Info on Buff Orps

[mtngirl35]

Hi everybody! I currently have 2 Barred Rock hens, 2 Black Sex Link hens, 1 Black Australorp hen, 5 mixed breed hens, and a mixed breed roo. I want to expand my flock and I'm leaning toward Buff Orps. I think they are beautiful birds. I have read that they tend to go broody which would be welcome. Other than that can anybody give me some pros and cons on them?

 

[sunflour]

I have 3 and love them all. One is broody most of the time and is second in pecking order of 6…sort of bossy, especially with treats. One sometimes goes broody, is the lowest in pecking order. The other never goes broody, is in middle of pecking order, and is my absolute favorite of all and one of my most dependable layers - large to xl eggs.

My flock = 3 BR + 3 BO. The feather colors are very complimentary. And they all get along together well.

 

[mtngirl35]

I have 3 and love them all. One is broody most of the time and is second in pecking order of 6…sort of bossy, especially with treats. One sometimes goes broody, is the lowest in pecking order. The other never goes broody, is in middle of pecking order, and is my absolute favorite of all and one of my most dependable layers - large to xl eggs.

My flock = 3 BR + 3 BO. The feather colors are very complimentary. And they all get along together well.

Thanks sunflour. I'm mostly worried about my BR girls. They are bossy little butts and I had read that BO have a tendency to be on the bottom of the pecking order because they are so docile. But worst case scenario, I have an unused coop and run I can move them to. I have a small hatchery not far from me and I'm hoping to get 6 BO in the spring. Do yours deal with the heat ok? It probably gets a bit hotter in Macon than up here. I'm just northwest of Chattanooga and mid to high 90s in the summer is the norm.

 

[sunflour]

Thanks sunflour. I'm mostly worried about my BR girls. They are bossy little butts and I had read that BO have a tendency to be on the bottom of the pecking order because they are so docile. But worst case scenario, I have an unused coop and run I can move them to. I have a small hatchery not far from me and I'm hoping to get 6 BO in the spring. Do yours deal with the heat ok? It probably gets a bit hotter in Macon than up here. I'm just northwest of Chattanooga and mid to high 90s in the summer is the norm.

Funny thing, we had planned to get a mixed flock and decided on 3 BR + 3 BO for the same concern. So 3 BO would have company at the bottom of the order. But really did not expect the final order. #1 BR - a very sweet girl, rules the group quietly…just a look and they all bow down. #2 Big Buff - was the largest chick of all at 3 days old but no such a size difference once grown. She is bossy, treat hog. Last broody bit was 2 months! She loves butt fluff, so she's the only one who keeps hers. Not an aggressive picker, but sneaky. #3 BR is they typical middle child I guess. When first started to lay was the nest patrol officer. Now she's a lot more settled. #4 was the surprise - Little Lillie, BO. She was always last in order til both other BO's ( the broody twins) were sitting others' unfertilized eggs. She moved to fourth. She is absolutely the most inquisitive, friendly of all ---helps me with coop and run cleaning. Always attentive. #5 BR - Road Runner - before she started laying, I was absolutely convinced she was a roo…she was so much fun I knew I would keep her anyway. Shocked me and DH when she started laying. She is the smallest in my flock and the bottom girl, but deals with it well.

We have only see discord when one is broody and comes around the gang…like Halloween 13 attitude looking like a fluffed turkey. And when 2 had simulates attitudes, it was quite noisy.

Don't we love to talk about our chickens?

Macon summers are usually scorchers with high humidity. Since we have had the girls have had few days over 100 - but our usual can be 105-108 in mid to late summer. 2013 was rainy and cooler than normal. But this summer we had lots of hot 90-99 days + high humidity and only a few over 1000. The only one who did scare us was a BR - and the temp was only in the 80's but was a big swing in temp. She did well, only because DH was home and cooled her off with water splashes, move to shade and a fan. After that we got an all weather outdoor fan, put a roll down shade on sunside of the run. Buffs did just as well as the Barrs.

Buffs are popular in our area and do well here..hope this helps.


( gee I hate to have to read long posts, don't you)

 

[BunnyTheSlayer]

I also have a mixed flock with 3 BRs and 3 BOs (among other breeds as well) and my BO Ruby is queen of the flock! I absolutely adore their personalities and fluffy butts. Ruby is also my roosters favorite girl She's like a little puppy dog, running for treats and love. Out of all my chickens my BOs are probably my favorites (Aside from my Ameraucana Roo, I adore that boy). They seem to do great here with our heat and our cold. They are tough little wenches! They hold their own in the pecking order as well and produce lovely light brown eggs for me. It's 19 degrees (Fahrenheit) here today and I still got eggs.

 

[sunflour]

I also have a mixed flock with 3 BRs and 3 BOs (among other breeds as well) and my BO Ruby is queen of the flock! I absolutely adore their personalities and fluffy butts. Ruby is also my roosters favorite girl

She's like a little puppy dog, running for treats and love. Out of all my chickens my BOs are probably my favorites (Aside from my Ameraucana Roo, I adore that boy). They seem to do great here with our heat and our cold. They are tough little wenches! They hold their own in the pecking order as well and produce lovely light brown eggs for me. It's 19 degrees (Fahrenheit) here today and I still got eggs.

Is Ruby your avatar? So cute.

 

[BunnyTheSlayer]

Yep! Thats her! That was a few months ago. She's even bigger now. This is her today...

 

[Michael OShay]

I've raised all of the breeds on your list over the years including Buff Orpingtons (still have them in my flock), and the pros way outweigh the cons. The pros: Beautiful, calm and gentle (my children, and now my granddaughter, made lap pets of ours), very cold hardy, decent brooders and mothers, and good layers of large, brown eggs. The cons: They are frequently low on the pecking order with other standard breeds, they do go broody fairly frequently (can be a pro or con), and they are not as heat hardy as Black Australorps or the Mediterranean breeds.

 

[Michael OShay]

good layers of large, brown eggs.

P.S. Just for clarity, they will not match the lay rate of your Black Sex Links or Black Australorps. Their lay rate is about the same as your Barred Rocks.

 

[sunflour]

Yep! Thats her! That was a few months ago. She's even bigger now. This is her today...

She's a queen, gorgeous.