*Buff Orpington Thread!*

[Big Orp]

It's good that they are hen hatched . That means they are more likely to hatch their own eggs. Selling babies is a good way to help pay for food. I'd like to see some pics.

 

[newbie32]

Anyone have problems with their girls not roosting? I am sick of them losing feathers because they fight over their cuddle positions! They are 14 or 15 weeks old and geez I have seen them bicker and scramble for who sleeps in what spot in the huddle!

 

[jeronica]

Anyone have problems with their girls not roosting? I am sick of them losing feathers because they fight over their cuddle positions! They are 14 or 15 weeks old and geez I have seen them bicker and scramble for who sleeps in what spot in the huddle!

I have only seen one of mine, Tessa, officially roosting. The others seem happy enough to cuddle up in the shavings. Mine are also about 14 weeks. How many feathers do you mean? I thought it was normal for them to lose a few here and there?

 

[thedragonlady]

Anyone have problems with their girls not roosting? I am sick of them losing feathers because they fight over their cuddle positions! They are 14 or 15 weeks old and geez I have seen them bicker and scramble for who sleeps in what spot in the huddle!

Without older birds to copy ,Orps sometimes never learn to roost, unless you teach them. I make a bed check every night, and starting at 6 weeks, I put any juvies on the floor up on a low, 1 foot tall, roost in their sleeping coop. They catch on in about a week.

The feathers you are seeing at this age are due to the birds changing to their adult feathers. Make sure you have treated them for mites and lice if you are seeing plucked, or scissored feathers.

 

[Big Orp]

I started my orps on a roost at a few days old after i found them sleeping on the food trough. Also the roost you have may not be comfortable. I use the long side of a 2x4 and they love it.

 

[OrpObsessed]

It's good that they are hen hatched . That means they are more likely to hatch their own eggs. Selling babies is a good way to help pay for food. I'd like to see some pics.

I bought two 8 week old pullets from him, didn't get a pic of them today, but I got a pic of the rooster I bought and I'm including another shot of the feed store variety we already had. That way you can see the difference in quality.

 

[OrpObsessed]

Forgot to add that the roo is still very young..not fully mature yet. I think he said he was 3-4 months

 

[thedragonlady]

Forgot to add that the roo is still very young..not fully mature yet. I think he said he was 3-4 months

Somebody told you a story. That cockerel is close to 6 months old. He is also a hatchery bird.

 

[OrpObsessed]

Somebody told you a story. That cockerel is close to 6 months old. He is also a hatchery bird.

Yeah I am starting to feel that way about the seller. He also told me the welsh harlequin duck he sold me was worth $150 because its an endangered species. I liked his Orpingtons over my own, so I bought a few..he said his orps are from California, heritage bred...not hatchery and they were show quality. I'm very disappointed. What do I need to know about them so this won't happen again? I doubt I will get into showing...but I want good quality, you know?

 

[thedragonlady]

Yeah I am starting to feel that way about the seller. He also told me the welsh harlequin duck he sold me was worth $150 because its an endangered species. I liked his Orpingtons over my own, so I bought a few..he said his orps are from California, heritage bred...not hatchery and they were show quality. I'm very disappointed. What do I need to know about them so this won't happen again? I doubt I will get into showing...but I want good quality, you know?

You need to buy an APA Standard of Perfection, and study it, particularly the first 40 pages.It is $ well spent.If the "Harlequin duck" he sold you never breeds, it is a Muscovy x Pekin cross. Generally sterile.