Orpington

Out of large breed chickens, this is my one of my favorite breeds. They are an excellent breed for new chicken keepers due to their gentle nature. They are dependable layers of 2 oz eggs. Mine laid about 4 eggs a week on average. Like many folks, I kept the buff variety. They are so pretty, like a Strawberry blond color.

Orpingtons are a great breed for beginners! They are sweet, loving, and very good with children or anyone! They lay well and I have had only 1-3 orpingtons go broody. Great breed!

These are on my list to get. I should be getting 15 little chicks next week!

My BO'S are great birds to cuddle and pet, the only down side is they like to chase the smaller birds and if they get a chance will grab them by the head as if trying to breed them , then chuck em in a circle into the air. Until my king austrolorp sees what's going on, then the buffs back off and fear the big black fella. My austrolorp is at 14 lbs. When he speaks or moves, every bird in the flock reacts quickly. My buffs are just food vaccuums, and sometimes wannabe bullies. This spring I want to cross my austrolorp with a jersey giant to see if I get an even larger rooster in the end, my hens should be larger as well. Can't wait.

McMurray hatchery even asked me to send the specs on the results of the cross every 3 weeks. Height weight, attitude, right up to full grown and then egg production and size. I think I got a project started here.

my favorite breed! very sweet-natured, can be pushy at times, they do not tend to be shy at all. can't go wrong with BO!!

Had a flock about 1 month ago laid every day, Great layers of brown eggs. Even shown a hen and rooster hen won best of breed rooster got 2nd in show. Lost my whole flock to racoons

I have about ten Buff Orpingtons with a bit of lemon cookoo strain in a few. They have made great layers, though they don't lay as many eggs per year as the newer breeds. The best part is that you can hatch eggs with them since they go broody often. I've got a biddy on a cluch of eggs right now, in fact! Only 19 days to go!

The Homestead Homeboy

i want it i dunno what they are can someone give me a very comprehensive list of everything these birds are about

Iam getting a couple chicks in april and 1 is a Buff orpington any advice?? They look like very nice Chickens!!!!!

I think they would do okay with other docile breeds like Black Australorps or Easter Eggers, but I would be very hesitant to put them with more feisty breeds. I've heard some people will just get Buff Orpingtons just to avoid that dynamic all together. I really like having a mixed flock, so they're not really a good fit for us. Ours was killed by a dog but prior to that she was constantly picked on to the point I was like..... if you're not going to fight back at least run or something..... walk away? No? The other hens would sometimes grab her by the comb and drag her around. Ours took docile to a whole new level.

I love our buff orphingtons. Each hen provide us with about 5 large brown eggs a week. They are super friendly and allow the kids to carry them around, even though they are rather heavy. They tend to associate with their own kind and ignore my silkies with a regal turn of the head. Our birds are confined most of the time and they get along very well. All three of my buffs control the top tier of the pecking order, but do so with only a peck or two. Keep the perches low to avoid bumblefoot in large bodied birds like BO. They are very winter hardy.

There are several different type of birds that are all listed under Orpingtons.

Large Fowl and Bantams (minatures).

Exhibition type bred to the American Standard of Perfection.

Hatchery type bred for production.

English type. These are new colors imported from England and Europe that are bred to the British Standard.

What you wish to use them for will determine which type you acquire. If you just want yard art any will do. If high egg production, go with the hatchery type. For exhibition, you want those bred to the American Standard of Perfection. Not much space? Try the Bantam version. They are about 1/3 the size of the large fowl; are very gentle; and excellent layers.

The American Standard of Perfection recognizes Orpingtons in large fowl and bantam in Buff, Black, Blue and White. The Blue will produce Splash. Some breeders are also working on new colors like the Self Blue (aka Lavender), Golden Laced and Lemon Cuckoo. A Brown Red Orpington was shown at the Crossroads of America Joint National Poultry Show in October 2011.

The English type have been imported in Chocolate, Jubilee, Lemon Cuckoo, Black, Blue, Splash, and more colors are planned in 2012.

Orpingtons are from England and are for both meat and eggs. I have two hens that are so sweet,tame and hardy. They lay good sized brown eggs. They are very docile and somewhat affectionate with there handler's. I love my buff orpingtons.

I have four of these gals. They're excellent layers and are so sweet and calm!

They love being handled, and when we're outside when they're free ranging, they follow us everywhere.

They're big, puffy, fluffy, and fun to watch! This is an excellent breed for kids.

I have only raised the Buff Orpingtons, and I have found them to be the best all-around breed for the average home flock owner.
If it's a breathing incubator you're looking for, the only one I have seen that can top this breed is the Silky. I have had one Buff hen go broody three years in a row before she died, successfully hatching out a brood of chicks each year. One year she hatched chicks, raised them, then took two weeks off before going right back to her nest for round two!
They're very cold-hardy birds, also, and mine have withstood temperatures of up to -20 degrees F, not counting windchill, although they were in their coop for the worst of it, shielded from the wind.
They aren't great chickens to have if you have very high temperatures in the summer, but they aren't bad, either.
Egg production is average, as they are a dual purpose heavy breed, and not bred exclusively for eggs. However they do lay well when in their prime.

I only have 2 girls and one is the friendliest hen I have and loves to be carried around.

We raise/sell lots of them

what happens to baby chicks when there born in winter?

this awesome breed is calm and pretty i highly recommend this breed

This is a very calm, pretty, and quiet breed. They are not the BEST layers but mine would lay 3-4 eggs a week. They are not great production birds but they make great hens for backyard flocks!