*Buff Orpington Thread!*

[WyandotteLove1]

The Development of a Buff Orpington Cockerel





The upper image is the cockerel, the lower image is the pullet. The cockerel's comb is ever so slightly more developed than the pullet, you almost need to be holding one in each hand to tell. Once you develop an eye for it, the difference becomes readily apparent. There is just a hint of redness beginning to appear in the cockerel's comb.

Mostly, you will notice a fearlessness in the behavior of the cockerel. He will be the first to great you. He'll run right up to you, putting himself between you and the rest of the flock, he did when the upper image was taken...then sorta give you a, "Why did I just do that?" kind of look. In the above images, they are at what I call the Raggamuffin Stage, about 4 to 5 weeks of age.



The lead bird in this image is the cockerel. His comb is redder and more developed than the pullets. 7 to 8 weeks in age.



In this image the cockerel again has the redder more developed comb at 8 to 9 weeks of age.



Once his hackles started coming in, it was pretty easy to tell which was the Cockerel. Also look at his tail feathers as compared to the pullets in this photo. They are right around 12 to 13 weeks in this image.



And the dead give away is when the Cockerel starts making weird raspy chortling noises as he is learning how to Crow. He is right around 13 to 14 weeks in this image.


...his name was Pecker, by the way.

That's a beautiful cocky you got there! I love 'Pecker'!

 

[WyandotteLove1]

I had two Buffs in my small flock that would go broody, ALL THE TIME!!

Well, if you still have them, then I recommend cutting them off from their laying habitat, so they won't be able to go broody. If you have to keep them in a separate coop if you have to, that's fine. They'll eventually calm down, and then you can allow them back into their laying habitat. I this doesn't work, then try it again. It always works with my broody buff girl!

 

[Rock Home Isle]

That's a beautiful cocky you got there! I love 'Pecker'!

Thank you. Pecker was a nice cockerel, I still miss him.

He taught me a lot about "Roo Beahvior", and he was always up for walk around the yard as I did my chores.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Well, if you still have them, then I recommend cutting them off from their laying habitat, so they won't be able to go broody. If you have to keep them in a separate coop if you have to, that's fine. They'll eventually calm down, and then you can allow them back into their laying habitat. I this doesn't work, then try it again. It always works with my broody buff girl!:cd

My broody girls left when I brought in a few replacement Ameracaunas, several years ago.

My last Buff died a few months ago, she was pretty old. Still an egg a day girl though...

 

[Mosey2003]

One of mine crowed today

 

[Rock Home Isle]

One of mine crowed today

What did it sound like?

First time I heard a little cockerel learning to crow...I thought to myself, "What the heck was that?"

 

[Mosey2003]

It sounded hoarse

 

[Rock Home Isle]

I can almost picture it.

The first time I heard my little cockerel crow...it sounded like a choking raspy cough.

I'll never forget that look on his face after he crowed, I think it even surprised him...

 

[csaylorchickens]

I can almost picture it.

The first time I heard my little cockerel crow...it sounded like a choking raspy cough.

I'll never forget that look on his face after he crowed, I think it even surprised him...

I had to.give mine away because we cant have roosters in city limits, but kept him till he was 6 months old. It sounded like a teenage boy going through puberty, hilarious! Poor little guy lol

 

[csaylorchickens]

How big did your buffs get? I have room for max 8 hens in my coop. I have 6 buff orps that are 12 weeks old and 4 salmon faverolles. Good temperments for each other. I want to keep all of them! My neighbor is taking one, and i need to rehome another one. If they dont get too big maybe i can have 9! Wishful thinking. My faverolles are big,5 to 7 pounds.