Is my Buff Orpington a male or female ?

[Morrigan]

I'd be pretty confident it is a she as well.

 

[Gray Farms]

Yeah. I think the late development is probably more common with the English type because they have more developing to do with their size and very full plumage. They are gorgeous.

Agreed. It takes nearly 2 years for my boys to get to mature size as well. People are shocked how big the are when the see them.

 

[BlackHackle]

Agreed. It takes nearly 2 years for my boys to get to mature size as well. People are shocked how big the are when the see them.

They sure do get huge. I used to breed UK Lavender Orps and they got so big they would literately fill your arms

 

[Morrigan]

I've got a second 6 1/2 week old cockerel a blue/buff columbian mix who I think is going to be enormous. Sadly, I think he may be too big for my hens to handle. It's a pity, because he is going to be spectacular looking.

Anyone here with huge english BOs who breed them have any experience as to whether more normal size hens can handle the load?

 

[Gray Farms]

Can't help you there. I don't crossbred mine.

 

[Morrigan]

Can't help you there. I don't crossbred mine.

Thanks, it sounds like you breed only orpingtons with orpingtons. If you wouldn't mine, I would still value your view as to whether your hens struggle at all with very large roosters. My hens are probably about the size of a standard orpington hen (some of them are orpington's or crosses thereof), the rest are sussex).

I've thought about getting a sussex rooster and focusing on that breed, but I do love my orpingtons and have heard the they make gentle roosters.

 

[Gray Farms]

My English Orpington males are very gentle with their hens and never over breed them. If they were crossed to something some what smaller like Plymouth Rocks, Sussex, Cochins, Brahmas, Jersey Giants, etc... I think they'd be fine. But if the hens were quite a bit smaller like Leghorns, Rhode Island Reds, Australorps, Buttercups, Andalusians, etc... I don't think the hens would let them breed them very much thus you'd have low fertility.

 

[Morrigan]

My English Orpington males are very gentle with their hens and never over breed them. If they were crossed to something some what smaller like Plymouth Rocks, Sussex, Cochins, Brahmas, Jersey Giants, etc... I think they'd be fine. But if the hens were quite a bit smaller like Leghorns, Rhode Island Reds, Australorps, Buttercups, Andalusians, etc... I don't think the hens would let them breed them very much thus you'd have low fertility.

Thanks! That's very helpful, and gives me some comfort about having an Orp. Roo. I don't have any small breed chickens, and have stayed away from them because my current rooster is big enough, and rather clumsy. I'm raising up his replacement right now. It's going to an orpington or maran. I'd rather have the orpington because at least some of my hens are orpingons, but the marans are awfully handsome. I'm hoping the choice will become more obvious as the little guys get older and start showing more personality.