*Buff Orpington Thread!*

[thedragonlady]

Thank you aveca and dragonlady for the kind comments. I have only been keeping chickens for 3 years and it's really been a learning curve! I very much want to be working towards having a flock of really SOP lovely, but also (and perhaps more importantly) dual purpose, hardy, strong and savvy free ranging and self sustaining (broody raised rather than incubator) Buff Orpingtons. I really love so many of the qualities of this breed...

And so far so good; the hawks seem to have failed to catch one enough times that they've given up, plus I think they haven't wanted to deal with my various roos (my current big guy is at least 2 1/2 feet tall and while I can just pick him right up he won't tolerate even a squirrel or a robin in his territory). They were out on their porch even during the blizzard all casual watching me shovel like "Hey, what's up?". Thought I'd lost 5 after dogs got in my yard and bit them up terribly or scared them off but they all came back and/or healed (so fast, they were laying again a mere 3 weeks after being practically torn open!). Now that spring is here they don't seem to want to eat the organic pellets I provide, too busy with all the fresh spring food. They lay lots of beautiful big eggs. The first generation of my own breeding has just hatched! Every night I take a good look at the chicks and even though mom has just about ignored the food I've got out, their little crops are full to bursting with bugs, seeds and what not she's dug up for them.

My starting gene pool is pretty varied so I'm thinking I won't really see the fruits of my labors for at least a couple more generations. And dragonlady I must say I've noticed your Orpingtons are very big and beautiful! Perhaps in a couple of years (once my line becomes more fixed) we can exchange some hatching eggs?

The hawks are fairly quiet for now. The bad time for them is Aug- Nov. when the young birds start hunting away from their parents. Last year there were dozens of hawks AND eagles overhead, probably due to a good rodent crop, and the parents raising more chicks. Take a look at my page, and see my hawk umbrella. It works.

Thanks for your compliments on my birds. Work on your line without scrambling up too many genes, and you'll get there too. My flock is closed, and will be. My gene pool should be good for many years unless something crops up.

 

[aveca]

I had a chick sneeze the other day everytime I picked her up. It threw me off. I started yelling for DH because I had never heard a chicken sneeze lol. It ended up being I was wearing perfume. She only sneezes if I'm wearing perfume and handle her. If I don't have it on she won't sneeze. I'm not saying that's your situation. It's definitely something to look into. Can chickens have allergies like humans?

Yes, very sensitive to chemicals in the environment..canary in the coal mine LOL.. you cant use arosols around nesting parrots ect ..it can kill the parrots or parakeets or it used to maybe they changed formulas since then....chickens are probably a little more tolerant but they are sensitive to lot of dust ect too..

 

[fatcatx]

Newbie about to get her first chicks. Love the Orpingtons and their gentle demeanor but worry about the bullying. Looking at mixing them with either Easter Eggers or Sussex. Has anyone had a happy flock with either breed?

 

[jessicaroo]

Newbie about to get her first chicks.  Love the Orpingtons and their gentle demeanor but worry about the bullying.  Looking at mixing them with either Easter Eggers or Sussex.  Has anyone had a happy flock with either breed? 

I have Sussex and buff Orpingtons, they get along well. I have 16 chickens, 10 different breeds. Since they were raised together I've had no issues. I must add they are all hens, no roos

 

[mcurry]

Am I a roo? They told me it was all pullets, but none of the others have wattles like this. First timer & need assurance cause I feel stupid lol

 

[Crafty chick]

Looks like a roo to me mcurry!

 

[mcurry]

He hasn't made an attempt to crow yet, but only 5 wks. He has been very protective of others in flock & waits to start eating. Just lankier than the pullets & I had wondered, but then the wattles really raised my brow. Lol orscheln's explained when they sell pullets it's a 95% chance of being a pullet. Would have been nice to know. I can keep him & wanted a BO roo so bot a big deal. Just bugs me playing guessing game Now to give him a boy name.

 

[crazyhen]

If hes a boy name him Lucky, Hes Lucky to land in a home where he is wanted. I had a Del. I thought was a roo, but surprise to me she was just a really sweet rapid developing girl.

 

[chick lovers]

is this a buff orpiington? She was not labeled when we got her, however the store said it was a she.

 

[Crafty chick]

Looks too dark to be a buff orp to me