Buff Orpingtons vs. American Games???

[Cowgirl71]

*Hopefully I put this in the right section*

I'm wanting to get down to just 15 hens and a rooster and let the hens hatch and raise the chicks. But I want a good dual purpose flock as well. I'm planning on having Buff Orps, Barred Rocks, and Rhode Island Reds for sure. Help me decide whether I should add a few American Game hens or not!

Pros of getting a few American Game hens:
- They make awesome mothers.
- Very hardy.
- Excellent foragers.
- Great at staying out of the jaws of predators.

Cons:
- I already have the Buff Orps, so just sticking with them will save me time and money.
- American Games are not good layers or meat birds, compared to Buff Orps, who are great dual purpose birds. So they'll detract from my goal of a dual purpose flock.
- The coop space limits me to 15 hens and a rooster, so if I get some Game hens I won't be able to keep as many of the other breeds.


I'm having a really tough time deciding whether or not to get some Games... I've been going back and forth for a month or so now. Any input would be appreciated.

Also, if any of you have used Orpington or American Game hens to raise chicks I'd be VERY interested to know how it went/what kind of a setup you had.

 

[rhs7111]

But, but, but...buff orps are pure blonde love in a fluffy package...how could you choose any other?!

I love buff orps (and SS and EEs and RIRs) so I'm going to try to sway you to the beautiful buffs.

 

[Zaxby's2]

Well.... Both are good at raising chicks, but games will do it more often. With the breeds you have though you should get some broodies all ready.

I would add a couple game hens to your flock and you should be good. I tried encouraging my hens to go broody, and my BO did. She was great! She hatched out 4 out of 6 eggs, and raised them well! Sadly our huge lab got into her pen and she died, along with a chick. The other chicks are doing fine now. She was a good mother, and a game wouldn't have standed a chance against my lab either probably.

My uncle has games who raise chicks for him all the time, and I'm planning on getting a pullet from him, since he said I could have some.

I would say get both breeds.

Here's my buff hen:

And here's one of my uncle's hens:

Hope this helps!

 

[Cowgirl71]

Quote:
They ARE SO pretty!!! I love their golden color and fluffy butts! They're also good farm chickens, being good layers, meat birds, broodies and foragers. I'm definitely planning to keep a Buff Orp rooster, that way all of my chicks will be at least half Buff. I'll probably be keeping my one purebred Buff Orp pullet too.

 

[Cowgirl71]

Zaxby's2 :

Well.... Both are good at raising chicks, but games will do it more often. With the breeds you have though you should get some broodies all ready.

I would add a couple game hens to your flock and you should be good. I tried encouraging my hens to go broody, and my BO did. She was great! She hatched out 4 out of 6 eggs, and raised them well! Sadly our huge lab got into her pen and she died, along with a chick. The other chicks are doing fine now. She was a good mother, and a game wouldn't have standed a chance against my lab either probably.

My uncle has games who raise chicks for him all the time, and I'm planning on getting a pullet from him, since he said I could have some.

I would say get both breeds.

Here's my buff hen:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/86025_137.jpg
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/86025_148.jpg
And here's one of my uncle's hens:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/86025_chicks_001.jpg
Hope this helps!

Very cute pics!

How soon do you allow your Buff Orp hens to take their babies free ranging with the other hens? (or are your hens always penned in?) Are your Uncle's birds bantams or standards? How soon does he allow them to take their babies out to free range?


I still can't decide whether or not to get the Games... Any other opinions???​

 

[galanie]

Just to add, my BO's are great moms too, and so far each of three have gone broody twice this year. One has been allowed to hatch eggs both times and wow what a great momma.
They are also great foragers, but I wouldn't try to have them eat only from forage no matter the breed. But anyway they might not be as good a forager as a game, but they certainly are good at it.
Orps are very hardy to cold as far as hardy. But heat might be different. I have some in this Texas heat and furnish them a fan (which they never sit in front of - the newly hatched chicks were the only ones smart enough to do that) and a wading pool, plus the area already affords lots of shade. I don't know if they'd die from the heat without those but I'm not much wanting to find out.

Another plus to orps is that they will not fly over the fence! I only have a 4 foot fence and none have flown over, ever. I did have one try to get to the top of a 4 foot section that was fencing out the garden, but didn't make it

 

[Zaxby's2]

Quote:
Very cute pics!

How soon do you allow your Buff Orp hens to take their babies free ranging with the other hens? (or are your hens always penned in?) Are your Uncle's birds bantams or standards? How soon does he allow them to take their babies out to free range?


I still can't decide whether or not to get the Games... Any other opinions???

I let my chickens free range most of the day. I never got the chance to, but I would have let her take them out at about three weeks. My uncle let's them out at a week old and at that point they just free range all day and find a good tree to roost in at night. He gives them scratch and table scraps everyday but he doesn't have a pen for them unless one of them is still on the eggs. They just run around his barn. Most of the chicks get picked off by predators, but he gets some to survive. The last batch he had 4 out of 10 survived. That's what I would expect if you did what he does. Definitely keep your buff orpingtons though, just add a game hen and between her and your buffs you should have regular broodies.

To encourage a hen to go broody just leave a bunch of eggs in the nest, and they should set in a week or two. I got 14 plastic Easter eggs and painted them brown, and after a week my buff hen went broody. Now that I think about it my uncle doesn't collect his eggs very often so that the games will go broody. Besides, any bird can go broody, so you should have plenty. I would definitely keep both buffs and a game hen or two, but DON'T get rid of the buffs. Here's the reason why. (not the same hen as the first)

You got to love the fluffy butts!

Good luck!

 

[Cowgirl71]

Quote:
I'm planning to keep at least a Buff Orpington rooster so that all of my chicks next year will be half or more Buff Orpington. I'll probably keep some Buff Orp hens too. They're just such great farm birds... Good layers, good meat birds, good broodies, good foragers and they're gorgeous to boot, with their beautiful big golden fluffy bodies and red combs!!!

It gets pretty hot here in the summer, but I strategically placed the well ventilated coop under a Black Walnut tree to provide shade. It makes SUCH a difference. I currently have 21 Buff Orpington/Barred Rock crosses in it and they're doing very well in the heat.

I don't know if you finished reading my earlier topic about American Games, but I did mention in a later post that I DO plan to feed/supplement the hens and chicks. Just so no one thinks I treat my chickens inhumanely! (Matter of fact, I had a bunch of people buying laying hens from me earlier this year after I put up an ad on Craigslist. Most of them commented about how healthy and well taken care of the hens looked.)

 

[Cowgirl71]

Zaxby's2 :

I let my chickens free range most of the day. I never got the chance to, but I would have let her take them out at about three weeks. My uncle let's them out at a week old and at that point they just free range all day and find a good tree to roost in at night. He gives them scratch and table scraps everyday but he doesn't have a pen for them unless one of them is still on the eggs. They just run around his barn. Most of the chicks get picked off by predators, but he gets some to survive. The last batch he had 4 out of 10 survived. That's what I would expect if you did what he does. Definitely keep your buff orpingtons though, just add a game hen and between her and your buffs you should have regular broodies.

To encourage a hen to go broody just leave a bunch of eggs in the nest, and they should set in a week or two. I got 14 plastic Easter eggs and painted them brown, and after a week my buff hen went broody. Now that I think about it my uncle doesn't collect his eggs very often so that the games will go broody. Besides, any bird can go broody, so you should have plenty. I would definitely keep both buffs and a game hen or two, but DON'T get rid of the buffs. Here's the reason why. (not the same hen as the first)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/86025_271.jpg
You got to love the fluffy butts!

Good luck!

Yes, I LOVE the fluffy butts! And Buff Orpingtons are such a great all-around farm breed!

 

[Cowgirl71]

I just remembered another reason against getting American Games... The risk of bringing in diseases. I could get hatching eggs, but I REALLY don't want to raise any more chicks. I've already raised about 100 chicks this year, and now I've got 34 Guinea keets. Maybe I'll just stick with the Buff Orps?