*Buff Orpington Thread!*

[Clemsonchickfan]

I have 2 BO's that are 2 1/2 weeks old and a pair of Brown Leghorns and a pair of Cuckoo Marans that are 6 weeks. I decided to put the little ones in with the others this weekend but stood by to pull them if it got ugly.

The largest Leghorn went to check out the new roommates and the largest BO puffed up and backed that larger hen up. They all kept their distance for the next two hours. I'll be keeping the BO's in the brooder at night for at least another week to keep them warm, but am not concerned about them handling themselves.

 

[Clemsonchickfan]

Is it typical for 2 1/2 week old Orpingtons to vary in color? The largest one is darker and is kind of the boss. I'm hoping she's not a he.

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

Is it typical for 2 1/2 week old Orpingtons to vary in color? The largest one is darker and is kind of the boss. I'm hoping she's not a he.

I've got hatchery BO's and I had one in my last batch who was noticeably redder than the other three. Here she's third from the left w/ her head down. And today she's a year old and still noticeably redder than my others. But she's all girl and I love her. She also honks like a goose. Doesn't bok bok bok like the others. She just marches to the beat of her own drummer.

 

[BayBay Peepers]

Is it typical for 2 1/2 week old Orpingtons to vary in color? The largest one is darker and is kind of the boss. I'm hoping she's not a he.

I've seen a slight variation. Now that mine are older I see quite a variation. Some are more solid, some darker, some lighter, some almost speckled looking.

 

[Wyandotte103]

My younger chickens (buffs and americanas) are 3 1/2 months old, but the same size as my older ones (6 silver laced wyandottes and americanas).

 

[microchick]

Our buffs are 8 weeks old now and what I've noticed more is that they definitely have a sense of humor.

They are used to getting a treat every morning and evening of a slice of whole wheat bread and have come to look forward to it. Yesterday morning I discovered that all I had on hand was a loaf of Italian bread so I grabbed a slice and headed out to open up the coop and per usual, the two buff roosters, Snafu and Fubar headed out of the coop first and headed right to me. The moment they saw the bread wasn't whole wheat, they stretched their necks out, looked at it, gave it a peck, looked at me like "who are you trying to kid? Where's the brown stuff?" and turned away, tweeting their disgust to the hens who didn't even come up to check out what I had. I couldn't get anyone to try that slice of bread after that.

Later on, one of the sweet little hens we have named Aguilla (I call her Aggie) came up to me and wanted picked up. She signals this by squatting down slightly in front of me and waiting for me to slip my hand under her and lift her off the ground. So I picked her up and we were discussing the morning, she tweeting and me talking until I looked down to see Snafu, the smaller of the two roos standing at my feet, looking up at us and holding his own conversation. I assured him I wasn't going to hurt her and after a minute, set her back down. He was really telling her off as I did and when her feet hit the ground, he gave her a peck sending her back to the flock and then turned and gave me a peck on my hand.

I had to laugh when my husband asked me if the rooster had just pecked me and I said yes, but you can't fault him for doing his job and taking care of his girl, which is what he was doing.

These are the first Buff Orps I have had and I'm really enjoying them. They do something new every day that makes me laugh and many times when the day gets stressful I find myself just standing in front of the run just watching them.

Cheaper than doctors and medication and no bad side effects.

 

[BayBay Peepers]

Sounds like you have a great flock You're right about them being cheaper than a doctor

 

[Peanutsmomma]

You are right Microchick, there is nothing better than Chicken Therapy.

 

[chickmammy]

Lucinda and Goldy are 9 weeks old now. Just double checking but they look like girls right? Please? lol

 

[Cheryl1948]

Chickmammy, they look like sweet little girls to me!