*Buff Orpington Thread!*

[30CalGal]

Yeah! my buffs have settled in, 4 eggs today and two of them ate from my hand! they are now Gloria and Bonnie

 

[MIchickenlady]

Gorgeous pictures!

 

[MIchickenlady]

Hi everyone! I've been loving reading through this thread...so many pretty Buffs
Here are my new girls, 4 wks old tomorrow.
My dilemma is--we moved from dirt rd country to small town, brought coop with us, starting fresh with new chicks. Coop is 18 sq ft inside upstairs, with ladder down to fenced-in open air area, and a 10x10ft fenced outdoor run for daytime--see profile picture.
Tractor supply would not sell us less than 6 chicks. The plan has been to rehome 2 and keep 4.
Keep all 6?? or rehome 2?? ahhhhhh!
Also, how do you tell your BO's apart? I want to name them, but they all look the same

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Hi everyone! I've been loving reading through this thread...so many pretty Buffs
Here are my new girls, 4 wks old tomorrow.
My dilemma is--we moved from dirt rd country to small town, brought coop with us, starting fresh with new chicks. Coop is 18 sq ft inside upstairs, with ladder down to fenced-in open air area, and a 10x10ft fenced outdoor run for daytime--see profile picture.
Tractor supply would not sell us less than 6 chicks. The plan has been to rehome 2 and keep 4.
Keep all 6?? or rehome 2?? ahhhhhh!
Also, how do you tell your BO's apart? I want to name them, but they all look the same
View attachment 1111267

I personally would wait and see how they get along before rehoming any, unless you really need to keep less. They can be hard to tell apart especially as chicks. Things like comb shape can help to tell them apart, and personality too, but you may need to wait until they mature a bit.

 

[30CalGal]

Keep 'em all, Can't go wrong!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I personally would wait and see how they get along before rehoming any, unless you really need to keep less. They can be hard to tell apart especially as chicks. Things like comb shape can help to tell them apart, and personality too, but you may need to wait until they mature a bit.

X2 on everything @oldhenlikesdogs said.
Any chance you have any cockerels since they came from TSC?

BTW - You have a cutie pie!

 

[MIchickenlady]

X2 on everything @oldhenlikesdogs said.
Any chance you have any cockerels since they came from TSC?

BTW - You have a cutie pie!

Oh, well, I guess I assumed they were all girls 'cuz TSC said they were...I'm naive that way! lol
At what age would you know if any are cockerels??

 

[MIchickenlady]

X2 on everything @oldhenlikesdogs said.
Any chance you have any cockerels since they came from TSC?

BTW - You have a cutie pie!

Also, ya think my coop space is adequate for six?? If so, I think they're all staying

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Depending on where you live, your TSC may have gotten sexed Orpingtons in. Mine only carries straight run.

If you want to post a photo of each one, we may be able to tell if they are all girls...sometimes a cockerel can be in hiding at that age, but usually they have telltale signs.

18Sq.Ft. will give you 3 ft of coop space per bird - they do get large, so see how well they get along -BO's are fairly mild mannered, so they may get on famously. If you see aggression, feather picking, etc., then you may need to downsize.
You don't mention where you are located, if you have extremely cold winters, then winter may be when you see some troubles - cold windy days my flock likes to hang out in the coop, they do go out, but having extra space comes in handy - I can throw a little scratch in the bedding for them or hang greens for entertainment. Adding wind block and a temporary cover to at least part of your run in winter can be helpful.

 

[henmania]

Yeah! my buffs have settled in, 4 eggs today and two of them ate from my hand! they are now Gloria and Bonnie

Ah it's a great feeling the first time they eat out of your hand