Add more chickens?

[meetthebubus]

Orpington are not more prone to predators than other breeds, its all the same
My orps are great at watching everything, especially the roosters I had a buff outrun a bobcat another fight off 2 rotts

No experience with sillies but I hear they are poor egg layers and super broody so if you want layers i recomend easter eggers, sweet sweet breed, green eggs, etc.

 

[KikiLeigh02]

Y'all must have really nice birds? My Orpingtons are bullies to the other birds. They're very friendly to me, but they're in the middle of the pecking order and pick on those at the bottom and new birds.

 

[TheGoldenGirlz]

Orpington are not more prone to predators than other breeds, its all the same
My orps are great at watching everything, especially the roosters I had a buff outrun a bobcat another fight off 2 rotts

No experience with sillies but I hear they are poor egg layers and super broody so if you want layers i recomend easter eggers, sweet sweet breed, green eggs, etc.
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I am not too worried about the amount of eggs I get, 5 a week would be great. I really want friendliness over anything else

 

[TheGoldenGirlz]

Y'all must have really nice birds? My Orpingtons are bullies to the other birds. They're very friendly to me, but they're in the middle of the pecking order and pick on those at the bottom and new birds.

Were your birds integrated in together? At what age? Mine are super chill with each other but I’m worried about putting them in with a notoriously picked on breed. They are still young so I was hoping it might not be as big of a deal...

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Orpington are not more prone to predators than other breeds, its all the same
...
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I beg to differ. I've raised over 30 breeds of chickens and there is a dramatic difference in breeds' alertness and ability to fight or flight with predators.
I refer back to my first post. "I've had foxes on two occasions grab a calm orpington right in front of me in the middle of the day" before the hen even realized it was there. Breeds like Jaerhons, Minorcas, Anconas, Leghorns and Penedesencas are much more wary than the calm, friendly breeds many people like to keep.
Years ago, I would lose birds like Wyandottes, Polish and Freedom Rangers to hawks and many other breeds to ground predators. Since exclusively raising Black Penedesencas, no more losses in free ranging flocks.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I am not too worried about the amount of eggs I get, 5 a week would be great. I really want friendliness over anything else

You may get 5 tiny eggs a week the first few weeks and in rare sporadic spurts. But that won't be year round. You may get 100 eggs a year from a Silkie if you can keep them from going broody. I realize egg production isn't your priority, I just don't want you to be disappointed.
With enough handling when young, virtually any breed will be friendly to you.

 

[KikiLeigh02]

I have Production Reds, Jersey Giants, White Rocks, and Buff Orpingtons that are all the same age. I integrated in some Lavender Orpingtons, and I had to leave them in the see but don't touch for an extra two weeks because of the Buffs. I thought I was going to have to take them out for a couple days, but they finally calmed down and left them alone.

 

[TheGoldenGirlz]

You may get 5 tiny eggs a week the first few weeks and in rare sporadic spurts. But that won't be year round. You may get 100 eggs a year from a Silkie if you can keep them from going broody. I realize egg production isn't your priority, I just don't want you to be disappointed.
With enough handling when young, virtually any breed will be friendly to you.

I meant 5 from all my chickens, just so I can have scrambled eggs one or two days a week. Thanks for all your help and information, I really appreciate it!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Well you'll easily get 5 a week from the whole flock. My Orps were good reliable layers. The breed is known for 175-200 eggs a year.

You'll have a dearth of eggs the second autumn and each thereafter during and after molt. Mid/late summer when you are getting more eggs than you can use, put them in a sealed container in the refrigerator to save for fall so you don't have to buy store eggs. Once they start molting, it is like the egg faucet got shut off.

 

[TheGoldenGirlz]

Well you'll easily get 5 a week from the whole flock. My Orps were good reliable layers. The breed is know for 175-200 eggs a year.

You'll have a dearth of eggs the second autumn and each thereafter during and after molt. Mid/late summer when you are getting more eggs than you can use, put them in a sealed container in the refrigerator to save for fall so you don't have to buy store eggs. Once they start molting, it is like the egg faucet got shut off.

That sounds great! I can give the extras to my dogs, or even better, bake with them!