Buff Orpingtons vs Others

[K813ZRA]

My Buffs are okay layers but not great. I get 3-5 eggs a week depending on the bird. Their first season it was more like 4-6 and they did lay through the winter as pullets. They have been very stingy with eggs this season! They do lay larger eggs than my other breeds though. One issue that will stop egg production is broodiness, mine do it all of the time! Three birds in particular are really bad at this and they are fairly mean when you try to 'break' their broodiness or take their eggs, which they stole from the other nests!

Temperament, for me, has been great on hens. All of my roosters have been very aggressive with the hens though. Not so bad with humans but man would they pick on the hens. Not mating, but bullying and pulling out feathers. So, I ate them...lol. But back to the hens, mine love attention and will follow me all over the yard. They will let me pick them up but they are not so happy afterward. They puff up and sake off the human stench or something then they look at me like "how dare you touch me'. But all in all I like them as a breed.

They are pigs though! I swear mine eat twice as much as my BR, RR, EE and other birds! They are big too! About 7-9 pounds depending on the bird. One of my roos had a live weight of just over 11 pounds. Scrawny after you butcher, though. That gave me like a 3.5 pound bird if memory serves.

So, for me these are pet birds that are fun to have around and will lay some eggs as a bonus. If you are good with that then you are good to go.

(Mine came from cackle.)

 

[RodNTN]

I have had many Buff Orpingtons, and they have all been docile and extremely sweet. "Pumpkin" (one of the BO's) just loves to be held, and will let you hold her for hours.

The others love to sit in my lap, eat out of my hand; be petted, they just love to be held!
The only drawback is that they are very broody, and are very stubborn broodies at that.

Wilma:

Pumpkin:

 

[PirateGirl]

Maybe look at Wyandottes and see if they might be a good fit for you.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

They both lay 7 days a week no skipping a day.

Wow! Only time I've ever seen that kind of laying from dual purpose bird is during their first lay season. It isn't normal and I wouldn't expect it continue like that long term.

Glad your gal survived the fox attack! The ones we take special care of usually do end up calming down and appreciating our company.

I wonder, with a record like that... what is their age, what do you feed, and do you supplement light? Thanks for sharing.

 

[Mrs.SWhite89]

Wow! Only time I've ever seen that kind of laying from dual purpose bird is during their first lay season. It isn't normal and I wouldn't expect it continue like that long term.

Glad your gal survived the fox attack! The ones we take special care of usually do end up calming down and appreciating our company.

I wonder, with a record like that... what is their age, what do you feed, and do you supplement light? Thanks for sharing.

They are a year old. I supplement light so they kept laying through the cold and not stop. They are molting now i assume there is feather everywhere! and still laying. They eat dumor layer crumbles and veggie scraps.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

They are a year old. I supplement light so they kept laying through the cold and not stop.

I don't substitute light and all of my first year layers continue laying. But I figured with those numbers there must be light involved. Cold has zero relevance to laying as it is a hormone triggered by light that regulates it. I guess in a lot of areas decreased light comes along with the cold weather, so maybe why some people think it's temperature related.

Feathers everywhere is usually a good sigh of molt. But if your still getting eggs, it ain't hitting all your ladies at once.

Personally, not fond of Dumor and reports from users. (I think it's actually owned by Purina but made for TSC) Noting that Orpington are a dual purpose breed both heavy bodied and heavily feathered... I can assure you they will do better with a little more protein than comes in layer. 18-20% protein is a good number. Feathers are made of 90% protein and it's amino acids. That's why I use flock raiser with 20% protein and offer OS on the side instead of layer which usually has 4% calcium and is too much for molting or non laying birds. If fed long term *can* doesn't mean will cause gout and kidney failure.

One misprint in my link says 5-17% and should say 15-17%...
http://ucanr.edu/sites/poultry/files/186894.pdf

They eat dumor layer crumbles and veggie scraps.

So many people think they are doing their birds good by offering "veggie scraps". Very often what they are doing is offering some enrichment to the shooks life but it isn't dietary. Most veggies are heavily water with little actual vitamins and minerals... that basically reduce the protein already being offered in the feed. If you can offer any extra protein left over, (chicken, beef, others)... don't forget that chickens are omnivores and not vegetarian. They need the amino acids that come from ANIMAL sources. Even though a lot of the feeds we have available are specifically vegetarian formulas, they have added in the amino acids. Of course I'm not suggesting feed excessive protein as that could cause it's own host of issues. Balance is always key! I'm just sharing info though, not at all saying you are doing anything wrong or that Dumor is bad for your birds. Yes, an egg a day is HUGE output in my experience and not at all the norm for Orp's. But I see something new everyday! Do you know what was your source for them, which hatchery?

 

[Johnnyfly41]

So I've been reading about what kind of chicks I want this year (As of right now I have a Buff Orpington, a Chantecler, and a Aracauna) and I was noticing that a lot of people said to get Buff Orpingtons if you wanted a good layer and a docile bird. Is this true for all Orpingtons or just the Buff? I am relatively new to chickens, as I just got mine last summer. Thanks!

I have four breeds, Buff Orpington, Barred Rock, Australorp, Easter Egger. By far the Buffs are the most docile and gentle and friendly birds of the flock. Chickens are natrual followers, so, having buffs come and sit on me, the other birds follow suit, but, the buffs are by far the most bonded and affectionanate. They all seem to lay about the same. Love them all, but, for pet like qualities, the Buffs are the best.

 

[Mrs.SWhite89]

I don't substitute light and all of my first year layers continue laying. But I figured with those numbers there must be light involved. Cold has zero relevance to laying as it is a hormone triggered by light that regulates it. I guess in a lot of areas decreased light comes along with the cold weather, so maybe why some people think it's temperature related.

Feathers everywhere is usually a good sigh of molt. But if your still getting eggs, it ain't hitting all your ladies at once.

Personally, not fond of Dumor and reports from users. (I think it's actually owned by Purina but made for TSC) Noting that Orpington are a dual purpose breed both heavy bodied and heavily feathered... I can assure you they will do better with a little more protein than comes in layer. 18-20% protein is a good number. Feathers are made of 90% protein and it's amino acids. That's why I use flock raiser with 20% protein and offer OS on the side instead of layer which usually has 4% calcium and is too much for molting or non laying birds. If fed long term *can* doesn't mean will cause gout and kidney failure.

One misprint in my link says 5-17% and should say 15-17%...
http://ucanr.edu/sites/poultry/files/186894.pdf


So many people think they are doing their birds good by offering "veggie scraps". Very often what they are doing is offering some enrichment to the shooks life but it isn't dietary. Most veggies are heavily water with little actual vitamins and minerals... that basically reduce the protein already being offered in the feed. If you can offer any extra protein left over, (chicken, beef, others)... don't forget that chickens are omnivores and not vegetarian. They need the amino acids that come from ANIMAL sources. Even though a lot of the feeds we have available are specifically vegetarian formulas, they have added in the amino acids. Of course I'm not suggesting feed excessive protein as that could cause it's own host of issues. Balance is always key! I'm just sharing info though, not at all saying you are doing anything wrong or that Dumor is bad for your birds. Yes, an egg a day is HUGE output in my experience and not at all the norm for Orp's. But I see something new everyday! Do you know what was your source for them, which hatchery?

Which ever tractor supply buys from. I had some shipped by tractor supply but forget what the hatchery name on the box was. I don't always feed dumor but when cash runs low because we had an unexpected bill that's what they get and what the bag they just finished up was. Purina and nutrena and my go to feeds for my chickens and horse. We have a local mill also but never looked at their poultry lines of feeds.

 

[Mosey2003]

My first birds were very heavy, floofy English/American mixed Buff Orps. They were beautiful, and calm, and absolutely dismal layers. 2-3 eggs a week in the summer of their first laying year, and they didn't start laying for 8 months because they were such big birds. I sold them to a couple different people and got Barred Rocks, who lay much better for me. If I had unlimited room, I'd still have some big floofy Orpingtons, I find them to be very pretty. Just not practical right now.

 

[robinwhiskers]

My Buff Orps are great! Definitely great personalities! We got them at 2 days old along with 2 day old Easter Eggs and barred rocks. They were all given lots of socialization but the Orps are still the friendliest and one can do 10 tricks, walks on a leash, rides my bike with me, etc.