Please let me know your experiences with Cackle's Buff Orpingtons!

[Cowgirl71]

I'm planning my spring chick order (I start planning REALLY early, LOL

). I'm thinking about getting some of Cackle's BOs. I'd really like to hear about your experiences with them, good and bad. Traits I'm most interested in are:

Egg production (spring, summer, fall, and winter).
How quickly they matured and started laying.
How many went broody and how many were good mommas.
How were the cockerels for meat (I'm well aware they're nothing like the Cornish Xs).
Hardiness.
Temperament of the flock rooster.

Please only respond about Cackle Hatchery's Buff Orpingtons! Thank you!

 

[crash0330]

Quote:
Well I can only answer 2 of your questions as my BO havent started laying yet, they are 19 weeks old.
As far as hardiness go, I have to say they are pretty heat hardy, I live in southern california and all through out the summer the temperatures were up in the 105-110, and they did just fine.
Theyre also pretty sweet beautiful big birds. Btw I ordered mine from Cackle an may 10.

 

[Cowgirl71]

Thank you Crash!

Anyone else?

 

[Illia]

Sorry, don't have experience, but wouldn't this get better answers in the hatcheries section?

 

[HennyJenny]

I have seven BO's from Cackle that I got on June 22. They aren't laying yet - but they are nicely shaped, well built, properly colored friendly birds. As an added plus - I bought straight run and only got one roo! That said - it's pretty hard for a hatchery to screw up a buff orpington.
Jenny

 

[tammyd57]

Quote:
My hens are about 16 months old now. Two are small, and the big one hasn't been laying for a few days but is not molting. As a matter of fact she is the only adult who has all her feathers right now, she doesn't even have any 'rooster marks'. I'm not sure what's up with her but she does look nice.
All in all, they have been good egg layers that matured quickly. Would I buy the same breed from the same hatchery again? No.
The roosters were just too mean and the hens were not uniform at all, different sizes and colors, different egg sizes & colors, and now this one that is not laying, but not sick or molting.

 

[Cowgirl71]

Thank you Jenny! Thank you Tammy! One trait I forgot to mention was egg size... How big are their eggs?

Illia: How would I move this into the hatchery section?

ETA: Oh, I guess somebody moved it for me. Thank you (Illia?)!

 

[alpacathom]

Have not experienced their Buffs but have extremely good luck with Cackle