Reviews by Aspen Anderson

I've only ever owned 2 buff Orpingtons, so I can't really say I'm an expert, but I sure can share what I know through my experience with the two.

My first Orpington - named Emmie - was probably the sweetest thing ever. (Hard as it is to say, she was sweeter than my silkie!) She was the opposite of skittish. She didn't follow anyone, but she sure was very calm, gentle, and never even flinched when a human approached her.
Not only was she good to humans, but also to the other hens. She wasn't the top of the pecking order (she never pecked to my knowledge), but she was definitely highly respected in the flock. When she passed, the other hens did not leave her side until her body was removed. They didn't budge even for food.
She was also extremely motherly, but in only the good ways. We added a new chick to our flock (we were beginners and weren't aware of the consequences of doing this at the time) who was terrified - for good reason! - of the older hens. The only one who wasn't only not mean to her but actually took her under her wing (literally) was our Orpington, Emmie. Emmie literally became this chick's mother, and the two were inseperable. We didn't do any special tricks to make her think this chick was hers. In fact, the chick was probably about 4 weeks old when we got her! However our Orpington did not hesitate to take this young pullet in.
I don't remember her egg production well, as it was years ago, but she was a great hen and I have literally 0 negative things to say about her. Perfect pet, perfect mother, and I'm pretty sure she was a decent layer. I miss her so much!

Our current Orpington - Lemon - is sweet, but not nearly as sweet as Emmie. Her egg production is pretty decent. She started laying extremely early for most Orpingtons (about 4 months old!).
She's pretty mean to the smaller hens, and will try to sneak in a fight or two. She's also absolutely terrifying when brooding. Opening the laying boxes while she's in there will definitely wake you up as she screams nearly as loud as a rooster crows. She'll peck and bite as hard as she can if you try to move her or take her eggs. Best to just let her be.
Aside from these flaws, she's still a sweet pet....if you don't open the laying boxes on her. She's not too skittish and is perfectly comfortable when being held or pet. I can even approach her and lean over to give her pets. Doesn't phase her at all.

All in all, Orpingtons are great. It ultimately depends on their personality, but with some decent socializing they can be extremely sweet. Haven't met a skittish Orpington, yet!

Lemon, our current Orpington. Such a beautiful girl!

I cannot tell you how much I love my precious little floof princess.



She is the biggest snuggle bug I have ever owned. She loves snuggling more than she loves to eat or poop! (She honestly hasn't pooped on me in ages *knocks vigorously on wood*.) She's also the only chicken I've ever owned who actually likes to be pet. I can put her to sleep so fast by simply cuddling with her and stroking her fluffy little afro.
She's also sooo hilarious. She loves her dirt baths so much, she doesn't notice when she's throwing dirt into her best friend's face.

She can be a little stinker, though. She'll pick fights with all of our other chickens except for our smallest hen - her best friend - so we have to keep her and her friend separated from the regular hens.

This could just be specific to my silkie, but she's not too keen on heights. This could prove as a benefit, though. Silkies may be small, but their wings are not made for flying, so they can't jump very high.
They also can't see very well. Their afros - and beards if you have a bearded one - get into their eyes a lot. I do my best to keep them out, but I don't have much luck (though she does like when I stroke her cheeks to get her beard out of her eyes). Most people will tie their silkies' afros up, but I honestly have no idea how as my silkie loathes any accessories. She pecks at them all.

Their plumage is adorable and soft but do keep in mind that it's a lot like cat fur. Thick cat fur. It gets everywhere and can get very dirty very easily. I still haven't figured out how to bathe her correctly, but once I do, I'll definitely start bathing her regularly. (Although it's not entirely required.)

My biggest complaint, however, is their broodiness. My silkie is going through her extremely stubborn and extremely broody phase. I love my silkie to death but this is definitely a problem. Breaking a broody silkie is like breaking an iron bar with your bear hands. It can't be done! The irony is that they don't lay very well. Their eggs are definitely adorable and small, but if you're looking for an egg layer, this isn't the breed to go for. If you're looking for a mother hen, then absolutely 100% get silkies!!! They love cuddling and they love mothering (my silkie started mothering her best friend at 1 month old!). They get even more cuddly when they're broody, so that could also be good. While I would like my silkie to play around, get exercise and sustenance, I do love a good silkie hug!

All in all, silkies are great. They are literally the best pet chicken ever. So loving, not very skittish at all, very comical, and just super adorable. They're not good egg layers, but they're eggs are still fun. They're extremely broody, but if you want a mother hen (or more snuggles) then that's perfect. They're not even very poopy! At least mine isn't. If you're looking for a pet chicken, then silkie it is!!!

I've had 3 EEs in my lifetime. 2 I owned as a young teen and both were roosters. It could be because we kept them separate from the hens (we accidentally bought roosters), but they were both incredibly sweet. We had a turkey poult given to us - mistaken for a chick - and one of our EE cockerels at a young age was the only one to mother this poult. The other EE roo loved to be around humans. He was such a friendly little guy! I miss them both soooo much.

I currently own one EE hen. She's not as sociable as our roosters were, but she definitely lays more eggs!
She started laying long after we planned, but she started with a bang! Loads of greenish-blue eggs popping out right and left. They're also a really decent size! She lays almost daily, too. Every day we are greeted by a lovely, decently sized, blue-green egg in our nest.

They're also such a beautiful "breed". They come in literally any color! And their beards can get so big. It makes them look rather funny, but very adorable! The sad thing, though, is that it is common for their beards to go mysteriously missing in the winter. Our EE hen has already lost hers, and is struggling to grow it back. Crossing my fingers and toes that it does!

Before After


Overall, though, I would definitely recommend Easter Eggers. If socialized appropriately, they can be very loving and sweet, and their eggs are just amazing. Too fun!



Highly recommend for those looking for either a pet and/or a good egg layer! You just need a little patience if you're looking for eggs. It is rewarding in the end.