Aren't chickens suppose to be easy?????????

[beana1225]

Ok. My buffs (2) stopped laying. One was broody. Hatched an egg and then the baby didn't make it. I think she didn't know what she was doing. Long story. anyways, She stopped sitting on 3 other eggs she had. I have them in the bator now. 1 more week

. Now neither one of them have had an egg in 2 weeks. I have read that you can have like a community broody laying strike. My bantam hasn't had one in a couple of days but she is not very consistent.

And I think my buff roo is being kinda mean lately. Nothing harming anyone. But my bantam roo is staying in the house and not going in the run at all. So could it be my buff roo is bullying everybody and throwing off the happy hippie hen house. This is my chicken count. Buffs- 1 roo 2 hens. Bantams 1 roo 1 hen. Could I need more hens for my buff roo? Does he not have enough females to make him go to his happy place. Any info would be great.

 

[fullhouse]

You need more hens. I really don't like my Orpingtons. I have the same issues. Broody takes coveted nest, all egg production drops, kills chicks, bites me, and so on.

 

[SpottedCrow]

Both roos could do with more hens...each one can "service" up to 15 hens...doesn't mean you have to wade through hens, but even a few more would help...
Sometimes it takes a week or so once a broody has stopped being broody for her body to get back into the swing of things.
I know that this time of year my girls would moult and they'd stop laying and be crabby and cranky.

 

[beana1225]

Thanks for the info. I was thinking that I might need somemore. I am also wondering if I need to give my Bantams their own community area. But they have been fine for like 6 mth. I thought Buffs were suppose to be great. My buff roo acted like he was coming after me once mths ago. I took a broom with me next time and moved him around the yard a couple times with the broom. Literally just pushing him around with it. He has never came after me again. But tonight I caught one of my hens to check her out for bugs. Took her and looked at her outside the run. Set her back in the run and he jumped on her right away. Being mean. So I am wondering if he just needs more hens. He might have to much time on his hands. Or he just doesn't have enough females telling HIM what to do. Or letting him know that he ain't all that.

Either way I don't think bugs are the problem.

Thanks

 

[angels4]

Quote:
I was thinking of getting some Buff Orpingtons, but now not sure. Could you elaborate Andrea? Is it just broodiness or are there other issues with this breed?

 

[Riocotesei]

I got 3 buff chicks recently and they seem to grow much slower and seem to be weaker than other chicks I've had. I actually lost one but it was due to heat, but then again I didn't lose any others that were diff. breed chicks (same age). I'm new to chickens myself, so I don't have enough experiance to generalize the breed. Thats what I realized with mine though.

 

[PoultryPedia]

We've raised four Buff Orpingtons to adolescence and kept 1 through adulthood. We loved her! She was smart, and sweet with people, though a bit bossy with other chickens but not bad. She was a good mama, too. With the heavy feathering, excessive heat can be a problem--our hen died from being in a box with 2 other chickens too long

I hear Orpingtons tend to not produce as many eggs and as much meat for the same feed input as a lot of other breeds. But I sure think they're pretty, and most people I've heard have found hens to be docile plus good mothers, but I think I've heard a story or two of a crabby Orpington roo.

 

[ridgefire]

I love my buff Orpingtons.

Who couldnt love such a pretty girl

 

[Riocotesei]

Thats why I got some because they're suposed to be sweet and docile. I hope they turn out that way.

 

[fullhouse]

Quote:
I was thinking of getting some Buff Orpingtons, but now not sure. Could you elaborate Andrea? Is it just broodiness or are there other issues with this breed?

I have two hens, and have had roos. I got them for their good nature along with some RIR and sexlinks (and now about 10 breeds). From day one the BO have been aloof. The RIR and sexlinks will follow me, talk, beg

, and are pretty easy to catch. The BO run away and puff up. All summer one has been broody. I gave her eggs and they hatched and died. I took them, she took a break, and 3 weeks later broody again. She hogs the coveted nest and laying seems to drop in the whole flock. They are like peas in a pod and if you take broody-butt of the nest the other BO attacks you. So as you can imagine it's quite a site to see me with leather gloves grabbing a hen puffed like a turkey while her sister flaps all over me. I don't like them.