Buff Orpingtons and Broodiness

[Kolibree]

Hi all! We are getting chickens this spring, getting ready to order them (we will be picking up at the farm), and I have a couple of questions. The chickens I have chosen are the Buff Orpington, but I saw that they can be very broody which worries me some. What would I do about a broody hen? How long do chickens live on average, and how many years do they lay? Is it best to get baby chicks or pullets? I don't have any experience with caring for baby chicks. My job when I was a kid on the farm was to feed and water, look for eggs, and close the hen house up at night! At what age do they start to lay? Thanks in advance!

 

[chickengenius]

Hi,

I have Buff Orpingtons. They are very broody in the Spring. When my hen was broody she wouldn't get out of her nesting box to eat or drink hardly at all. I either gave her water and food out of a little dish or carry her out of the nesting box. The hen's comb will often get pale and limp from dehydration.
If you have time, I would get baby chicks. They are so much more fun too!

They live about the same as other chickens do. About 5-8 years maybe more.

I am not quite sure how long they lay. My hens are 4 years old and are still laying but not as much as they used to.

They usually start laying around 6-8 months maybe less.

Happy to help!

 

[Kolibree]

Thank you so much! I ordered 6 chicks yesterday from a local girl, she is going to keep them until they are ready to go in the coop for me. Now just have to decide where I will put the coop and run. I have a few choices, but only one area is shaded with a big oak tree, so I think that's where I will put it. Don't want my girls to be too hot in the summer!

 

[chickkrzi]

I got 4 buffs a few years back. Out of the four only 1 when broody. And she would go broody twice a year (early spring late summer). She was a great hen and would hatch 12-15 eggs every time with 95% hatch rate. But just a few weeks after hatching her eggs she wouldn't have anything to do with them. I don't think all buffs will go broody. But it does help if the hen was hatch by a broody hen herself. Sorry to say that I no longer have that hen cause she was taken one night while on her nest last year. And I'm still looking to replace her. If your buff are broody by nature, they are easily turn off and on (broodyness). Just leave a bunch of eggs in a nesting box (her favorite would be best) to turn her on. And put her inside a wire cage with no bottom ( such as a coon trap ) for a few days to stop the broddyness.
hope this helps.

 

[Kolibree]

Awww sorry about your girl . I don't want any chicks, so I would have to cage her I guess. I'll deal with it when the time comes. The girl I'm getting my girls from seems very helpful, I'm sure she will give me some good advice. As soon as they hatch we get to go see them! How cool is that!