*Buff Orpington Thread!*

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Is it me or is this normal? I've been away for a good 3 weeks and the family have been watching the chickens.

Her feathers on the back look a bit less fluffy and golden, seems discoloured. I think some feathers might have fallen off as it's been quite hot.

I flipped her over and saw her skin is pinkish and wrinkly and a few tail ends still in there.

Is it just me?

I agree with the question about a rooster. How old is she? Chickens are starting to look pretty ratty this time of year, and the molt isn't far off, I have a little rooster who has started to molt already. So feathers are getting older and more brittle on birds older than a year.

 

[wvchics]

You can usually tell their gender around 6 weeks old by the males getting redder combs and showing wattle development. The girls tend to stay pretty pale until almost point of lay.

Cockerels will feather out later than the pullets. Also about 5/6 weeks they will get red in their combs and waddles start

 

[AquaDuck]

I've always liked the huge, round form of Orpingtons, but they're a rare breed in my country. (Ironically. After I've joined here, I see that they're very common in the States.)

I found only one person who sold eggs, 4$ per egg and 40$ for shipping. Quite costly... Out of 10 eggs, 4 were unfertile, 2 died sometime during incubation, one died trying to break the egg (only happens when the chick is weak, right?) and I ended up with two male and one female chick.
SO disappointed! I'm thinking inbreeding and weak parents.
(In comparision, I bought some Wyandotte eggs (also a rare breed in my country) shipped by someone else, 8 out of 10 hatched.)

Luckily the three I got look healthy enough! Really exciting seeing them feather in and become round and fluffy! They're so cute!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I've always liked the huge, round form of Orpingtons, but they're a rare breed in my country. (Ironically. After I've joined here, I see that they're very common in the States.)

I found only one person who sold eggs, 4$ per egg and 40$ for shipping. Quite costly... Out of 10 eggs, 4 were unfertile, 2 died sometime during incubation, one died trying to break the egg (only happens when the chick is weak, right?) and I ended up with two male and one female chick.
SO disappointed! I'm thinking inbreeding and weak parents.
(In comparision, I bought some Wyandotte eggs (also a rare breed in my country) shipped by someone else, 8 out of 10 hatched.)

Luckily the three I got look healthy enough! Really exciting seeing them feather in and become round and fluffy! They're so cute!

View attachment 1072546

Do I see feathers on the ones legs? They are not purebred if that's the case unfortunately.

 

[AquaDuck]

Do I see feathers on the ones legs? They are not purebred if that's the case unfortunately.

I noticed that too! I think it's SUPPOSED to be purebred, but the ones breeding them have such a small gene pool that they use inbreeding and mediocre looking birds to keep up the flock. Not the way to keep a rare breed alive in a country, and make money out of selling eggs and birds.
Luckily I didn't buy them for breeding.

 

[henmania]

I see signs of missing/broken feathers - do you have a rooster/cockerel?

Is this one low on the pecking order?

I don't have a rooster. I used to have 4 hens and one was at the bottom of the pecking order and had mites or something that caused her to loose a lot of her back feathers and then the other hens to peck at her behind causing bleeding etc.

This one was at the top of the order by the looks of it before I left 3 weeks ago. No one would bother her or go near her when she would approach the feeder.

 

[henmania]

I agree with the question about a rooster. How old is she? Chickens are starting to look pretty ratty this time of year, and the molt isn't far off, I have a little rooster who has started to molt already. So feathers are getting older and more brittle on birds older than a year.

I hope it's molt. This would be the first year I have chickens through the summer and would hate to lose 2 in one month/year.

 

[MartinsPoultry]

Found out this week my buff orp we bought back during chick days for tsc is a rooster. I have to many roosters. Beautiful birds but mine has an attitude towards my turkeys and my other chickens. Where as my silkie rooster is laid back, my barred boys are the same way.

 

[smudge]

I don't have a rooster. I used to have 4 hens and one was at the bottom of the pecking order and had mites or something that caused her to loose a lot of her back feathers and then the other hens to peck at her behind causing bleeding etc.

This one was at the top of the order by the looks of it before I left 3 weeks ago. No one would bother her or go near her when she would approach the feeder.

Pecking order can change.

They can also do this to each other if there's limited roosting space and they get bored. At least, that's a factor with my neighbor, I suspect. (Her birds always looked a bit more disheveled than this, except after a raccoon attack left her with only 2 girls... Who started to look very well feathered.) The guideline is at least 10"/bird ... I would think BOs wouldn't mind a little more!

 

[henmania]

Pecking order can change.

They can also do this to each other if there's limited roosting space and they get bored. At least, that's a factor with my neighbor, I suspect. (Her birds always looked a bit more disheveled than this, except after a raccoon attack left her with only 2 girls... Who started to look very well feathered.) The guideline is at least 10"/bird ... I would think BOs wouldn't mind a little more!

Hmm could be. Mine don't have 10" per bird. I might have to add another roost.

The last BO had mites I think and it just got worse and worse. I'm hoping this one doesn't have any (couldn't find mite cue tips).