orpingtons - personalities differ w/color?

[TurtleChick]

you guys have got me convinced that at some point i must add an orp or two to our flock.

i LOVE the blues... also like the whites. i think that the buffs are adorable (have read the "golden retrievers of the chicken world" comments...), just was wanting to mix it up a bit with a mixed-color flock (we already have two red stars, and they're close to buff colored), so they wouldn't be my first choice if you all tell me that they all have equally sweet personalities. BUT a calm, happy flock is my first priority, so if buffs are the mostest sweetestest, then buffs it will be! heck, maybe i should just plan on a red-palette-flock!

 

[kstaven]

Quote:
Temperment is more often a function of the breeding and raising, than a factor of color.

I have had buffs here that are highly aggressive but great confirmation and another line that was very docile.

 

[Sugar Sand Farm]

I have whites,blues,buffs,and blacks They all seem quiet and calm to me. My white cockerel Casper will occassionally go after my grown daughter but he only did it to me once and I yelled at him now when I come into the coop he checks me out and usually goes back outside. He is very protective of his girls.

 

[Richie]

I have two white orpingtons, one male and one female. They came with a mixed flock of chicks that I ordered, straight run, which turned out to be about 90% males.......They are gorgeous and I am crazy about them. I will try to put them togther alone when they are full grown; they are 5 months old now. What enormous body size, wow. I enjoy them so much.

 

[Lee]

I have 2 groups of BO that are the same age and raised together and treated all the same. One group from a show breeder and one from a homestead type breeder. The one from the show breeder are flighty and not very smart. The homestead type are friendly, calm and smarter than the average chicken. Just my humble experience.

 

[Richie]

Your "chicken philosophy" at the end of your post is in complete sync with my own. This morning, since it is cold, they had a warm pot of oatmeal and they love that. The orpingtons are great, so are my minorcas, light brown leghorns, barred and buff rocks, buff wyandottes and New Hampshires......I have such a great time with them.........I do find that when I bought from a commercial hatchery that the chickens were not as big and breed typey.

 

[TurtleChick]

thanks, all! i'm hoping hoping to convince my dh that we MUST have just a couple more peeps... cross your fingers for me!

lee - i really appreciate the insight into your two groups... i guess it really is key to find a good breeder (whether they be show or homestead type) and find out what kind of temperaments run in their lines. thanks!

my heart is still set on blues (or bbs) - but just last night dh told me (grudgingly) that he likes the red and "orange" chickens the best... so perhaps a few buffs would find the path of least resistance to his heart!

still want those blues, though......... need need need! or whites. or blacks. or splashes.

or ameraucanas. or cochins. or faverolles..........

just kidding - i have reigned it in to the point of narrowing my obsession to one breed. for now. hee hee!