Buff Orpingtons personality ???

[Miz Mary]

Are Buff Orpingtons friendly ?!? Im looking to add a few more ladies to the coop !! I have black sex links, easter eggers, white leg horn , and barred rock ....... so far, no broody hens, maybe the buff will be my broody hen ?? Are they good layers ?!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

BOs are supposed to be super friendly- but our 9 aren't that friendly. They just don't want to be handled. They aren't flighty though. They don't jump around. We didn't handle them that much growing up- maybe that's why.

I would definitely get them again because they are my hubby's favorite. He says they look the way a chicken is supposed to look.

http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html

 

[mississippifarmboy]

We don't make pets out of ours, but they are very friendly and docile. Very good layers but seldom broody. Some strains are more broody than others. Overall, I highly recomend them.

 

[tammyd57]

All three of my BO hens went broody this year.

Mine are only friendly if they think I have something for them, but I don't really handle my chickens a lot as they aren't pets. Although one of my BO cross pullets is super friendly and hops on my arm or leg to hang out with me while I distribute treats to everyone. She wants to eat out of my hand and tries everything to accomplish this. Failing to get anything out of my hand, she will hop down and beat up her brother and take whatever he has that the other girls haven't stolen from him. He gets robbed a lot

Mine have been excellent layers, even laying well through the winter and only one slowed down a bit for a really nasty molt, (she looks like she went through a garbage disposal!)
I ordered them as day olds from Cackle so they are hatchery birds that all looked alike until they were about 4 months old. Now they look nothing like each other. One looks like she might be pure BO, but the other two are small, and don't look very Orpish at all.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

All of the Buff hens I've ever had were pretty laid back and easy going. I don't make pets out of mine so I don't expect them to sit in my lap or anything. Once in a while I'll sit in a chair under a tree while they're out foraging and it's not uncommon to have most of them within twenty feet of me when I do. They're fair layers and if not all of them go broody I will say that my most reliable broodies are both Buffs. They are justifiably one of the best homestead birds out there and if they had yellow skin they'd be about perfect.

There are the occasional outliers though. As laid back as Buffs usually are the meanest rooster I've ever personally known was a Buff Orpington. He was the exception that points out the good behavior of the rest of his breed.

 

[bargain]

They are docile and if handled as babies will be quite friendly. Some of the folks who have bought eggs from us and handled all the babies throughout their growing up period are reporting, that the Buff Orps from us as well as the Lavendar Orps, the Split/Black Lavendar Orps and the Blue black and splash orps do eat from their hands, fly up to sit on their laps, etc., etc. I think orps are especially friendly groups. Our roosters haven't bothered me because I'm in and around them a lot. So yes, all orps can be very friendly!

 

[PunkinPeep]

Most of my broodies are buff orpingtons. And though i don't really go out of my way to make them friendly - handling and whatnot - my buffs are the only ones who ever show any interest in being friendly. Even then, they are always much easier to handle than the others.

The only downside of a buff is that they also tend to be at the bottom of the pecking order. But they are good broodies, and i really enjoy them.

 

[kristen2678]

My BO comes running like a dog when I open the door. She takes any chance she can to get on my lap. She's a big girl now but does her best to try and jump up to my shoulder. She usually hits my back and climbs the rest of the way. She's great.

 

[StevenW.]

the hens r ok but the roos r very mean (has a scar to prove it)

 

[shesaredroan]

I've had many different breeds throughout the 10 years I've had chickens. Buff Orpingtons are one of my favorite breeds. I've always had a mixed flock, Ameraucanas, Blk Australorps, Barred Rock, et al, and Buffs. My Buffs have always been sweet girls and get along well with everybody.
My flock isn't complete unless I have several BOs.