*Buff Orpington Thread!*

[henmania]

They can go through a molt after being broody. If she is motling heavily now, then it would be best to break her broodiness. Check her over for any symptoms that would indicate that she is sick instead of broody. Can you have a fecal sample tested to make sure she doesn't have worms?

Don't have anywhere to have it tested but I can keep an eye out on her poop.

So far she's molted all around the neck and till day before was laying regularly with clean eggs.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Don't have anywhere to have it tested but I can keep an eye out on her poop.

So far she's molted all around the neck and till day before was laying regularly with clean eggs.

Sounds like she is going into full molt. They usually stop laying or have a drastic drop in laying when molting. They usually don't feel to well either, so keep a watch on her. She may be hiding out because she feels "prickly", but encourage her to get off the nest, move about and see that she is eating/drinking well. A molting bird can benefit from some extra vitamins once a week and a little extra protein like chopped egg or tuna once a day.

 

[henmania]

Sounds like she is going into full molt. They usually stop laying or have a drastic drop in laying when molting. They usually don't feel to well either, so keep a watch on her. She may be hiding out because she feels "prickly", but encourage her to get off the nest, move about and see that she is eating/drinking well. A molting bird can benefit from some extra vitamins once a week and a little extra protein like chopped egg or tuna once a day.

She's going into moly at a bad time because now in London it's getting real cold and rainy-er and my coop doesn't have heating.

I give her some meal worms as protein and some cottage cheese I usually give them eggs 1-2 times a week but will bump it up.

As far as eating, when I came out this morning she was in the pen with the others and was pecking around on the floor (nesting box was closed off last night). Gave her some worms, she looked at the nest and then went in. I took her out put her outside and she was pecking around again for 10-15 minutes until she went back in lol.

 

[henmania]

She's going into moly at a bad time because now in London it's getting real cold and rainy-er and my coop doesn't have heating.

I give her some meal worms as protein and some cottage cheese I usually give them eggs 1-2 times a week but will bump it up.

As far as eating, when I came out this morning she was in the pen with the others and was pecking around on the floor (nesting box was closed off last night). Gave her some worms, she looked at the nest and then went in. I took her out put her outside and she was pecking around again for 10-15 minutes until she went back in lol.

Also, found this poop outside but not sure which one it belongs too.


Worms?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Also, found this poop outside but not sure which one it belongs too.

View attachment 1142458
Worms?

Looks like a roundworm to me. Could be your molting girl has worms.
I do understand your concern about it getting colder and with her molting. I had a couple that were almost naked last winter here. The temps dropped into the 20F (-6C?) at night. They hung out in the coop during the day until the sun came out, then would get in a warmish spot. I made sure they ate/drank well - if the wind was blowing I would take warm water and their feed inside the coop. Since 1 was a higher up hen, the other girls would hang with them - these girls would huddle in the middle of the flock. I also made sure they were between other fluffy hens when roosting, I'd put them on either side of my big rooster and have a fluffy hen on the other side - they did fine, but I felt bad for them. For your girl, see that she has a little extra bedding to cuddle in and has a way to get out the wind - this may be why she is hanging in the coop (cold rainy and molting), but she may also have worms that are making her feel bad too.


@rebrascora just posted on another thread - here's a way to have fecal floats performed in the UK I'll reference it here:

Faecal float (worm egg count) should be pretty inexpensive (it's about £10 here in the UK..... Westgate Labs do a mail order service where you buy a sampling kit online and then send them the sample and you sometimes even get next day results via text or email) and at least rule that out or treat with a wormer (flubenvet) .

Here's more information about worms and some products that may be available for you as well:
https://poultrykeeper.com/general-chickens/worming-chickens/

 

[henmania]

Looks like a roundworm to me. Could be your molting girl has worms.
I do understand your concern about it getting colder and with her molting. I had a couple that were almost naked last winter here. The temps dropped into the 20F (-6C?) at night. They hung out in the coop during the day until the sun came out, then would get in a warmish spot. I made sure they ate/drank well - if the wind was blowing I would take warm water and their feed inside the coop. Since 1 was a higher up hen, the other girls would hang with them - these girls would huddle in the middle of the flock. I also made sure they were between other fluffy hens when roosting, I'd put them on either side of my big rooster and have a fluffy hen on the other side - they did fine, but I felt bad for them. For your girl, see that she has a little extra bedding to cuddle in and has a way to get out the wind - this may be why she is hanging in the coop (cold rainy and molting), but she may also have worms that are making her feel bad too.


@rebrascora just posted on another thread - here's a way to have fecal floats performed in the UK I'll reference it here:

Aw your chickens sounds like a good team. Helping the molting one keep warm lol

I'm gna try deworm them. I haven't seen anymore worm poop so far so fingers crossed.

 

[MIchickenlady]

Howdy fellow Buff Orpington peeps!
I'm curious your thoughts on this--
I got six sexed B.O. chicks from Tractor supply, the girls are 12 weeks old today.
I'm wondering why one has yellow legs and beak- I call her Sunny- but all the rest of them have pale tan legs and beak? Sunny has had yellow legs/beak since day 1...
Just curious what your thoughts are about if this is common? Do your ginger B.O. girls usually have pale legs/beak?
Thanks!!

This is Honey, pale legs/beak


This is Sunny, yellow legs/beak

 

[Wyorp Rock]

What cuties you have

BO's should have pale (white/pinkish) legs and beak. I'm not a genetics expert, but yellow is probably from a mix somewhere along the line. Unless you were planning on showing her, enjoy Miss Sunny just like you would the others.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Howdy fellow Buff Orpington peeps!
I'm curious your thoughts on this--
I got six sexed B.O. chicks from Tractor supply, the girls are 12 weeks old today.
I'm wondering why one has yellow legs and beak- I call her Sunny- but all the rest of them have pale tan legs and beak? Sunny has had yellow legs/beak since day 1...
Just curious what your thoughts are about if this is common? Do your ginger B.O. girls usually have pale legs/beak?
Thanks!!
View attachment 1156853
This is Honey, pale legs/beak

View attachment 1156852
This is Sunny, yellow legs/beak

It could be a buff rock.

 

[MIchickenlady]

What cuties you have

BO's should have pale (white/pinkish) legs and beak. I'm not a genetics expert, but yellow is probably from a mix somewhere along the line. Unless you were planning on showing her, enjoy Miss Sunny just like you would the others.

Thanks for this! I thought pale legs/beak was normal but wasnt sure.
I will definitely enjoy her along with the rest of my girls...I actually might like her best since I can so easily tell her apart from the others, shhhh-dont tell the others lol
Thanks again!!