my feathered kids.

Well, the little BO cockerel is by far the friendliest chicken I have. He's my avatar pic. Anytime I sit down, he runs over, jumps up in my lap and sits down so I can pet him. After a bit of this today, I got one of the chicks out, put it on the coop floor with my hands near to keep it from running off and trying to introduce him/her to the big chicks. A couple of the pullets came over, looked at it and seemed thoroughly unimpressed and uninterested and wandered off.

The BO cockerel charged it and was trying to peck very viciously. I blocked him with my hand and pushed him back. He stopped, looked and tried to charge again. I scooped the chick up, put it back in their cage and the BO cockerel just turned around, and found him a spot to lie down and dust bathe like nothing happened.

I am at a bit of a loss because he wasn't playing. It was very vicious and very serious. I have no doubt that if that chick was loose in the coop, he would have killed it. I am not at all sure I can integrate these with him until they are fully grown - if then. And quite frankly, their cage is too small for that.

Has anyone experienced this with BO? I thought with them being a calmer breed, and indeed, he is very calm, the BO would not be where the problem would lie. Even being a cockerel, it is surprising to me, because he doesn't really act very roo-ish at any other time.

Would welcome any input.

 

[HighStreetCoop]

Got a question for you Orpington knowledgeable peeps. I have a group of chickens, two of which are BO. One is a cockerel, one is a pullet. They are about 8 weeks old, fully feathered out and growing like weeds. They actually seem older to me in appearance. But after doing a count, I believe 8 weeks is about right.

We recently got 5 chicks. Two are Dominiques, three are Silkies. They are all about 3-4 weeks old. For the past week, the babies have been in the coop with the others but are in a separate cage. Am hoping to acclimate them all to each other to avoid injury to the smaller chicks. When the big kids are all outside in the run, I let the littles out in the coop to run around. Today, I was putting everyone back in their places and hanging out with my feathered kids.

Well, the little BO cockerel is by far the friendliest chicken I have. He's my avatar pic. Anytime I sit down, he runs over, jumps up in my lap and sits down so I can pet him. After a bit of this today, I got one of the chicks out, put it on the coop floor with my hands near to keep it from running off and trying to introduce him/her to the big chicks. A couple of the pullets came over, looked at it and seemed thoroughly unimpressed and uninterested and wandered off.

The BO cockerel charged it and was trying to peck very viciously. I blocked him with my hand and pushed him back. He stopped, looked and tried to charge again. I scooped the chick up, put it back in their cage and the BO cockerel just turned around, and found him a spot to lie down and dust bathe like nothing happened.

I am at a bit of a loss because he wasn't playing. It was very vicious and very serious. I have no doubt that if that chick was loose in the coop, he would have killed it. I am not at all sure I can integrate these with him until they are fully grown - if then. And quite frankly, their cage is too small for that.

Has anyone experienced this with BO? I thought with them being a calmer breed, and indeed, he is very calm, the BO would not be where the problem would lie. Even being a cockerel, it is surprising to me, because he doesn't really act very roo-ish at any other time.

Would welcome any input.

He's being a rooster and defending his territory and flock. Perfectly normal, which is why integrating should be slow and not take place until all the birds are roughly the same size.

 

[OnlyOrps]

Got a question for you Orpington knowledgeable peeps.  I have a group of chickens, two of which are BO.  One is a cockerel, one is a pullet.  They are about 8 weeks old, fully feathered out and growing like weeds.  They actually seem older to me in appearance. But after doing a count, I believe 8 weeks is about right.  

We recently got 5 chicks.  Two are Dominiques, three are Silkies.  They are all about 3-4 weeks old.  For the past week, the babies have been in the coop with the others but are in a separate cage.  Am hoping to acclimate them all to each other to avoid injury to the smaller chicks.  When the big kids are all outside in the run, I let the littles out in the coop to run around.  Today, I was putting everyone back in their places and hanging out with my feathered kids.  

Well, the little BO cockerel is by far the friendliest chicken I have.  He's my avatar pic. Anytime I sit down, he runs over, jumps up in my lap and sits down so I can pet him.  After a bit of this today, I got one of the chicks out, put it on the coop floor with my hands near to keep it from running off and trying to introduce him/her to the big chicks.  A couple of the pullets came over, looked at it and seemed thoroughly unimpressed and uninterested and wandered off.  

The BO cockerel charged it and was trying to peck very viciously.  I blocked him with my hand and pushed him back.  He stopped, looked and tried to charge again.  I scooped the chick up, put it back in their cage and the BO cockerel just turned around, and found him a spot to lie down and dust bathe like nothing happened.

I am at a bit of a loss because he wasn't playing.  It was very vicious and very serious.  I have no doubt that if that chick was loose in the coop, he would have killed it.  I am not at all sure I can integrate these with him until they are fully grown - if then.  And quite frankly, their cage is too small for that.  

Has anyone experienced this with BO?  I thought with them being a calmer breed, and indeed, he is very calm, the BO would not be where the problem would lie.  Even being a cockerel, it is surprising to me, because he doesn't really act very roo-ish at any other time.  

Would welcome any input.

Orps are pretty awesome. I just throw younger birds in and my 5 month old birds are usually pretty good. They chase younger chicks occasionally especially if they have food to fight over but they never hurt any. I place lots of feeders all over and the little guys have lots of places to run and hide if they need privacy. Maybe you could make a box in the coop with a small opening that only the young babies can fit into. Like a creep feeder. Then they can run and hide if need be...

 

[monkcat]

He's being a rooster and defending his territory and flock. Perfectly normal, which is why integrating should be slow and not take place until all the birds are roughly the same size.

That is my thinking as well. I guess I didn't think such a calm bird would be so violent with something so small that is also chicken. Have them in there for just that purpose, integration. Just really surprised as he doesn't act terribly territorial or do other things I hear of roosters doing such as calling the girls over for a tasty treat. He's more likely to pick it up and run with it! LOL So, I was hoping that he wasn't all that territorial yet as full boy hormones don't seem to be in place. But, man, he is NOT playing with the younger chicks. He intends to do them serious harm. Today, he was going around their pen, trying to get at them through the bars. I mean, vicious!

 

[monkcat]

Orps are pretty awesome. I just throw younger birds in and my 5 month old birds are usually pretty good. They chase younger chicks occasionally especially if they have food to fight over but they never hurt any. I place lots of feeders all over and the little guys have lots of places to run and hide if they need privacy. Maybe you could make a box in the coop with a small opening that only the young babies can fit into. Like a creep feeder. Then they can run and hide if need be...

With this cockerel, I cannot do that. He is trying to kill them. Flat out. My hope is that as they are still growing really fast and the older crew are growing a bit more slowly now, maybe they will catch up a bit size wise to hold their own. Right now, there is no way I could do it. The girls would try to give them a peck here or there to get them in line, maybe a "hey, what is that?" peck. But he flat out would injure/kill one if given half an opportunity.

 

[jaide]

I love buff orphingtons. They are so beautiful. I was suppose to get a few this year but, you know, ordering problems. My friend has a few and they are so nice. My kids can walk right up to them and pet them.

 

[Gentry]

 

[Devonviolet2]

Oh so pretty!

 

[daskhan]