Goldilocks is one jerk of a freeloader because....?

[venymae]

My father has a buff orpington. She is #2 boss lady in the chicken coop. She is skittish around people and not the nicest to the chooks beneath her. The rooster isn't interested in her, though he has a thing for the other 3 hens! She doesn't appear to be molting (and no gold feathers in the coop!) She is a little over 1 year old. She had bumblefoot a while back that was not treated, leg swelled up, but eventually went away and she is walking on it normal again (NOT MY CHICKEN! I take care of these things!). She appears in good health and has access to unlimited layer feed and free range. I bet we've only gotten a total of 12 eggs from her since she started laying! She's a freeloading hen who hates my father and and her only redeeming trait is that she's a giant fluffy ball of golden butter gorgeousness. Beauty only gets you so far though, and unless she starts to lay, my father will be having butter ball soup. What gives?

 

[Sunshine Flock]

Ha, a freeloading hen and butter ball soup. Poor girl, but gave me the gaggles.

Sorry, that was a goose joke.

Anyway, it's curious a buff isn't laying five or six days a week, especially for her age, right? And how exactly does a man hating hen behave?

We lost a darling hen whose "behavior" was rambunctious and noisy, but since she was the smallest as a day old chick and stayed small relative to the others, I now wonder if her so called behavior was actually how she was displaying symptoms of an underlying problem.

Also, if she stays healthy and your father decides he's ready for butter ball soup, surely someone would love to adopt her, despite the low egg production. Maybe give Craigslist a try before soup day?

ETA: Adopt her as a pet, that is, since people seem to really love buffs.

 

[ChickNanny13]

I LOVE my girls FLUFFY BUTTS ....

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I have had hatchery quality Buff Orpingtons that were fat, lazy, and snotty..times twice...different batches. I stopped purchasing them because I didn't like the commercial hatchery quality I was getting. I sold all of mine.

So it could be you simply got one of those.

If she is a year old, you might check for worms. That will slow egg production. So will lice/mites.

She might also be molting, but just not noticeably.

Also, the bumblefoot may have lowered her immune system enough that something else is lurking.

Buff Orps are beauties indeed though.

My thoughts.
LofMc

 

[Sunshine Flock]

I LOVE my girls FLUFFY BUTTS ....

They are SO darn cute!!!

 

[Goose girl1]

We also have a hen that wasn't laying and didn't like the rooster, she is a blue leghorn.
We thought she might have been a rooster but all of a sudden she started laying double yolks.
Hope she starts to lay.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Thank you CarolinaSunshineFlock. Should have seen Hubby's face when I told him I needed the camera take pictures of their "fluffy butts".

They're hatchery stock, got them at 8wks old in bad condition, should have walked away but had to "rescue" them. Glad I got them, they're great gals. One started laying at 26wks, another at 28wks, the third at 29wks, still waiting on the last. They're all so sweet that I'd probably keep them even if they weren't laying. Just love those Fluffy Butts, one is really a Puff Ball.

 

[venymae]

I have had hatchery quality Buff Orpingtons that were fat, lazy, and snotty..times twice...different batches. I stopped purchasing them because I didn't like the commercial hatchery quality I was getting. I sold all of mine.

So it could be you simply got one of those.

If she is a year old, you might check for worms. That will slow egg production. So will lice/mites.

She might also be molting, but just not noticeably.

Also, the bumblefoot may have lowered her immune system enough that something else is lurking.

Buff Orps are beauties indeed though.

My thoughts.
LofMc

He has not checked for worms or parasites so that may be a thought. I actually hatched this chick myself from local eggs (that were probably hatchery quality). She seems very healthy, gets around well and eats well. Thanks for the food for thought!

 

[venymae]

Ha, a freeloading hen and butter ball soup. Poor girl, but gave me the gaggles.

Sorry, that was a goose joke.

Anyway, it's curious a buff isn't laying five or six days a week, especially for her age, right? And how exactly does a man hating hen behave?

... I now wonder if her so called behavior was actually how she was displaying symptoms of an underlying problem.

Also, if she stays healthy and your father decides he's ready for butter ball soup, surely someone would love to adopt her,

ETA: Adopt her as a pet, that is, since people seem to really love buffs.

So this hen was hatched by me and hand raised by my father. He prides himself on having nice chickens that come when he calls and will eat treats out of his hands. lol The man hating behavior is this chicken is TERRIFIED of my dad. She will not let him get close to her, if she's outside the run free ranging she will spook when he walks over close (he's calling "chik'chik'chikings!" so she knows he's coming!) and fly up or sprint away and make a horrid "you tried to kill me!" squaking and bawking, freaking all the other chickens out. If you are at a distance she act very normal (for a bossy top hen jerk)

 

[chickens really]

What is the protein percentage on the bag of feed?...I feed grower to my Orpinton Hens at 18%.I provide oyster shell separately ..Limited free range and Snacks once a week...Yes, hatchery are are not as good as the ones I have..Mine are show stock that come from great lines...